Golden Entertainment shares surge 39.61% premarket after announcing acquisition by CEO and sale-leaseback with VICI Properties at 41% premium.

Golden Entertainment surged 39.61% in premarket trading following the announcement of a definitive agreement to sell its operating assets to CEO Blake Sartini and affiliates, alongside a $1.16 billion sale-leaseback of seven casino properties to VICI Properties. The transaction values Golden shares at $30.00, a 41% premium to its November 5 closing price, with shareholders receiving 0.902 shares of VICI and $2.75 cash per share. The deal, unanimously approved by an independent board committee, includes VICI assuming $426 million of Golden’s debt and offers a tax-efficient path to privatization. The premium pricing and strategic alignment with VICI’s experiential real estate portfolio drove immediate market optimism, overshadowing weaker Q3 earnings results.