Core Points - Vail Resorts has introduced "Epic Friend Tickets" for the 2025/26 season, allowing Epic Pass Holders to share significant savings with friends [1][3][4] - Epic Friend Tickets offer 50% off lift tickets at 37 North American resorts and can be redeemed for credit towards a 2026/27 Epic Pass [3][6][12] - The initiative aims to enhance the social aspect of skiing and snowboarding, encouraging Pass Holders to share their passion for the sport [1][7] Summary by Sections Epic Friend Tickets - Eligible Pass Holders will receive 6-10 Epic Friend Tickets based on their purchase date, with those buying before April 14, 2025, receiving 10 tickets [4] - Epic Friend Tickets replace the previous Buddy Tickets, which offered lower savings [4] Pricing and Access - Epic Pass prices for the 2025/26 season are $1,075 for adults and $548 for children, with the lowest price available until September 1, 2025 [9][10] - The Epic Local Pass is priced at $799 for adults and $416 for children, providing access to 29 resorts [10] Benefits and Promotions - Epic Friend Tickets can be used at all 37 North American resorts, including major destinations like Vail Mountain and Whistler Blackcomb [5] - Friends using Epic Friend Tickets can apply the cost of one ticket towards an eligible 2026/27 Epic Pass, effectively providing double savings [6][12] Company Vision - Vail Resorts aims to make skiing more accessible and foster traditions among friends, enhancing the overall experience of skiing and snowboarding [1][7]

Group 1: Brookfield Infrastructure - Brookfield Infrastructure owns a globally diversified portfolio of critical infrastructure businesses, generating stable cash flow with 85% of its funds from operations (FFO) coming from contracted or regulated rate structures with a weighted average remaining term of nine years [4] - The company pays out 60% to 70% of its stable cash flow in dividends, currently yielding over 4%, supported by a strong investment-grade balance sheet [5] - Brookfield has a record of raising its dividend for 16 consecutive years at a 9% compound annual rate, aiming for a future increase of 5% to 9% annually, driven by inflation indexation and expansion projects [6] Group 2: W.P. Carey - W.P. Carey is a diversified REIT owning operationally critical real estate in North America and Europe, primarily secured by long-term net leases with built-in rent escalations [7] - The REIT pays out 70% to 75% of its stable income via a dividend yielding more than 5.5%, retaining the rest for new income-generating investments [8] - W.P. Carey has raised its dividend every quarter since late 2023, following a strategic exit from the office sector, and has a history of increasing its dividend for at least 25 years [9] Group 3: Vail Resorts - Vail Resorts operates ski resorts and generates recurring revenue through its season pass program, achieving compound annual growth rates of 8% in revenue and 10% in free cash flow over the past decade [10] - The company has invested over $1.8 billion into existing resorts and $1.9 billion on acquisitions, including notable purchases in Switzerland and Pittsburgh [11] - Vail has paid over $1.9 billion in dividends and repurchased $900 million of its stock over the past decade, with a recent trend of increasing its dividend above pre-pandemic levels, resulting in a yield above 5% [12]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to complement the Zacks Rank, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market in the short term [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated A, B, C, D, or F based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, with higher scores indicating a better chance of outperforming the market [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score, each focusing on different investment strategies [3][4][5][6] Value Score - The Value Score targets stocks trading below their true value, utilizing ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales to identify attractive investment opportunities [3] Growth Score - The Growth Score emphasizes a company's future prospects and financial health, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow for sustainable growth [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score identifies optimal times to invest based on price trends and earnings outlook, focusing on short-term price changes and earnings estimate revisions [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines all three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive indicator for investors who utilize multiple investment strategies [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank employs earnings estimate revisions to simplify portfolio building, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +23.62% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7][8] - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal investment potential [9] Stock Highlight: Vail Resorts (MTN) - Vail Resorts, Inc. is rated 3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A and a Value Style Score of B, indicating attractive valuation metrics such as a forward P/E ratio of 21.23 [11] - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates by six analysts have increased the Zacks Consensus Estimate to $7.77 per share for fiscal 2025, with an average earnings surprise of +2.7% [12]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools to help investors make informed decisions and enhance their confidence in the stock market [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to assist investors in selecting stocks with the highest potential to outperform the market within a 30-day timeframe [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - The Style Scores categorize stocks into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score, each focusing on different investment strategies [3][4][5][6] - Value Score emphasizes identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios [3] - Growth Score focuses on a company's financial health and future growth potential [4] - Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends and earnings outlook changes [5] - VGM Score combines the three styles to identify stocks with attractive value, growth, and momentum characteristics [6] Zacks Rank and Performance - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in building successful portfolios [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically produced an average annual return of +23.62% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] - There are over 800 top-rated stocks available, making it essential for investors to utilize Style Scores to narrow down choices [9] Stock Selection Strategy - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal success [10] - Stocks with lower ranks, even if they have high Style Scores, may still face downward price trends due to negative earnings forecasts [11] Company Spotlight: Vail Resorts - Vail Resorts, Inc. operates in three segments: Mountain, Lodging, and Real Estate, and currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of A [12] - The company has a Momentum Style Score of B, with shares increasing by 10.4% over the past four weeks [12] - Analysts have revised Vail Resorts' earnings estimate upwards, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate rising by $0.24 to $7.77 per share for fiscal 2025 [13]

Financial Performance & Growth - Vail Resorts' Epic Pass revenue is approaching $1 billion, accounting for 64% of total lift revenue[47] - The company anticipates approximately $4781 million in Free Cash Flow for FY25[50] - From FY15 to FY25E, Vail Resorts has demonstrated strong compound annual growth rates (CAGR) with Resort Revenue increasing by 8%, Resort Reported EBITDA by 9%, and Free Cash Flow by 10%[49] Advance Commitment Strategy - Advance commitment strategy has led to 74% of visits being committed in advance, enhancing stability and loyalty[18, 47] - The company's vision is to achieve >75% of lift revenue committed in advance[142] - Epic Pass launched in 2008, achieving steady growth and now almost $1B of lift revenue[77] Resource Efficiency & Capital Allocation - Vail Resorts aims to achieve $100 million in annualized efficiencies through its Resource Efficiency Transformation Plan by FY2027[232, 234] - The company has invested nearly $2 billion in capital over the last 10 years[18, 58] Guest Experience & Ancillary Revenue - Destination guests' Net Promoter Scores (NPS) have increased by 14% from FY23 to FY25[41] - Vail Resorts' Ski & Ride School lesson capture is higher than the industry average[156] - Vail Resorts North American Ski & Ride School Lesson Revenue is $287 million in FY24[147, 152]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to help investors select stocks with the highest potential to outperform the market in the short term [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated from A to F based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, with A being the highest score [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score [3][4][5][6] Value Score - The Value Score identifies attractive stocks using ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow, appealing to value investors [3] Growth Score - The Growth Score focuses on a company's financial health and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends by evaluating recent price changes and earnings estimate revisions [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to identify stocks with the best value, growth potential, and momentum [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank uses earnings estimate revisions to simplify portfolio building, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988 [7][8] - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal success [9] Company Spotlight: Vail Resorts - Vail Resorts, Inc. operates in three segments: Mountain, Lodging, and Real Estate, and currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of A [11] - The company has a forward P/E ratio of 19.95, making it attractive for value investors [11] - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates have increased the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 to $7.77 per share, with an average earnings surprise of 2.7% [12]

Core Insights - Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN) has been a stock that requires significant patience for investors, indicating potential volatility or long-term investment horizon [1] Company Overview - Vail Resorts is recognized as a leading ski resort operator, previously noted for its innovative approaches within the industry [1] Analyst Background - The analyst has extensive experience in technology and investment, having worked on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, which provides a unique perspective on industry trends [1]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates on Zacks Rank and Industry Rank, access to the Zacks 1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens [1] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators designed to help investors select stocks with the highest potential to outperform the market within 30 days, rated from A to F based on value, growth, and momentum [2] - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [3] - The Growth Score assesses a company's financial health and future outlook through projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] - The Momentum Score identifies stocks with favorable price trends using metrics like one-week price changes and monthly earnings estimate changes [5] - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and promising momentum, serving as a useful indicator alongside the Zacks Rank [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to assist investors in building successful portfolios [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically achieved an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal investment potential [9][10] Company Spotlight: Vail Resorts - Vail Resorts, Inc. operates in three segments: Mountain, Lodging, and Real Estate, and currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of A [11] - The company has a Momentum Style Score of A, with shares increasing by 4.9% over the past four weeks [11] - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates by four analysts for fiscal 2025 have raised the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $0.12 to $7.72 per share, with an average earnings surprise of 2.7% [12]

Core Viewpoint - Bank of America Securities analyst Shaun C. Kelley maintains a Neutral rating on Vail Resorts, Inc. with a price target of $175, following the company's third-quarter performance which showed revenue of $1.29 billion, slightly below the $1.3 billion estimate, while earnings per share were $10.54, exceeding the $10.12 estimate [1][2]. Financial Performance - Vail Resorts reported third-quarter revenue of $1.29 billion, missing estimates of $1.3 billion [1]. - The company achieved earnings of $10.54 per share, surpassing estimates of $10.12 per share [1]. Strategic Insights - Kelley suggests that the full impact of Vail Resorts' new strategy will be clearer in FY27 rather than FY26, due to the time required for pricing adjustments and filling the Chief Marketing Officer role [2]. - The company has raised prices by 7% across its pass offerings, indicating a shift towards lower-priced products among customers, although demand for day passes remains healthy [4][5]. Capital Allocation and Growth - The dividend appears stable for now, but future growth will depend on significantly higher cash flows, with no major shifts in M&A plans expected in the near term [3]. - For FY26, key drivers for EBITDA include $33 million in net resource efficiency gains, $9 million from cycling past one-time CEO transition costs, $7 million from favorable foreign exchange, and approximately $10 million from improvements at Park City, contributing to an estimated $900 million EBITDA for FY26 [6]. Market Reaction - Vail Resorts shares are trading lower by 3.89% to $148.97 as of the last check [6].

Financial Performance - Vail Resorts reported third-quarter revenue of $1.29 billion, slightly missing estimates of $1.3 billion [1] - The company reported third-quarter earnings of $10.54 per share, exceeding estimates of $10.12 per share [1] Operational Insights - CEO Rob Katz noted that the stability from the season pass program helped maintain Resort net revenue, excluding Crans-Montana, consistent with the prior year despite a 7% decline in visitation [2] - The company anticipates fiscal 2025 net income attributable to Vail Resorts to be between $264 million and $298 million, and Resort Reported EBITDA for fiscal 2025 to be between $831 million and $851 million [2] Stock Performance and Analyst Ratings - Vail Resorts shares fell 3.9% to trade at $149.00 following the earnings announcement [2] - Truist Securities analyst Patrick Scholes maintained a Buy rating but lowered the price target from $247 to $244 [6] - Morgan Stanley analyst Megan Alexander maintained an Equal-Weight rating and reduced the price target from $152 to $146 [6] - Mizuho analyst Ben Chaiken maintained an Outperform rating and raised the price target from $215 to $216 [6]