DraftKings (DKNG) Stock Is Up, What You Need To Know

What Happened?

Shares of fantasy sports and betting company DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) jumped 3.2% in the morning session after Benchmark initiated coverage on the stock with a 'Buy' rating and a $37 price target. The investment firm cited the company's strong performance in New York as a key reason for its positive outlook. Benchmark also pointed to potential growth from a possible expansion into Missouri as another factor supporting its rating. This action contributed to a broadly favorable view of the company among Wall Street analysts.

After the initial pop the shares cooled down to $34.57, up 3% from previous close.

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What Is The Market Telling Us

DraftKings’s shares are very volatile and have had 22 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was 2 days ago when the stock gained 3.1% on the news that the company received mixed reviews from analysts, with one firm reiterating a "Buy" rating while another cut its price target. Benchmark restated its "Buy" rating and a $37 price target, and pointed to the company's strong performance in the growing New York sports betting market. The research firm also noted DraftKings' expansion into Missouri. In contrast, BNP Paribas maintained its neutral stance but lowered its price target on the stock to $30 from $40.

DraftKings is down 4.8% since the beginning of the year, and at $34.57 per share, it is trading 35.4% below its 52-week high of $53.49 from February 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of DraftKings’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $690.47.

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