Industry Overview - The leisure industry is characterized by fluctuations in performance based on economic cycles, as consumer spending on discretionary items varies with job security [1] - Despite economic downturns, long-term investors may find opportunities in leisure stocks [2] Royal Caribbean - Royal Caribbean operates under multiple brands, targeting different demographics: families, premium segments, and ultra-luxury markets [2] - The company generates most of its revenue from passenger ticket sales, with onboard revenue contributing about one-third of total revenue [3] - Royal Caribbean reported a strong fourth-quarter performance with a 13.2% year-over-year revenue growth to $4.3 billion, and two-thirds of its capacity already booked for the current year [4] - The company plans to launch four new ships by 2028 to meet strong demand [4] - Royal Caribbean's stock gained 23.3% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 by approximately 10 percentage points, and its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio decreased from 22 to 19 [9] Six Flags - Six Flags merged with Cedar Fair in July 2024, becoming the largest regional theme park operator in North America with 26 amusement parks, 15 water parks, and nine resorts [5] - Despite the larger size, Six Flags faced operational challenges, with Q3 attendance increasing by only 1% and spending per person declining by 4%, leading to a 2.3% year-over-year revenue drop to $1.3 billion [6] - Management's strategy focuses on enhancing guest experience, cutting costs, managing capital expenditures efficiently, and selling non-core assets to drive higher attendance and spending [7] - Six Flags' stock lost 60.5% over the past year, contrasting with the S&P 500's 13.4% gain, indicating significant operational challenges [8]