Newly Public PlayAGS Take its Table Games International
Slot machine-maker PlayAGS made its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange Friday, and CEO David Lopez sees opportunity for growth both in the U.S. and abroad.
“We’re actually entering the Philippines in the Latin bingo space right now,” he told Cheddar. “That’s about a 70,000-unit market...Then in Brazil...if a new law goes into effect you’ll see 500,000 or so video bingo machines come online.”
The company, which primarily serves the Native American Market, brought in revenues of $154 million in the first nine months of 2017 and swung to a profit of $13.6 million for that period.
And though the gaming industry has come under pressure from the rise of online and mobile gambling, Lopez says he’s not worried about his casino games getting poached.
“It’s a little bit of a training ground for brick and mortar...If you talk about millennials you think, ‘Hey, when are those millenials going to walk into those casinos and start gambling?’ Well some of it starts on their phone.”
PlayAGS, backed by private equity firm Apollo Investment, sold 10.3 million shares at $16 apiece in its IPO, valuing it at the low end of its expected range at about $550 million.
The stock, which trades under the ticker “AGS”, rose more than 15 percent in its first day of trading.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/playags-rings-nyse-opening-bell-to-celebrate-ipo).
In line with a Biden administration proposal, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is cutting the price of its most commonly prescribed insulins by 70 percent and capping out-of-pocket costs at $35 or less per month.
Demand for mortgage loan applications fell 5.7 percent in the last week of February, according to a survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).
A large cross-section of Americans is at risk of falling below the poverty line as the program that provided more than 32 million people with extra SNAP benefits during the pandemic is set to end. Families received at least $95 extra per month to spend on food.
The Black Innovation Alliance is working to empower Black entrepreneurs and recently received a $3 million commitment from UBS to help with resources. Ifeoma Ike, director of policy and movement strategy with the Black Innovation Alliance, joined Cheddar News to explain further the organization's mission.
Shana Sissel, president & CEO of Banrion Capital Management, joined Cheddar News to discuss another down day on the last session of the month in trading as inflation, a restricted monetary policy, and layoffs continue to affect markets.
Americans who get paid bi-weekly, which means twice a month, will see a third check in March. Shon Anderson, chief wealth strategist of Anderson Financial Strategies, joined Cheddar News to provide tips on how to improve your financial position with that extra pay.
