Shares of Sands China Ltd plummeted 7.42% on Monday, underperforming the broader market. The sharp decline came after Macau, the world's largest gambling hub, reported a disappointing 5.6% year-over-year drop in gaming revenue for January.
According to data released by Macau's gaming regulator, gross gaming revenue fell to 18.25 billion patacas ($2.27 billion) last month, missing consensus estimates by around 6%. This marks the second consecutive month of declining revenue, following an 11-month streak of growth in 2024.
The weak revenue figures have weighed heavily on Macau casino operators, with other major stocks like Galaxy Entertainment Group, MGM China, Melco International Development, and Wynn Macau also recording significant losses. Analysts cited the pre-Lunar New Year holiday slowdown and potential broader trends as reasons for the revenue miss, although they expect a rebound after the holiday period, aided by events like concerts by popular South Korean artists.