Churchill Downs, Incorporated $CHDN Stock Position Raised by William Blair Investment Management LLC

William Blair Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Churchill Downs, Incorporated (NASDAQ:CHDN) by 9.2% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 1,017,726 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 85,925 shares during the quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Churchill Downs were worth $98,730,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Churchill Downs by 29.8% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,415 shares of the company’s stock worth $373,000 after buying an additional 784 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its stake in Churchill Downs by 33.5% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 483,252 shares of the company’s stock valued at $53,675,000 after purchasing an additional 121,204 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its position in Churchill Downs by 7.2% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 225,800 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,080,000 after purchasing an additional 15,161 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Churchill Downs by 1,364.7% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 249 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 232 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Churchill Downs during the 2nd quarter valued at about $229,000. 82.59% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Churchill Downs Trading Up 1.7%

Churchill Downs stock opened at $91.93 on Friday. Churchill Downs, Incorporated has a 52 week low of $85.58 and a 52 week high of $119.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.87, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a current ratio of 0.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.41 billion, a PE ratio of 17.48, a PEG ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.67. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $102.13 and its 200-day simple moving average is $101.81.

Churchill Downs (NASDAQ:CHDN) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 25th. The company reported $0.97 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $665.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $658.01 million. Churchill Downs had a return on equity of 42.85% and a net margin of 13.09%.Churchill Downs’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.92 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Churchill Downs, Incorporated will post 6.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on CHDN shares. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of Churchill Downs from $125.00 to $124.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Citizens Jmp lifted their price objective on shares of Churchill Downs from $142.00 to $146.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Citigroup reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Churchill Downs in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Churchill Downs in a research report on Wednesday, December 24th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $135.00.

Key Stories Impacting Churchill Downs

Here are the key news stories impacting Churchill Downs this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings and revenue beat consensus (EPS $0.97 vs. $0.85 est.), driven by live racing and historical-racing performance — supports near-term earnings momentum. Churchill Downs posts Q4 earnings and revenue beat
• Positive Sentiment: Management signaled $15M–$20M of incremental Derby-week EBITDA in 2026 as Derby Week expands — a clear near-term profit lever and driver of operating leverage. Derby Week EBITDA guidance
• Positive Sentiment: New gaming venue opened in Kentucky, expanding regional footprint and local revenue streams — supports longer-term organic growth. Churchill Downs opens newest gaming venue
• Positive Sentiment: Reported full-year profits ($383M for 2025) — reinforces cash-generation profile that can fund Derby expansion, capex or capital returns. Churchill Downs Reports Profits Of $383 Million In 2025
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst note: Wells Fargo trimmed its price target slightly from $125 to $124 but kept an “overweight” rating — a small signal of confidence despite modest margin on valuation. Wells Fargo price target update
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings-call transcript and multiple write-ups detail drivers (historical racing, sports betting, live events) — useful for modeling revenue mix and margin assumptions. Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Balance-sheet and liquidity remain watch items (high reported debt-to-equity and low current/quick ratios), which could constrain flexibility if growth requires incremental capital — monitor leverage and free-cash-flow conversion.
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data reported appears inconsistent (reported zero/share change) and is not signaling a clear bearish bet; treat recent short-interest figures with caution until clarified.

About Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs Incorporated is a leading American entertainment and gaming company best known for operating the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, home of the annual Kentucky Derby. Beyond its signature thoroughbred racing venue, the company manages a diversified portfolio of live racing facilities, casinos, and off-track betting operations. Its services encompass pari-mutuel wagering, historical horse racing machines, and online betting through its TwinSpires platform, reaching horse racing and sports betting enthusiasts nationwide.

In its live racing segment, Churchill Downs oversees a network of racetracks and racing festivals, offering year-round events in multiple states.