Golden Entertainment shares surge 30.29% premarket after $30/share acquisition by Blake Sartini and VICI Properties with 41% premium.

Golden Entertainment surged 30.29% in premarket trading following the announcement of a definitive agreement to sell its operating assets to Blake Sartini and affiliates, alongside a sale-leaseback transaction with VICI Properties. The deal offers shareholders $30.00 per share—41% above Golden’s closing price on November 5, 2025—and includes a $2.75 cash distribution per share. VICI will assume up to $426 million of Golden’s debt, significantly reducing its leverage. The transaction, approved by an independent board committee and expected to close mid-2026, provides a premium valuation and aligns with Everbay Capital’s prior proposal to monetize real estate assets. While Q3 results showed a $4.7 million net loss, the acquisition’s favorable terms and immediate liquidity for shareholders overshadowed earnings underperformance, driving the sharp premarket increase.