AGEM Index for January shrinks 5pct mom
The AGEM Index, tracking stock prices for major publicly-listed makers of gaming equipment, declined by 45.71 points month-on-month in January, to 925.87 points, ie, a decrease of 4.7 percent from December.
Measured year-on-year, the January index was up 229.80 points, or 33.0 percent.
The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) produces the monthly AGEM Index in concert with research firm Applied Analysis LLC.
In the last period, nine of the AGEM Index companies reported stock price decreases amid what the compilers termed a “broad market decline”.
As a result, three companies posted positive contributions to the index, while the other nine posted negative contributions.
The top contributor in January was Japan’s Konami Holdings Corp, parent of casino equipment firms Konami Australia Pty Ltd and United States-based Konami Gaming Inc. It had an 11.1-percent increase in its stock price that led to a 16.69-point gain for the index.
The largest negative contributor to the index was Australia-based slot machine and digital gaming content provider Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. Its 7.4-percent drop in overall stock price resulted in a 35.24-point decrease in the AGEM Index.
A double-digit drop in the stock price of US-based casino equipment and online content provider Scientific Games Corp was also a factor in the monthly drop in the index.
The company reported a 13.7-point decline in stock price, which led to a 15.63-point decline to the index.
All three major US stock indices decreased over the reporting period. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 3.3 percent, while the S&P 500 fell by 5.3 percent. The Nasdaq experienced a 9.1 percent fall.
AGEM represents manufacturers of electronic gaming devices, systems, lotteries, and components for the gaming industry. The association began compiling data for the index in January 2005 using a base of 100 points. The stocks that constitute the AGEM Index are weighted by approximate market capitalization.
