Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Greenbrier achieved record full-year diluted earnings per share and record core EBITDA, with an aggregate gross margin of nearly 19% and over $265 million in operating cash flow [4][16] - The company reported a return on invested capital of nearly 11%, within its long-term target range [4][17] - Fourth quarter revenue was nearly $760 million, with an operating income of $72 million, representing nearly 10% of revenue [16][17] - Core diluted earnings per share for the quarter was $1.26, and core EBITDA was $115 million, or 15% of revenue [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The leasing and fleet management business saw recurring revenue reach nearly $170 million, representing almost 50% growth from $113 million over two years [12][13] - The lease fleet grew by about 10% in fiscal 2025 to just over 17,000 units, with high fleet utilization at 98% [13] - New railcar orders in Q4 totaled approximately 2,400 units valued at over $300 million, bringing full-year orders to more than 13,000 units [10][11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The backlog at the end of the year stood at 16,600 units valued at $2.2 billion, reflecting a healthy mix of product types and customers [11] - In North America, freight trends and tariff dynamics are moderating new railcar demand, leading many fleet owners to extend acquisition timelines [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Greenbrier is focused on operational excellence, innovation, and responsible growth, with a goal to double recurring revenues by fiscal 2028 [7][9] - The company is undergoing footprint rationalization in Europe, expecting annualized savings of $20 million from the closure of two additional facilities [7][20] - The integration of manufacturing and leasing is a defining feature of Greenbrier's model, providing stability and efficiency [8][14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management views the current market conditions as an opportunity to enhance production efficiency and reduce costs [10][11] - The company anticipates a stronger back half of fiscal 2026, driven by backlog orders and customer needs [41][50] - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to generate cash flow and shareholder value for years to come [9][20] Other Important Information - Greenbrier's liquidity level was the highest in 10 quarters at over $800 million, consisting of more than $305 million in cash and almost $500 million in available borrowing capacity [17][18] - The board declared a dividend of $0.32 per share, marking the 46th consecutive quarterly dividend [18][19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook on new railcar deliveries - Management indicated that they believe they are at the low point of the cycle and expect inquiries to increase, forecasting a production ramp-up in the back half of the year [24][25] Question: Impact of tariffs and cost inputs - Management stated that they are well-protected in their contracts regarding tariffs and can pivot if necessary [31] Question: Details on European facility closures - Management confirmed that they will be down to three facilities in Europe, maintaining the same production capacity [32][36] Question: First quarter outlook - Management is not inclined to provide quarterly guidance but expects stronger performance in the back half of the year [41][42] Question: Competitive landscape in new car builds - Management noted mixed pricing pressures, with more commoditized markets facing pricing pressure while specialty cars maintain discipline [63]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Seagate reported revenue of $2.63 billion, representing an 8% sequential increase and a 21% year-over-year growth [15][23] - Non-GAAP gross margins reached a record 40.1%, up 220 basis points sequentially [15][19] - Non-GAAP operating margin expanded to 29%, a level last seen in fiscal 2012, with non-GAAP EPS of $2.61, exceeding guidance [6][15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Data center revenue accounted for 80% of total revenue at $2.1 billion, up 13% sequentially and 34% year-over-year [16][18] - The company shipped 182 exabytes (EB) in the September quarter, a 32% increase year-over-year, with the majority delivered to global data center customers [15][16] - Edge IoT revenue made up the remaining 20% at $515 million, with expectations for seasonal improvement in the December quarter [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Demand from global cloud service providers (CSPs) continued to grow, with cloud exabyte demand increasing for the ninth consecutive quarter [17][18] - The average nearline drive capacity increased by 26% over the past year, contributing to exabyte volume growth [17] - The company noted a significant increase in unstructured data generation, particularly from video content, driving demand for hard drives [8][9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Seagate is focused on executing its HAMR (Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording) technology roadmap to meet growing exabyte needs [7][13] - The company aims to transition customers to higher-capacity drives, leveraging advancements in areal density as a competitive advantage [11][12] - Seagate is committed to returning at least 75% of free cash flow to shareholders over time, with a recent 3% increase in quarterly dividends [21][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the sustainability of cash flow generation and the ongoing demand environment for high-capacity hard drives [6][15] - The company anticipates continued strong demand from global cloud data centers, projecting December quarter revenue in the range of $2.7 billion ±$100 million [23] - Management highlighted the transformative impact of AI on hard drive demand, particularly in relation to data storage needs [7][8] Other Important Information - Seagate's cash and cash equivalents increased by 25% sequentially to $2.4 billion, with a net leverage ratio of 1.5x [22] - The company shipped over 1 million Mosaic drives in the September quarter, with expectations to achieve 50% exabyte crossover on nearline HAMR drives in the second half of calendar 2026 [10][11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Plans to add capacity and supply chain bottlenecks - Management indicated that capacity will be added through product transitions rather than increasing unit capacity, focusing on exabyte capacity instead [28][29] Question: Update on HAMR rollout and customer adoption - Management confirmed that five global CSPs are now qualified on HAMR, contributing to revenue and profitability growth [33][34] Question: Expectations for incremental margins - Management acknowledged that current incremental margins are higher than previously projected, but variability is expected due to customer negotiations and product transitions [39][40] Question: Cost reduction expectations - Management stated that cost improvements are anticipated as higher capacity drives are transitioned, with ongoing focus on maintaining a balance between supply and demand [42][44] Question: Visibility of inference demand and seasonality - Management expressed confidence in the growth of inference demand driven by video content, with expectations for lower seasonal impacts due to the predominance of data center revenue [50][52] Question: Pricing strategy in a constrained environment - Management noted that pricing strategies have remained consistent, with slight increases during contract renegotiations, while transitioning customers to higher capacity products [56][58] Question: Managing supply and demand balance - Management emphasized the importance of predictable long-term plans from customers, which aids in managing supply chain challenges [102][103]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the quarter was $620.9 million, up 13% from the first quarter of last year [10] - Adjusted operating income increased by almost $23 million, or 39%, to $81.1 million [10] - Adjusted earnings per share were $1.52, up $0.43 from last year [11] - Gross margins for the quarter were 39%, down 20 basis points from last year [12] - Free cash flow was -$217.5 million compared to -$156.8 million in the prior year period [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Career Learning middle and high school revenue was $241.5 million, up more than 21% from last year [11] - Career Learning enrollments grew 20% to 110,000 [11] - General Education revenue grew over 10% to $363.1 million on enrollment growth of 5.2% to 137,700 students [11] - Total revenue per enrollment across both lines was $2,388, up 3.7% from last year [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total enrollments for the quarter were up 11.3% from last year, setting a record for the number of students served [11] - The company expects to finish the year flattish in revenue per enrollment compared to fiscal year 2025 [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is investing in upgrading learning and technology platforms, which is expected to pay dividends in the long term despite short-term growth limitations [4][5] - The focus is on running high-quality programs, which may involve limiting enrollment growth temporarily [5] - The company aims to meet the diverse educational needs of families, providing affordable alternatives to traditional schooling [7][8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management indicated that while demand remains strong, in-year enrollment growth is not expected to match previous years due to platform implementation challenges [6][10] - The outlook for the business remains bullish in the long term, with a commitment to improving customer experience and operational execution [7][10] Other Important Information - Capital expenditures for the quarter were $21.7 million, up $6.9 million from last year [11] - The company expects to incur additional expenses related to the platform rollout [12] - Full-year stock-based compensation is projected to be in the range of $41 million-$44 million [13] Q&A Session Summary Question: Enrollment guidance for the year - The company did not provide full-year enrollment guidance but indicated that they do not expect the same level of in-year enrollment growth as in previous years [19] Question: Impact of platform issues on enrollments - Management believes the majority of the 10,000-15,000 fewer enrollments were due to system implementation issues, which affected customer experience and led to higher withdrawal rates [21] Question: Rationale and timing for tech implementation - The rationale for the tech implementation was to support the company's growth, but execution did not go as planned during the critical summer period [26][27] Question: Competitive landscape - The company welcomes healthy competition and believes that its growth outpaces that of its largest competitors [39] Question: Nature of platform issues - The platform issues are related to both customer-facing and back-office functions, and the company is working on a series of fixes throughout the year [43][45]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fiscal fourth quarter net revenue grew 12% year over year to $10.7 billion, with full-year net revenue growth of 11% to $40 billion [5][34] - EPS increased by 10% year over year, resulting in a full-year EPS growth of 14% to $11.47 [5][34] - Total full-year payments volume reached $14 trillion, up 8% year over year in constant dollars, with processed transactions totaling $258 billion, up 10% year over year [5][34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consumer payments revenue was driven by strong payments volume, cross-border volume, and processed transaction growth [31] - Commercial and money movement solutions revenue grew 14% year over year in constant dollars, with commercial payments volume growing 10% [31] - Value-added services revenue grew 25% in constant dollars to $3 billion, driven by issuing solutions and advisory services [32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. payments volume was up 8%, with e-commerce growing faster than face-to-face spend [28] - Total international payments volume was up 10% year over year in constant dollars, with acceleration in Asia-Pacific [28] - Cross-border volume, excluding intra-Europe, was up 11%, with e-commerce up 13% and travel improving to 10% [28][29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on innovation and building the future of payments through the Visa-as-a-Service stack [5][25] - Investments in the next generation of VisaNet are aimed at enhancing product development speed and adaptability to market changes [7][73] - The company aims to expand its stablecoin capabilities and enhance cross-border money movement solutions [11][38] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of consumer spending and the strength of the macroeconomic environment [48] - The company anticipates continued strong performance in 2026, driven by major events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the FIFA World Cup [37][42] - Management expects adjusted net revenue growth in the low double digits for 2026, with a focus on maintaining strong client relationships and expanding service offerings [36][41] Other Important Information - The company bought back approximately $4.9 billion in stock and distributed $1.1 billion in dividends in Q4 [33] - The tax rate for the quarter was 18.8%, in line with expectations, and the company expects to remain below its long-term tax rate in 2026 [32][40] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about economic choppiness and consumer spending habits - Management noted strong momentum exiting FY25 and emphasized the diversification of Visa's business, which supports resilience in consumer spending [46][48] Question: Role of Visa in agentic commerce - Management highlighted Visa's leadership in setting standards for agentic commerce and the introduction of the Visa Trusted Agent Protocol to ensure secure transactions [52][55] Question: Sustainability of data processing yield growth - Management confirmed that data processing revenue growth was driven by pricing and mix, with expectations for continued benefits from new pricing implemented in FY2025 [66] Question: Differences between Visa's and competitors' agentic commerce protocols - Management emphasized the open and easy integration of the Visa Trusted Agent Protocol, positioning it as a foundational layer for the agentic commerce ecosystem [82][84]

Huron Consulting Group (NasdaqGS:HURN) Q3 2025 Earnings Call October 28, 2025 05:00 PM ET Company ParticipantsMark Hussey - CEO and PresidentJohn Kelly - CFOTobey Sommer - Managing DirectorConference Call ParticipantsBill Sutherland - Equity Research Analyst Focused on Healthcare Services and Digital HealthKevin Steinke - Equity Research AnalystAndrew Nicholas - Senior Equity Research AnalystOperatorGood afternoon and welcome to Huron Consulting Group's webcast to discuss financial results for the third qua ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2025 was $18 million, at the high end of the guidance range of $10 to $20 million, with year-to-date adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations at $87 million, up from $26 million in the same period last year [4][14] - Net sales reached $399 million, a 1% increase year-over-year, driven by a 3% increase in paperboard shipment volumes, partially offset by lower market pricing [13][14] - Net loss from continuing operations was $54 million, or $3.34 per diluted share, primarily due to a $48 million non-cash goodwill impairment [13][14] - The company generated $34 million in cash from operations and approximately $3.5 million in free cash flows during the quarter [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company successfully completed all three planned major maintenance outages for 2025, with costs of $24 million for the Lewiston outage and $16 million for the Augusta outage [4][5] - Fixed cost reduction initiatives are tracking to around $50 million in savings for the year, exceeding the original estimate of $30 to $40 million [5] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that a competitor is ramping up new SBS capacity, potentially adding up to 10% additional supply to the industry, which could lead to utilization rates dropping to the low 80% range by year-end [6][7] - Current industry oversupply is primarily limited to SBS, but it is impacting other paperboard substrates, with pricing correlations historically observed between SBS, CUK, and CRB [9][10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is exploring adding CUK swing capability to one of its SBS machines, with an estimated capital requirement of approximately $50 million and a projected return of over 20% [11][12] - The company remains focused on defending its SBS market share and maintaining a strong balance sheet, with a target leverage ratio in the 1 to 2 times range and cross-cycle EBITDA margins of 13 to 14% [19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term fundamentals of the paperboard market, emphasizing the demand for sustainable and renewable packaging solutions [19] - The company expects adjusted EBITDA for Q4 2025 to be between $13 to $23 million, anticipating slightly lower paperboard shipments due to seasonality [16][18] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $2 million of shares, bringing the total to $20 million against a $100 million authorization [15] - Initial assumptions for 2026 include revenue of around $1.45 to $1.55 billion and a capacity utilization rate in the mid-80% range [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Decision to hold the CUK swing capacity project - The decision to hold the project is due to prioritizing a strong balance sheet and focusing on running SBS mills, with a target leverage ratio in the 1 to 2 times range [23] Question: Market outlook for SBS and import relief - Management is hopeful for a net capacity reduction of 350,000 tons in the first half of 2026, with some signs of reduced European imports [25] Question: Maintenance schedule for 2026 - The cost for maintenance in 2026 is expected to be similar to 2025 levels, with specific schedules to be finalized and communicated in February [27] Question: Incremental strength in shipments and product categories - The company saw strength in food service sales, with optimism from customers and potential import relief contributing to stronger demand [33] Question: Working capital improvements for 2026 - The target for working capital improvements of $20 million will primarily focus on inventory reductions, expected to be achieved in the second half of the year [39]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fiscal fourth quarter net revenue grew 12% year-over-year to $10.7 billion, with full-year net revenue growth of 11% to $40 billion [5][34] - EPS increased by 10% year-over-year, resulting in a full-year EPS growth of 14% to $11.47 [5][34] - Total full-year payments volume reached $14 trillion, up 8% year-over-year in constant dollars, with processed transactions totaling 258 billion, up 10% year-over-year [5][34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consumer payments revenue was driven by strong payments volume, cross-border volume, and processed transaction growth [31] - Commercial and money movement solutions revenue grew 14% year-over-year in constant dollars, with commercial payments volume growing 10% [31] - Value-added services revenue grew 25% in constant dollars to $3 billion, driven by issuing solutions and advisory services [32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total international payments volume was up 10% year-over-year in constant dollars, with U.S. payments volume up 8% [28][29] - Cross-border volume, excluding intra-Europe, was up 11%, with e-commerce up 13% and travel improving to 10% [28][29] - In Latin America, there was a slight deceleration in volume growth due to moderating inflation in Argentina, but the region remains high-growth [77] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on innovation and building the future of payments through the Visa-as-a-Service stack [5][25] - Investments in the next generation of VisaNet are aimed at enhancing product development speed and adaptability to market changes [72][73] - The company is expanding its stablecoin capabilities and enhancing cross-border money movement solutions [38] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in consumer resilience and stable macroeconomic conditions as assumptions for 2026 [47][48] - The company anticipates continued strong performance in 2026, driven by major events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the FIFA World Cup [37][41] - Management expects adjusted net revenue growth in the low double digits for 2026, with a focus on maintaining strong client relationships and expanding service offerings [36][39] Other Important Information - The company bought back approximately $4.9 billion in stock and distributed $1.1 billion in dividends in Q4 [33] - The tax rate for the quarter was 18.8%, in line with expectations, and the company expects to maintain a similar tax rate in 2026 [32][40] - The Visa Trusted Agent Protocol was introduced to enhance security in agentic commerce transactions [55][84] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about economic choppiness and consumer spending habits - Management noted strong momentum exiting FY25 and emphasized the diversification of Visa's business, which supports resilience in consumer spending [46][47][48] Question: Role of Visa in agentic commerce and expected milestones - Management highlighted Visa's leadership in setting standards for agentic commerce and the introduction of the Visa Trusted Agent Protocol to ensure secure transactions [52][53][55] Question: Sustainability of data processing yield growth - Management confirmed that data processing revenue growth was driven by pricing and mix, with expectations for continued benefits from new pricing implemented in FY2025 [65][66] Question: AI's role in Visa's services and VisaNet rollout - Management affirmed that Visa is building infrastructure to support agentic commerce and that the new VisaNet will enhance product development speed and adaptability [70][72][73] Question: Deceleration in Latin America volume growth - Management acknowledged a slight slowdown in Latin America, primarily due to moderating inflation in Argentina, but remains optimistic about the region's growth potential [76][77]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated revenues for Q3 2025 were $907 million, finishing near the midpoint of the guidance range [14] - Adjusted net income margin was 3.7%, exceeding the high end of the guidance [15] - GAAP diluted net income per share was $0.66, while adjusted diluted net income per share was $0.68 [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Comparable sales at The Cheesecake Factory restaurants increased by 0.3%, with total sales of $651.4 million, up 1% from the prior year [15][6] - North Italia's total sales were $83.5 million, up 16% from the prior year, with comparable sales declining by 3% [15][12] - Flower Child's sales totaled $48.1 million, up 31% from the prior year, with comparable sales increasing by 7% [15][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Annualized unit volumes for The Cheesecake Factory averaged over $12 million [6] - North Italia's annualized AUVs reached $7.3 million [11] - Flower Child's annualized AUVs were $4.6 million [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to open as many as 25 new restaurants in 2025, including four Cheesecake Factory locations and six each of North Italia and Flower Child [20] - For 2026, the company expects to accelerate development with as many as 26 new restaurant openings [8][20] - The focus remains on delivering exceptional food, service, and hospitality while executing long-term growth strategies [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted a softer macro and consumer environment but emphasized stable overall performance [6] - The company anticipates total revenues for Q4 2025 to be between $940 million and $955 million, representing a 1% step down from Q3 sales trends [18] - Management expressed confidence in navigating the dynamic macro environment and maintaining profitability [22] Other Important Information - The company recorded a pre-tax net expense of $0.8 million related to FRC acquisition-related expenses [16] - The Cheesecake Rewards program continues to show strong membership growth and positive member satisfaction [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is driving the caution in the current consumer environment? - Management indicated that the caution is primarily due to a decline in traffic, with stable day parts and good performance from new menu items [24] Question: Can you provide the breakdown of comps for The Cheesecake Factory and North Italia? - For The Cheesecake Factory, pricing was about 4%, traffic was -2.5%, and mix was the difference. For North Italia, price was 4%, mix was -1%, and traffic was -6% [27] Question: What is the outlook for commodity inflation in Q4? - Commodity inflation was about flat in Q3, but is expected to be around 2% in Q4, primarily driven by beef prices [29] Question: How is the company planning to promote lower price point items? - Management plans to continue promoting bites and bowls through social media and marketing campaigns, leveraging the Cheesecake Rewards program [36] Question: Are there any changes in labor demand or supply? - Management reported steady applicant flow and strong retention, indicating no significant changes in labor demand or supply [89] Question: What are the expectations for the app launch? - The company is working on launching a rewards app in the first half of next year, aimed at enhancing customer engagement and experience [91]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - CoStar Group reported Q3 2025 revenue of $834 million, a 20% year-over-year increase, marking the 58th consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth [4][51] - Adjusted EBITDA rose to $115 million, up 51% over Q3 2024, with a profit margin of 47% in commercial information and marketplace businesses [4][51] - Net new bookings totaled $84 million, reflecting a 92% year-over-year increase [4][51] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Residential portals, including Apartments.com, Homes.com, OnTheMarket, and Domain, generated $411 million in revenue for the quarter, with a 31.3% year-over-year growth [5][6] - Apartments.com revenue reached $303 million in Q3, an 11% increase year-over-year, with a 99% monthly renewal rate [6][7] - Homes.com saw annualized net new bookings rise to $16 million, a 53% quarter-over-quarter increase, and a 1,225% year-over-year increase [8][9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Homes.com achieved 115 million unique monthly visitors in Q3, with organic traffic increasing by 87% year-over-year [14] - The UK residential marketplace OnTheMarket reported a 21% year-over-year increase in leads [33] - CoStar's European business reached record net new bookings of $5.7 million in Q3 2025, representing a 51% year-over-year growth [49] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to enhance its market share by increasing the reliance of real estate agents and homeowners on its platforms for exposure [13] - CoStar Group is focusing on integrating AI technologies into its products, particularly Homes.com, to improve user engagement and search capabilities [17][20] - The acquisition of Domain is expected to expand market share in Australia, leveraging CoStar's technology and resources [34][37] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management highlighted the competitive challenges faced by Zillow, including multiple lawsuits that could impact its business model [27][28] - The company anticipates continued strong performance in Q4 2025, with revenue growth expected to remain robust across its product lines [51][54] - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth potential of its residential and commercial marketplaces, particularly with the integration of Matterport technology [40][47] Other Important Information - CoStar Group's cash balance as of September 30 was $2 billion, with a net interest income of $26 million for Q3 [56] - The company repurchased 576,000 shares for $51 million in Q3, with plans for additional repurchases in Q4 [56] - The integration of Matterport is expected to unlock significant value across CoStar's product offerings [40] Q&A Session Summary Question: Inquiry about seasonal behaviors in bookings - Management noted that Apartments.com typically experiences seasonality due to the NAA event, but current sales trends for Homes.com show a linear progression without significant seasonality [59][61] Question: Follow-up on residential side seasonality - Management confirmed that while some seasonality may occur around year-end holidays, the current sales line for Homes.com remains smooth and linear [61]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported consolidated net revenues of $2.9 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $884 million for Q3 2025, with hold-normalized EBITDA at $927 million [5][6] - Regional EBITDA grew 4% on a hold-normalized basis during the quarter, while Las Vegas segment reported same-store adjusted EBITDA of $379 million [7][8] - The company redeemed $546 million of senior notes and repurchased $100 million of stock during the quarter, with a total of nearly $400 million repurchased since mid-2024 [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Digital segment generated net revenue of $311 million and adjusted EBITDA of $28 million, with hold-normalized adjusted EBITDA at $40 million [10][11] - The Las Vegas segment faced a decline in occupancy to 92% from 97% last year, with ADR decreasing by 5% due to weaker city-wide visitation [7][8] - The Digital segment saw a 29% net revenue growth in iCasino, driven by increased volume and average monthly active users [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Regional revenues increased year-over-year, particularly in Danville and New Orleans, contributing to the overall growth in the regional segment [7][8] - The Las Vegas market experienced a soft summer, with occupancy down about 5 percentage points, impacting overall performance [15][18] - The company noted that the group room night mix is expected to increase to 17% in Q4, indicating a recovery in group business [7][8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on reinvesting in its assets, with recent CapEx projects exceeding return expectations, including new attractions and renovations in Las Vegas [8][9] - Management emphasized the importance of refining marketing strategies to enhance customer engagement and drive returns on investments [9][19] - The company aims to achieve 20% top-line growth with 50% flow-through to EBITDA, maintaining a strong outlook for the Digital segment [12][13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the challenges faced in the Las Vegas market due to softer leisure demand but expressed optimism for recovery in Q4 and beyond [15][18] - The company is monitoring the regulatory environment regarding prediction markets and is prepared to adapt its strategy as needed [60][62] - Management highlighted the importance of customer experience and service quality as key drivers of success in a competitive landscape [9][19] Other Important Information - The company is on track to complete phase two of the master plan at Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe by mid-2026, indicating ongoing investment in regional properties [9] - The company plans to continue using its strong free cash flow for debt reduction and stock repurchases, maintaining a balanced approach [14][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on Las Vegas leisure demand recovery - Management noted that leisure demand is improving, with group activity helping to compress rates better than in Q3 [22][24] Question: Regional performance and promotional strategies - Management expects improved flow-through from marketing strategies as they refine their approach and focus on effective promotions [25][27] Question: Future outlook for Las Vegas - Management indicated that the key question for 2026 is whether leisure demand will continue to recover or stall [45][46] Question: Digital segment performance and customer acquisition - Management acknowledged the impact of game outcomes on performance and emphasized the importance of customer acquisition strategies moving forward [48][49] Question: Regulatory environment and prediction markets - Management is closely monitoring the regulatory landscape and is prepared to adapt to changes regarding prediction markets [71][72] Question: Impact of city ad campaigns on demand - Management confirmed that recent ad campaigns were effective in stimulating demand and indicated ongoing efforts to promote value in Las Vegas [75][76] Question: M&A activity and asset sales - Management stated they are open to discussions regarding M&A opportunities but are not actively marketing any Vegas assets [78][79] Question: Operational expenses and budgeting for 2026 - Management highlighted labor as a key focus area for optimization as they budget for the upcoming year [82][83]