MGM vs CZR — which stock performed better?

MGM Resorts International (MGM) versus Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (CZR), Consumer Discretionary, on 2026-09-25.

Result

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (CZR) performed better on 2026-09-25. MGM moved -3.240%, CZR moved -0.270%.

Why these two companies

Two Las Vegas Strip rivals are on opposite ends of a buyout story this week: on September 22, 2026, Caesars Entertainment shareholders approved Fertitta Entertainment's $17.6 billion take-private deal, and less than 48 hours later Barry Diller's People Inc. withdrew its own $18 billion all-cash proposal for MGM Resorts International, sending MGM shares down roughly 9% on Thursday, September 24, 2026. With one Strip giant's go-private deal clearing its biggest hurdle while the other's collapses outright, MGM and Caesars offer a rare same-week contrast in how M&A outcomes can move otherwise similar casino stocks.

The research

MGM Resorts runs some of the biggest casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip plus properties around the country and in Asia, while Caesars Entertainment owns and operates a large network of casinos across the U.S., including several Strip properties, plus a big online sports betting business. A reason to like MGM is that its core business just posted record quarterly revenue and analysts see meaningful upside in its stock price after this week's sharp drop. A reason to like Caesars is that its shareholders just approved a deal to be bought out at a set price, which has kept its stock trading in an unusually calm, narrow range.

The key thing to remember about MGM is that a group led by media executive Barry Diller just walked away from an $18 billion offer to buy the rest of the company, and the stock fell hard on that news, so there's real uncertainty about what happens next. The key thing to remember about Caesars is that its own $17.6 billion buyout deal isn't finished yet, it still needs approval from regulators and gaming boards in several states, so there's a chance the deal could still face delays or complications even though shareholders already said yes.