Marriott Vacations Worldwide (VAC) Q2 2025 Earnings Call August 05, 2025 10:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsNeal Goldner - VP - IRJohn Geller - CEO, President & DirectorJason Marino - EVP & CFOC. Patrick Scholes - Managing Director - Lodging & Leisure Equity ResearchBrandt Montour - Director - Equity ResearchDavid Katz - Managing DirectorConference Call ParticipantsBenjamin Chaiken - Equity AnalystStephen Grambling - MD & Senior Equity Research AnalystOperatorGreetings, and welcome to the Marriott Vacations Wo ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported adjusted EBITDA of $203 million for the quarter, reflecting a 29% increase year-over-year with margins improving by 360 basis points [4][18] - Contract sales were down less than 1% for the quarter, an improvement compared to Q1, with first-time buyer sales up 6% year-over-year [6][15] - Delinquencies declined by 50 basis points sequentially and 110 basis points year-over-year, reaching the lowest levels in two years [15][29] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Owner sales declined by 4% due to lower VPGs, while owner tours remained flat [15] - Total company rental profit decreased by $7 million or 16% to $35 million, driven by increased unsold maintenance fees and marketing expenses [17] - Management exchange profit increased by 3% to $98 million, attributed to increased revenue in the vacation ownership segment [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved nearly 90% resort occupancy, with strong performance in Maui, Coastal Florida, and The Caribbean, while Las Vegas showed relative weakness [5] - First-time buyers represented a third of total contract sales in the quarter, up 200 basis points from a year ago [7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on modernization initiatives expected to deliver $150 million to $200 million in run rate benefits by the end of 2026, with half from revenue initiatives and half from cost savings [6][11] - The modernization program aims to enhance decision-making speed, optimize IT platforms, and drive growth in the leisure-focused business [7][12] - The company plans to restrict inventory spending to low-cost reacquired inventory and capital-efficient arrangements [21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the business model and the continued prioritization of leisure travel by consumers [4][13] - Despite external uncertainties, the company expects high occupancy rates to continue and anticipates strong owner keys for the second half of the year [12][14] - The long-term financial model remains unchanged, with expectations for high single-digit to low double-digit EPS growth over time [14] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with $800 million in liquidity and a leverage ratio of 3.9 times [18] - Adjusted free cash flow is expected to be between $270 million and $330 million for the year, excluding one-time cash costs related to modernization initiatives [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Contract sales trends in June and July - Management confirmed that July contract sales were up slightly from June, with June showing a 3% year-over-year increase [26][27] Question: Loan loss provision expectations - The loan loss provision guidance increased to 12.5%, which is about half a point higher than previous expectations, reflecting ongoing improvements in delinquencies [28][29] Question: Expanded owner benefits and EBITDA impact - The expanded owner benefit provides more options for owners but is not expected to significantly impact EBITDA growth [33][34] Question: Share buyback restrictions - Management indicated that there were blackout periods preventing share buybacks, but they plan to be opportunistic in the future [36][37] Question: Inventory efficiency and cost implications - The company aims to reduce inventory levels to one to two years on hand, with a slight increase in product costs expected over the next few years [45][46] Question: Loan loss provision increase despite improving delinquencies - Management explained that while delinquencies are improving, they are still higher than desired, prompting a conservative approach to the loan loss provision [53][54] Question: Sales performance in Maui - Maui showed strong year-over-year performance, with contract sales and occupancy rates improving, although some challenges remain [59]