Vail Releases Metrics

BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) today reported certain ski season metrics for the comparative periods from the beginning of the ski season through April 10, 2016, and for the prior year period through April 12, 2015. The reported ski season metrics are for the Company's U.S. mountain resorts, excluding results from Perisher and the urban ski areas of Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton and Wilmot Mountain. The data mentioned in this release is interim period data and is subject to fiscal quarter end review and adjustments.

Season-to-date total lift ticket revenue at the Company's U.S. mountain resorts, including an allocated portion of season pass revenue for each applicable period, was up 19.3% compared to the prior year season-to-date period.

Season-to-date ancillary spending increased compared to the prior year, with dining revenue up 16.0% and ski school revenue up 10.1% at the Company's U.S. mountain resorts. Additionally, retail/rental revenue for U.S. resort store locations was up 11.5% compared to the prior year season-to-date period.

Season-to-date total skier visits for the Company's U.S. mountain resorts were up 13.4% compared to the prior year season-to-date period.

That's what happens when you're not exposed to the Eastern market in the worst year ever, and a lot of those people fly west to get some. Tahoe was a huge improvement, too.

Also numbers are being compare to last year which was pretty bad for the west. I wonder how last year and this year compared to a ten year average.

Also wonder how much of the increase is due to adding Park City.  I will have to look into their official earnings release when it becomes available.  Vail is trading in a range right around its all-time high. Peak Resorts meanwhile is trading around its all-time low.

I'll have to read their annual report.  What are they doing that's making them so successful?

It's called natural snow...as in POW

Yeah, cause you actually get natural snow out west, unlike on the ec where you've got to make it all yourself.

Sno---you can't define success just by what's posted here. You really need to dive into the financial details a la ADK Jeff.

% revenue increase is just that. It's an increase over a crummy year prior. And it's just the revenue (top line)--how much money they collected. Need to subtract the expenses and liabilities before you can make any approximation for success.

snoloco wrote

I'll have to read their annual report.  What are they doing that's making them so successful?

Selling the Epic Pass online.

From the advisory service I use for investing - note the 17% in pass sales

Vail Resorts, Inc. (MTN) released results from its fourth quarter in fiscal year 2017 on Thursday morning. The company reported a net loss of $57.1 million, or a $1.43 per share loss, on $209.1 million in sales. The analyst community was expecting an earnings per share loss of $1.81, and sales of $212.03 million. So Vail Resorts topped earnings per share estimates, and posted a 1.4% sales miss. The sales miss and overall stock market weakness is why MTN shares are down about X% this week.

For fiscal year 2017, it was another record-breaking year for the company, thanks in part to strong sales at its resort locations and the acquisition of Whistler Blackcomb. Full-year 2017 net income jumped 40.6% year-over-year to $210.6 million, of $5.22 per share, which topped the consensus estimate for $4.86 per share by 7.4%.

Full-year sales from the company's mountain business soared 23.5% year-over-year to $1.6 billion—and total net revenue rose 19.1% year-over-year to $1.91 billion. The company also noted that season pass sales for the 2017/2018 ski season are up 17% year-over-year.

Looking ahead to fiscal year 2018, Vail Resorts expects net income to be between $234 million and $272 million. Vail Resorts will also pay a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per share on October 27 to shareholders of record on October 10. Overall, this was a strong earnings report for Vail Resorts and some investors had a knee-jerk reaction to the slight sales miss. I view this dip as a good buying opportunity. Buy MTN below $243.

At $175 a pop for a lift ticket, I would have thought Vail's revenue would be in the billions.

D.B. Cooper wrote

At $175 a pop for a lift ticket, I would have thought Vail's revenue would be in the billions.

Oy, nobody pays retail! Well, most don't.


The CEO of Aspen Inc. just went public talking down our fearless leader's, um, antagonistic remarks about Mexicans, because business last year was down 15% from south of the border (South America, too), and bookings are not picking up for this season. Vail has to be down, too, because they cater big time to rich people from Mexico and further south.

Z wrote

From the advisory service I use for investing - note the 17% in pass sales

Vail Resorts, Inc. (MTN) released results from its fourth quarter in fiscal year 2017 on Thursday morning. The company reported a net loss of $57.1 million, or a $1.43 per share loss, on $209.1 million in sales. The analyst community was expecting an earnings per share loss of $1.81, and sales of $212.03 million. So Vail Resorts topped earnings per share estimates, and posted a 1.4% sales miss. The sales miss and overall stock market weakness is why MTN shares are down about X% this week.

For fiscal year 2017, it was another record-breaking year for the company, thanks in part to strong sales at its resort locations and the acquisition of Whistler Blackcomb. Full-year 2017 net income jumped 40.6% year-over-year to $210.6 million, of $5.22 per share, which topped the consensus estimate for $4.86 per share by 7.4%.

Full-year sales from the company's mountain business soared 23.5% year-over-year to $1.6 billion—and total net revenue rose 19.1% year-over-year to $1.91 billion. The company also noted that season pass sales for the 2017/2018 ski season are up 17% year-over-year.

Looking ahead to fiscal year 2018, Vail Resorts expects net income to be between $234 million and $272 million. Vail Resorts will also pay a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per share on October 27 to shareholders of record on October 10. Overall, this was a strong earnings report for Vail Resorts and some investors had a knee-jerk reaction to the slight sales miss. I view this dip as a good buying opportunity. Buy MTN below $243.

So help me out is this good?  Seems like they are saying it is.

Adk Jeff wrote

Also wonder how much of the increase is due to adding Park City.  I will have to look into their official earnings release when it becomes available.  Vail is trading in a range right around its all-time high. Peak Resorts meanwhile is trading around its all-time low.

Will there be a breakdown by individual resort?  Since Vail owned resorts in different regions, comparing the combined revenue figure doesn't see that meaningful.  Will be even more the case for 2017-18 with Stowe added to the list.  Obviously the little midwest resorts don't have large revenue figures but presumably are adding to the growing numbers of people buying an Epic Pass.

So is it time to buy Peak, or stay away until the stock drops a little more?

Hell yeah it's great Harv

Huge jumps in FY sales and net income plus beating analyst estimates by 7.4%
That big increase in pass sales is going to bump up food and other revs in the winter. Plus the Stowe adder and they are bound to buy some more resorts this winter.  

The only thing that can slow them down is Aspen but that was s starting to appear to be a convoluted ownership structure that may not be able to fully take on Vail.

Next big ones sold will be Snowbasin and Sun Valley from Holdings in west and the Okemo, sunapee crested butte trio.

So I bought a little more MTN today when it dipped below $220 a share. I’m already up about 40% with the stock, so we shall see.

Thanks Z. The loss is irrelevant I guess. What debt do they have?

Z wrote

The only thing that can slow them down is Aspen

Does mother nature have a say?

Never really had the courage or interest to buy a single stock. Unless of course you count the company I work for. Doh!

Harvey wrote

Never really had the courage or interest to buy a single stock. Unless of course you count the company I work for. Doh!

I tend to leave it to the mutual fund experts, but on occasion opt for individual stocks.

John Bogle frowns and shifts in his chair. So does Buffet.