Churchill Downs, Incorporated $CHDN Stock Holdings Lifted by William Blair Investment Management LLC

William Blair Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Churchill Downs, Incorporated (NASDAQ:CHDN) by 9.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,017,726 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 85,925 shares during the period. William Blair Investment Management LLC owned 1.46% of Churchill Downs worth $98,730,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of CHDN. First Horizon Corp bought a new position in shares of Churchill Downs during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Quent Capital LLC acquired a new position in Churchill Downs during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in Churchill Downs by 1,364.7% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 249 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 232 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its stake in Churchill Downs by 1,670.6% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 301 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 284 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MAI Capital Management increased its position in Churchill Downs by 306.9% in the second quarter. MAI Capital Management now owns 293 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 221 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.59% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about 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.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

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

Churchill Downs Stock Performance

CHDN opened at $91.93 on Friday. Churchill Downs, Incorporated has a 1-year low of $85.58 and a 1-year high of $119.11. The company has a market capitalization of $6.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.67. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $102.13 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $101.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.87, a current ratio of 0.57 and a quick ratio of 0.57.

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

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.