On November 09, 2009 SmarTrend identified an uptrend for the gaming giant with stock prices reaching $63.34 and over the past four months, Wynn has returned 12.6% as of today’s recent price.

Wynn Resorts has the second highest cash flow per share in the Resorts & Casino market with cash flow of $3.80 per share for the last year.

Wynn’s cash and short term investment reached $16.16 per share at the end of the last fiscal quarter.

Tuesday saw option players buying up bullish bets at a faster pass than normal, with 12,000 calls crossing the tape. Double the equity’s expected daily call volume.

With March dated options expiring after the market closes on Friday, the March 75 call saw the highest traffic with 4,136 calls.

By buying these options, traders are betting on Wynn to exceed the 75 strike by expiration on Friday.

Shares of Wynn are currently trading around the $74.32 area, above its 50 day moving average of $65.45 and above its 200 day moving average of $57.58.

The Education Familiarization Tour being held at the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Resort and Casino from April 8 through April 11, 2010 was designed to provide meeting and event professionals an opportunity to discover how to enhance their companies’ programs and learn more about the signature offerings available through the resorts.

“The heart of this workshop is the educational seminars, which include our Return on Investment classes, designed to instruct participants on the importance of hosting meeting and conventions,” said Andre Link of Wynn Las Vegas. “Our goal is to assist meeting professionals with their needs and also give them a chance to experience all the impeccable amenities Wynn and Encore have to offer at the same time.”

International meeting planner, Theresa Breining will lead the Return on Investment curriculum.

The exclusive three day program will include an array of activities created to engage and educate participants and their clients on how to ensure meetings are in conjunction with their client’s business needs and produce clear objectives centered on successful outcomes.

However they have agreed to temporarily put off the decision to revoke the gaming license for the Foxwoods Casino until Wynn could formalize plans to build the $600 million casino in Philadelphia.

The board gave Wynn until March 31 to submit plans to finance the casino, which he said would include a $250 million investment from Wynn Resorts with banks providing the rest in the form of a mortgage.

Wynn was also given until April 26 to submit construction and design details which he earlier described would be “the cutest casino you have ever seen”.

Next week, Wynn said he would apply for a gaming license with Wynn Resorts as the casino operator, while the Foxwood tribe applied for a change in control of the project.

The Board also said they would continue to impose a $2,000 a day fine until plans are delivered.

He said he would present an outline for his plans to the state’s Gaming Control Board in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Wednesday. If granted approval by the board, Wynn Resorts would assume control of developing and managing the project.

While he did not disclose an estimated amount of the investment he would make into the project, he did say it would not be “an earth-shaking number” but that the project would “have all the bells and whistles of a good-looking casino,” including 3,000 slot machines, table games, a poker room, an Italian restaurant, a steak house, and an Asian restaurant due to the proximity of the Italian and Vietnamese neighborhoods.

He also said that his plans call for a “straightforward casino” and not a “destination resort”; he did not plan on building a hotel, although the original Foxwoods plan called for one.

He offered a general idea of what he had in mind saying that it would be a one story casino with two or three levels of parking and be “the cutest casino you have ever seen.”

“I’m happy to say we’re feeling very good about it,” Wynn said “it will not look like slots in a box.”

The casino operator reported a net loss of $5.2 million or $0.04 per share, after adjusting for property charges and other items a profit of $0.08 per share was reported.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization rose to $196.8 million from $127.5 million.

Quarterly net revenue rose to $809.3 million from $614.3 million. Analysts had expected $784.7 million.

Macau revenue increased 36% to $508.4 million, with occupancy of 90.6%, compared to 86.8% during the prior year period, generating revenue per available room (REVPAR) of $246 in the 2009 period, 3.6% above 2008 levels of $237.

Las Vegas properties saw net casino revenue of $120.0 million, up 32.2% from the fourth quarter of 2008.

Hotel revenues were up 28.5% to $77.7 million and Food and beverage revenues increased 32.3% to $92.1 million.

During the fourth quarter, Wynn started construction of the Encore Beach Club featuring pools, food and beverage, and nightlife offerings and is expected to open in the second quarter of 2010.

Wynn is also completing construction of Encore at Wynn Macau, a fully-integrated resort hotel planned to luxury suites and villas along with restaurants, additional retail space and additional gaming space including 37 VIP table games, 33 premium slot machines, 24 mass market table games and 39 mass market slot machines opening in April 2010.

The renewal contract includes both the Wynn and Encore resort casinos in Las Vegas and includes a full suite of cash access services including ATM, credit card cash advance and point-of-sale debit transactions, GCA’s back-of-house QuikCash Plus (QCP) system, and the services of Central Credit, the leading gaming patron credit bureau.

Wynn will also continue the use of simple, cost-effective and highly-targeted marketing materials and mailing lists from GCA’s database of over 14 million multi-casino gaming patrons through GCA’s QuikMarketing service, so that the right prospects always receive the right casino promotional materials.

“We are pleased to announce the renewal of the Wynn Las Vegas contract, as it represents a very significant brand in the Las Vegas market,” commented Scott Betts, president and CEO of GCA. “We look forward to providing Wynn Las Vegas with payments and customer market solutions that we believe will enhance the player experience and enable seamless integration, ultimately helping drive more business property-wide.”

The Tribe and original investors would relinquish a percentage of their stake in the casino, giving Wynn more than 51% of the investment and managing rights in exchange for financing.

The Connecticut based tribe and local investors failed to provide the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board with design and financing plans due to too much debt and a downturn in revenue.

The casino faced losing its license if a new partner who could bring both money and leadership to the project was not found by March 3.

The plan detailed in the agreement will be presented to the Board on Wednesday for approval.

Sources say the non-binding agreement would shift management of the casino from the tribe to the Wynn organization.

The Hong Kong High Court ruled in favor of the Wynn Macau who was seeking to recover HK$30 million worth of gambling debt raked up by high roller Henry Mong Hengli between Macau and Las Vegas.

Although Mong had argued that the Macau courts were a more appropriate forum, the case was accepted by the Hong Kong courts because Mong’s only ties to Macau were through gambling. Mong owns property and holds bank accounts in the Hong Kong.

Mong’s claims that the Gaming Inspection and Co-ordination Bureau should have individually approved his credit agreement, however lawyers for Wynn successfully argued that the Macau law in question targets credit agreements between casinos and VIP junkets, not direct loans to players.

The investment firm has raised their estimate to account for reported fourth quarter 2009 Macau gaming revenue, which the firm believes to be “the right product, at the right time, in the right gaming jurisdiction.”

Analysts David Bain of Sterne Agee told investors that, “Wynn remains on schedule to open Encore Macau at or around early April 2010, in our view. The company’s aggregate VIP table games should increase to approximately 215 tables by April, a nearly 45% increase over its average fourth-quarter 2009 VIP base, when accounting for Encore’s opening and the somewhat lower-profile, small-scale expansion at Wynn Macau.”

The firm reiterated its Neutral rating and target price of $60 saying that their upward estimate revision is offset by a lowered outlook for Las Vegas.

Shares of Wynn rose to $64.91 by the close of trading yesterday, only $.73 lower than the monthly high of $65.64 reached on February 2.

The market opened today with a stock price of $65.48 on a volume of 750,575.

The gaming company gained 5.8% during trade to close yesterdays market at $64.96.

WYNN stock has hit a 52 week high of $74.90 and a 52 week low of $14.50 and is continuing to show support around 59.62 and resistance in the 63.60 range.

Cramer suggested that now is a good time to buy shares of Wynn Resorts as they are primed to benefit from Macau gambling during the two week holiday around the Chinese New Year.

Last week Macau reported a 63.3% surge in gaming revenue for the month of January, which has helped boost Wynn’s stock.

Wynn stock has also benefited from reports that gaming revenue on the Las Vegas Strip rose 5.9% in December, which was the second straight monthly gain.

In 2006 a controversial tip-sharing policy was initiated at Wynn Las Vegas that dealers say reduced their earnings by more than 10 percent. Dealers, who earn little more than minimum wage, receive as much as 90 percent of their income from tips; earnings which have fallen during the economic decline.

Prior to the suit with the Labor commission, Dealers attempted to file a class action suit claiming the tip-sharing policy violates federal labor laws.

However the Judge dismissed the case saying the state labor commissioner’s office was the proper venue for the case.

An appeal was filed with the state Supreme Court which upheld the lower court’s decision.

The wine bar will combine handcrafted wines culled from the best vineyards around the world with food, mood and music to cultivate a multi-sensory experience.

A selection of artisanal beers, organic spirits and specialty cocktails will complement the comprehensive wine list. The wine bar will pair the sophistication of the wine with an accessible neighborhood hideaway to welcome the connoisseur and the novice alike.

A gourmet, chef-driven menu serving house-made and artisanal charcuterie, farmhouse cheeses, hand-cut crudo, tapas a la plancha and bite-size desserts will also be offered.

Musical inspiration will derive from rhythms from around the world including Italy, Spain, France, Argentina, Chile and Australia.

The venue will open later this year in a newly renovated space adjacent the Terrace Pointe Cafe at Wynn Las Vegas.

Earlier this week investment firm UBS upgraded its rating on the gaming company from “Neutral” to “Buy” sending its shares on a rise of 3.88% in Monday’s pre-market session.

However, opinions could be in flux among options speculators since Schaeffer’s put/call open interest ratio has pulled back from a near-term peak of 1.69 set on Dec. 18.

WYNN’s recent rally has seen the shares break above their 50-day moving average however, WYNN appears to have hit a short-term roadblock in the 68 area, a region that capped the shares in early December.

In the last six months the stock went up over 127%.

Shares of Wynn Resorts dropped .72% to $67.90 on Friday.

The stock hit an intraday high and an intraday low of $68.39 and $67.13 respectively.

The transferred shares are valued at $741 million and leave the estranged couple, separately retaining approximately 9% ownership in the outstanding shares of the gaming company.

In May, Elaine Wynn was re-elected to a three year term to the casino operator’s board of directors.

In August, the Wynn’s sold 2 million shares of the company’s stock because of the “anticipated change in their marital status.”

The sale made Aruze USA Inc. a subsidiary of a Japanese gaming company Wynn’s largest shareholder controlling 19.9% of the outstanding shares.

An amended shareholders agreement was reached, calling for Aruze and the Wynn’s to combine their shares totaling 37.9% together to vote on matters presented before the board.

The news sent Wynn’s stock falling on Wednesday $0.89 or 1.3% to close trading on the NASDAQ National Market at $66.96.

The current stock price stands about 30% below that target price.

Shares of Wynn Resorts have increased 3.88% to $60.49 in this mornings pre-market session.

The gaming company’s 52 week trading range is between $14.50 and $74.90.

WYNN closed last weeks trading session, the final for 2009 at $58.23 and has surged over 74% in the past six months.

Stock for the company reached its high in the month of December on the 3rd at $67.70 and its low for the month of $58.21 on December 31st.

Affecting the Hong Kong Stock market, Investment firm Citigroup issued a “sell” recommendation for Wynn Macau, the Macau unit of Las Vegas based Wynn Resorts.

The firm cited its decision on the company’s primary focus on VIP gamblers, which produce lower margins than the mass gaming market, as well as the casino operators lack of expansion on the growing Cotai Strip.

According to a report from CNBC, Caldwell recommends almost fully investing, as he has a positive outlook for the profit cycle.

Although he anticipates a fairly sluggish economic recovery, “there’s actually a good profit cycle occurring on top of it, so we’re trying to position for that profit cycle.”

Caldwell said he thinks the prospects for better top line growth are going to be outside the U.S, in places like China, India, Brazil and Southeast Asia. This corresponds with his outlook on the casino operator.

Caldwell anticipates that even though Wynn Resorts is scheduled to open an addition to their Macau property in April, the current market growth of 15-20% in a year over year basis suggests that the casino resort will be capacity constrained.

Caldwell says, “Wynn has become a Macau story and not a Vegas story. We think the stock can reach the low $90s once they reach full capacity.”

This week the company released a statement outlining plans for the new Encore Beach Club.

“The plan features expansive pools, food and a beverage and nightlife offering to replace what is currently the porte-cochere on Las Vegas Boulevard,” the statement said.

The new addition will open summer 2010.

The New York Post reported that the expansion would cost the Resort up to $100 million although that figure has not been confirmed by the company.

The 60,000 square feet total expansion will have 50,000 square feet devoted to the Beach Club complex complete with 3 pools, 30 private VIP cabanas and outdoor gaming.

4,000 square feet will be used for the Surrender Nightclub and another 6,000-8,000 square feet reserved to become multiple, climate controlled decks between the two.

The new entertainment complex will be in competition with the 25,000 square foot Haze Club and Liquid pool venue at the ARIA resort scheduled to open in the spring.

Chris Jones, analyst at Telsey Advisory Group has suggested that the companies Encore casino resort which opened at the end of 2008 has been more of a struggle than the company expected.

And although the gaming company’s opening of Encore Macau in mid 2010 could boost their stock, analyst Dennis Forst thinks the “Uncertainty with the Chinese government should be factored in.”

Wynn had a successful launching of their Macau IPO in September raising $1.9 billion. The debut had their Hong Kong stock jumping 13% and Fitch revised its outlook on the company to positive.

The casino operator is using the proceeds to fund the development of the Encore Macau resort.

The company’s shares rose 23.8% in the year-to-date period, but experts say it is unlikely they will see the same growth in 2010.

The package includes the convenience and luxury of air travel from a private terminal aboard a 50 seat jet, valet parking upon arrival at the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena and John Wayne Airports, complimentary champagne, snacks and beverage during flight, an on board concierge and limousine shuttle directly from the tarmac to the resort. Travelers won’t even have to wait in line for their luggage or to check-in, as their keys will be provided prior to boarding and luggage will be delivered to their rooms.

For only $699 any guest can feel like a VIP for the three nights at the Wynn or Encore Resorts in Las Vegas.

The offer comes just as a rival gaming company opens Las Vegas’s largest resort complex on the strip and other smaller resorts board up hotel rooms and layoff employees as they continue to struggle amid the economic downturn.

Wynn stock closed the market this week at $59.97 down $2.85 from the weeks opening price of $62.82.

The Union initiated a press releases shortly after the suit was filed, distancing themselves from the case and praising the casino operator for its efforts to reduce second hand smoke. The TWU Local 721 won the rights to represent dealers at Wynn in 2007, but has not signed a contract with the casino.

On Friday, attorneys for the casino filed court papers to seek a dismissal of the lawsuit claiming that the companies Resorts and Gaming establishments are in compliance with the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, which exempts casinos from the smoking ban, where minors would not be permitted and that the suit appears to be a union campaign initiative.

Wynn’s attorneys, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, argued, “The real basis for this action appears by all measures to be the pursuit of a political agenda.”

The firm also asserted that with “the Nevada Legislature’s specific endorsement of Wynn’s conduct, Wynn has no duty to shield its employees from second-hand smoke and plaintiff’s claims must therefore fail.”