3 Reasons to Sell MGM Mirage Today

The turmoil in the markets makes it too easy to justify selling any stock these days. Yet, while panic never helps investors, it's still a good idea to play devil's advocate with investments.

Consider casino king MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM  ) . Though gaming and tourism are showing signs of life, you'll find that more than a few of the 1,225 Motley Fool CAPS members weighing in on the company offer reasons to be bearish.

Here at The Motley Fool, we like to consider both the good and the bad sides of an investment, so in this article, I'm highlighting three of the main bearish arguments on MGM Mirage today. Be sure to read the bullish side as well, and then weigh in with your own comments below, or rate MGM Mirage in CAPS.                                                

1. Lowered expectations
Wall Street is forecasting a loss for MGM Mirage this year, and many CAPS members think it's too early to bet on a sustained recovery just yet. While Melco Crown Entertainment (Nasdaq: MPEL  ) , Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS  ) , and Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: WYNN  ) have a bullish outlook on Macau, MGM Mirage relies more heavily on Las Vegas. The stock has already made huge gains this past year, and many investors aren't comfortable holding on after the big run-up.                        

2. It's the economy
Las Vegas has experienced one of the worst declines in tourism in decades, forcing casino operators like Boyd Gaming (NYSE: BYD  ) to freeze expansion projects. There's declining traffic at the city's airport, which is typically bustling with US Airways Group (NYSE: LCC  ) and Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV  ) flights, and many expect continued pressure on Las Vegas. Because its business is highly driven by consumer spending, many CAPS members remain bearish on MGM Mirage.

3. Thorny balance sheet
MGM Mirage is loaded down with debt. While the company is looking at possibly raising money in Hong Kong -- like peers Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts -- and CityCenter offers a possible boost to business, one Oppenheimer analyst says the company still needs more capital. Many CAPS members agree.

To see details of what CAPS members are saying now about MGM Mirage, just click on over to Motley Fool CAPS and have a look -- or add your own thoughts in the comments box below.