Bear of the Day: Flutter Entertainment (FLUT)

Flutter Entertainment Company OverviewZacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) company Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) is an Irish-American sports betting, gambling, and online gaming company. Flutter Entertainment is the world’s largest sports betting company and owns and operates well-known gambling brands like FanDuel, Betfair, Paddy Power, PokerStars, Sky Betting & Gaming, and Sportsbet. The company’s business is organized into four segments: United States, Australia, UK & Ireland, and International.Flutter Expenses Soar Amid Regulatory CrackdownAmid the recent worldwide explosion of online sports gambling, gambling addiction is becoming rampant. Total sports wagers skyrocketed from $4.9 billion in 2017 to $121.1 billion in 2023, with 94% of bets placed online. Although this may seem like a bullish trend on the surface for Flutter’s business, it is not without its downside. According to a 2025 UC San Diego study, gambling addiction search queries have spiked 23% in the US since the landmark Supreme Court sports betting decision in 2018.As a result, global regulators are cracking down on gambling, increasing regulatory red tape, and making compliance far more expensive. Since 2021, Flutter’s annual expenses have soared from $8.75 billion to over $13 billion.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchFlutter: All-In-One Competition Poses a Significant ThreatOne of the most celebrated sales pitches of all time occurred when then-Apple (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs first unveiled the iPhone, which would eventually become the company – and the world’s – most impactful product. In a clever unveiling, Jobs began by telling the audience that “Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.” Next, in a lengthy and repetitive build-up, Jobs displayed a widescreen iPod with a touch screen, a new mobile phone, and an internet communications device. Finally, Jobs spilled the beans, saying, “Are you getting it? These are not three separate devices!”Although the financial services industry is very different from the smartphone market, financial companies are following the same playbook. For instance, Robinhood (HOOD) has evolved into a full-service financial firm, offering its users equity and options trading, savings, credit, crypto and access to sports prediction markets. Meanwhile, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), an energy, commodity, and data provider (among other offerings), recently made a bold $2 billion bet in Polymarket, allowing the company to enter the growing prediction market business. The rise of these integrated financial platforms poses a significant threat to Flutter as consumers opt for all-in-one apps rather than several siloed apps.Analysts are Bearish on FLUTFinally, according to Zacks Consensus Estimates, FLUT’s year-over-year EPS growth is likely to be negative over the next two quarters.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchBottom lineFlutter, the world’s largest sports betting company, is facing significant headwinds, including rising expenses and competition from integrated financial platforms.Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor StockThis under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. And it's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $971 billion by 2028.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Apple Inc. (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE): Free Stock Analysis Report Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD): Free Stock Analysis Report Flutter Entertainment PLC (FLUT): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks