Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PENN, Financial), the largest operator of regional casinos, fell in the quarter over concerns about subdued consumer spending and the company’s leveraged balance sheet. The company’s results have been quite strong, and the new projects they have opened recently in Kansas, Ohio, and Massachusetts have ramped up nicely and are earning good returns. We believe that the stock trades at a significant (one-third) discount to its asset value and that its balance sheet will improve materially from free cash flow generation and the repayment of loans advanced to an Indian tribe to build a new casino, which the company will manage going forward.
From Baron Funds' Small Cap Fund second quarter 2016 shareholder letter.
