BTIG Research Reaffirms "Buy" Rating for TKO Group (NYSE:TKO)

Key Points

• BTIG Research reaffirmed a Buy rating on TKO with a $237 price target (about a 24% upside); MarketBeat shows a consensus of Moderate Buy with an average target of $230.88.
• TKO's Q1 results beat expectations — revenue ~ $1.60B (+25.9% YoY) and EPS $1.12 — and the board added a $1 billion share‑repurchase authorization, supporting EPS and capital allocation.
• There has been notable insider selling recently (including Director Nick Khan's ~9,518‑share sale), with ~31,272 shares (~$6.33M) sold in the past 90 days, a potential negative signal despite substantial insider ownership.

TKO Group (NYSE:TKO - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "buy" rating reaffirmed by stock analysts at BTIG Research in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $237.00 target price on the stock. BTIG Research's price target suggests a potential upside of 24.33% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price target on shares of TKO Group from $250.00 to $240.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Wolfe Research reissued a "peer perform" rating on shares of TKO Group in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Citizens Jmp started coverage on shares of TKO Group in a report on Monday, March 30th. They issued a "mkt outperform" rating and a $240.00 price objective for the company. Zacks Research raised shares of TKO Group from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 6th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of TKO Group from $235.00 to $238.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, TKO Group presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $230.88.

TKO Group Stock Up 2.0%

Shares of TKO opened at $190.62 on Thursday. TKO Group has a 52 week low of $152.29 and a 52 week high of $226.94. The firm has a market cap of $37.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 84.72 and a beta of 0.57. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $197.67 and its 200 day simple moving average is $198.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a current ratio of 1.26.

TKO Group (NYSE:TKO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $1.12 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.11 by $0.01. TKO Group had a net margin of 4.13% and a return on equity of 2.07%. The business had revenue of $1.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.59 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.69 EPS. TKO Group's quarterly revenue was up 25.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that TKO Group will post 4.59 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Shane Kapral sold 254 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.15, for a total transaction of $50,584.10. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 99 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $19,715.85. This represents a 71.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Nick Khan sold 9,518 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $185.99, for a total transaction of $1,770,252.82. Following the sale, the director directly owned 91,100 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $16,943,689. This trade represents a 9.46% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 31,272 shares of company stock valued at $6,332,236. 61.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of TKO Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Dorsey Wright & Associates acquired a new position in TKO Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,657,000. Heartland Bank & Trust Co acquired a new position in TKO Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $473,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC increased its position in TKO Group by 543.5% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 148 shares of the company's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. increased its position in TKO Group by 5.5% during the 1st quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 23,203 shares of the company's stock worth $4,679,000 after purchasing an additional 1,218 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. increased its position in TKO Group by 7.2% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 3,205 shares of the company's stock worth $647,000 after purchasing an additional 215 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.79% of the company's stock.

Key TKO Group News

Here are the key news stories impacting TKO Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations — revenue of ~$1.597B, net income ~$249.8M and EPS of $1.12 (vs. ~ $1.11 consensus); revenue grew ~26% YoY, driven by WWE and UFC. TKO Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Board added $1 billion to the share‑repurchase authorization, a clear capital‑allocation boost that supports EPS and signals management confidence. Tko targets $5.675B-$5.775B 2026 revenue while adding $1B to share repurchase authorization
• Positive Sentiment: Paramount rights deal is beginning to lift UFC results and helped overall earnings momentum — viewed by investors as durable revenue upside for the sports portfolio. TKO Earnings and Income Rise as Paramount UFC Deal Kicks Into Gear
• Neutral Sentiment: FY‑2026 revenue guidance set at $5.675B–$5.775B, a touch below consensus (~$5.8B); management reaffirmed full‑year outlook but the range may limit upside expectations. Guidance and Repurchase Authorization
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor resources: the full earnings release and call transcript are available for detail on guidance, segment performance (IMG/WWE/UFC) and margin drivers. Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Reports note IMG/WWE and UFC all posted strong increases in Q1 revenue, underpinning the company’s top‑line momentum. MarketWatch: IMG Revenue Surges
• Positive Sentiment: Public statements and reporting indicate Saudi partners remain committed to TKO partnerships and funding, removing a potential source of near‑term uncertainty. Saudis will not divest in TKO partnerships amid LIV Golf pullout
• Negative Sentiment: Director Nick Khan sold ~9,518 shares (~$1.77M) in early May; insider selling can be perceived as a modest negative signal even though he retains a large position. SEC Filing - Insider Sale
• Negative Sentiment: Media coverage about WWE talent unease under the new ownership may create reputational/noise risk, though its direct financial impact is likely limited. TKO makes major statement on Saudi Arabia's WWE partnership

TKO Group Company Profile

TKO Group Holdings NYSE: TKO is a global sports and entertainment company formed in 2023 through the combination of two major combat-sports businesses. The company brings together the mixed martial arts organization UFC and the sports entertainment business WWE under a single publicly traded holding company. TKO owns and manages a portfolio of live-event franchises, intellectual property, and media rights centered on combat and sports-entertainment content.

TKO's core activities include the promotion and production of live events, the licensing and sale of broadcasting and streaming rights, and the development and commercialization of branded consumer products.

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