Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Reports 2024 Fourth Quarter Results; Provides Adjusted EBITDA Guidance for 2025
-
Targeting
$1.08 billion $1.12 billion
On July 1, 2024, legacy Cedar Fair and legacy Six Flags closed the merger transactions (the “Merger”) to form the new Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (the “Company” or the “Combined Company”). Legacy Cedar Fair has been determined to be the accounting acquirer for financial statement purposes. Accordingly, the reported results presented in this earnings release reflect the financial results for the Combined Company from Sept. 30, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024. The reported results for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, reflect combined operations for only July 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024, and include only legacy Cedar Fair’s results (before giving effect to the Merger) for the first six months of 2024. Financial results and disclosures referring to periods prior to July 1, 2024, include legacy Cedar Fair's results before giving effect to the Merger, including the financial statements as of Dec. 31, 2023, and for the three and 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2023.
Fourth Quarter 2024 Highlights
- Total operating days were 878, of which 538 days were contributed by the legacy Six Flags operations added in the Merger.
-
Net revenues totaled
$687 million $324 million -
The net loss attributable to the Combined Company totaled
$264 million $3 million 38.4% . -
Adjusted EBITDA(1) totaled
$209 million $113 million -
Modified EBITDA margin(1) was
30.4% . - Attendance totaled 10.7 million guests, 5.0 million of whom attended legacy Six Flags parks added in the Merger.
-
In-park per capita spending(2) was
$61.60 -
Out-of-park revenues(2) totaled
$48 million $14 million
CEO Commentary
“Our strong fourth-quarter results reflect an outstanding October performance and the incredible popularity of our fall and Halloween themed events,” said Six Flags President and CEO Richard A. Zimmerman. “We ended the year as the new Six Flags on a high note, delivering on our goal of improving demand and increasing in-park guest spending levels, while operating our parks more efficiently. We successfully achieved more than
Commenting on the outlook for the 2025 season, Zimmerman noted, “In 2025, we are building on the momentum we established over the second half of 2024 on both the revenue and cost fronts. We are making progress toward realizing the remaining
Fourth Quarter 2024 Results
Operating days in the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 878 days compared with 377 operating days for the fourth quarter of 2023. The increase in operating days reflects the addition of 538 operating days during the fourth quarter of 2024 at the legacy Six Flags parks. That increase was partially offset by 37 fewer operating days at the legacy Cedar Fair parks in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 primarily due to a fiscal quarter calendar shift. The 2024 fourth quarter began on Sept. 30, 2024, and ended on Dec. 31, 2024, while the prior 2023 fourth quarter began on Sept. 25, 2023, and ended on Dec. 31, 2023.
Net revenues for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024, increased
The
Of the
Operating costs and expenses in the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled
Depreciation and amortization expense in the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled
After the items above, operating income for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024, totaled
Net interest expense for the quarter totaled
During the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024, the Combined Company recorded a provision for taxes of
After the items noted above, net loss attributable to the Combined Company for 2024 totaled
Adjusted EBITDA and Modified EBITDA margin, which management believes are meaningful measures of park-level operating results, increased
Balance Sheet and Liquidity Highlights
Deferred revenues on Dec. 31, 2024, totaled
Liquidity as of Dec. 31, 2024, totaled
Net debt(3) on Dec. 31, 2024, calculated as total debt of
Six Flags Announces Investor Day and 2025 Financial Guidance
Six Flags announced today that it will host an Investor Day at its
For 2025, Six Flags is targeting Adjusted EBITDA of
“Since finalizing the Merger nearly eight months ago, our team has been diligently executing against the initiatives within Project Accelerate, our long-term strategic plan to drive sustainable, long-term growth and maximize the full potential of the Merger,” said Zimmerman. “Our 2025 guidance reflects the strong progress we’ve made to date and our belief in the opportunities ahead as we execute our initiatives to drive higher levels of attendance and guest spending, while realizing cost synergies and maximizing operating efficiencies. At our Investor Day in May, we will share our vision for the future of Six Flags, outlining our comprehensive strategy to build on our momentum and providing long-term performance objectives. I am so proud of everything our team has accomplished to date, and excited about the tremendous opportunities ahead for Six Flags.”
Footnotes:
(1) |
Adjusted EBITDA, Modified EBITDA and Modified EBITDA margin are not measurements computed in accordance with GAAP. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA and Modified EBITDA are meaningful measures of park-level operating profitability and uses them for measuring returns on capital investments, evaluating potential acquisitions, determining awards under incentive compensation plans, and calculating compliance with certain loan covenants. For additional information regarding Adjusted EBITDA, Modified EBITDA and Modified EBITDA margin, including how the Company defines and uses these measures, see the attached reconciliation table and related footnotes. The Combined Company is not providing a quantitative reconciliation of forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA targets or guidance to net income in reliance on the unreasonable-efforts exception provided under Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B) of Regulation S-K. The Combined Company is unable, without unreasonable effort, to forecast the exact amount or timing of certain individual items required to reconcile Adjusted EBITDA targets or guidance with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure (net income). These items include provision for taxes, non-cash foreign currency (gain) loss, and costs related to the Merger, as well as other non-cash and unusual items and other adjustments as defined under the Combined Company’s credit agreement, which are difficult to predict in advance in order to include in a GAAP estimate and the variability of which could have a significant impact on the Combined Company's future GAAP results. |
|
(2) |
In-park per capita spending and out-of-park revenues are non-GAAP financial measures. See the attached reconciliation table and related footnote for the calculations of in-park per capita spending and out-of-park revenues. These metrics are used by management as major factors in significant operational decisions as they are primary drivers of financial and operational performance, measuring demand, pricing, and consumer behavior. |
|
(3) |
Net debt is a non-GAAP financial measure. See the attached reconciliation table and related footnote for the calculation of net debt. Net debt is a meaningful measure used by the Company and investors to monitor leverage, and management believes it is meaningful for this purpose. |
Conference Call
As previously announced, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation will host a conference call with analysts starting at 10 a.m. ET today, Feb. 27, 2025, to discuss its recent financial results. Participants on the call will include Six Flags President and CEO Richard Zimmerman and Executive Vice President and CFO Brian Witherow.
Investors and all other interested parties can access a live, listen-only audio webcast of the call on the Six Flags Investors website at https://investors.sixflags.com under the tabs Investor Information / Events & Presentations. Those unable to listen to the live webcast can access a recorded version of the call on the Six Flags Investors website at https://investors.sixflags.com under Investor Information / Events and Presentations, shortly after the live call’s conclusion.
A digital recording of the conference call will be available for replay by phone starting at approximately 1 p.m. ET on Thursday Feb. 27, 2025, until 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday Mar. 13, 2025. To access the phone replay in
About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) is North America’s largest regional amusement-resort operator with 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties across 17 states in the
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this news release that are not historical in nature are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements as to our expectations, beliefs, goals and strategies regarding the future. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “create,” “expect,” “future,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “potential,” “seek,” “synergies,” “target,” “will,” “would,” similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. These forward-looking statements may involve current plans, estimates, expectations and ambitions that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct, that our growth and operational strategies will achieve the target results. Important risks and uncertainties that may cause such a difference and could adversely affect attendance at our parks, our future financial performance, and/or our growth strategies, and could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations or otherwise to fluctuate or decrease, include, but are not limited to: failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Merger, including difficulty in integrating the businesses of legacy Six Flags and legacy Cedar Fair; failure to realize the expected amount and timing of cost savings and operating synergies related to the Merger; general economic, political and market conditions; the impacts of pandemics or other public health crises, including the effects of government responses on people and economies; adverse weather conditions; competition for consumer leisure time and spending; unanticipated construction delays; changes in our capital investment plans and projects; anticipated tax treatment, unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, expansion and growth of the Combined Company’s operations; legislative, regulatory and economic developments and changes in laws, regulations, and policies affecting the Combined Company; acts of terrorism or outbreak of war, hostilities, civil unrest, and other political or security disturbances; and other risks and uncertainties we discuss under the heading “Risk Factors” within our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the other filings we make from time to time with the Security and Exchange Commission. Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document and are based on information currently and reasonably known to us. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after publication of this new release.
This news release and prior releases are available under the News tab at https://investors.sixflags.com
(financial tables follow)
SIX FLAGS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands) |
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Quarters ended December 31, |
|
Years Ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
|
2024 |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
Net revenues: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Admissions |
$ |
360,557 |
|
|
$ |
200,367 |
|
|
$ |
1,403,932 |
|
|
$ |
925,734 |
|
Food, merchandise and games |
|
212,512 |
|
|
|
120,695 |
|
|
|
898,175 |
|
|
|
613,969 |
|
Accommodations, extra-charge products and other |
|
114,241 |
|
|
|
50,061 |
|
|
|
406,819 |
|
|
|
258,965 |
|
|
|
687,310 |
|
|
|
371,123 |
|
|
|
2,708,926 |
|
|
|
1,798,668 |
|
Costs and expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Cost of food, merchandise and games revenues |
|
57,797 |
|
|
|
30,745 |
|
|
|
232,556 |
|
|
|
159,830 |
|
Operating expenses |
|
376,902 |
|
|
|
210,312 |
|
|
|
1,376,061 |
|
|
|
949,527 |
|
Selling, general and administrative |
|
88,646 |
|
|
|
65,679 |
|
|
|
411,164 |
|
|
|
207,085 |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
106,226 |
|
|
|
30,284 |
|
|
|
318,113 |
|
|
|
157,995 |
|
Loss on retirement of fixed assets, net |
|
6,658 |
|
|
|
5,288 |
|
|
|
18,064 |
|
|
|
18,067 |
|
Loss on impairment of goodwill |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
42,462 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
636,229 |
|
|
|
342,308 |
|
|
|
2,398,420 |
|
|
|
1,492,504 |
|
Operating income |
|
51,081 |
|
|
|
28,815 |
|
|
|
310,506 |
|
|
|
306,164 |
|
Interest expense, net |
|
78,867 |
|
|
|
34,853 |
|
|
|
234,770 |
|
|
|
138,952 |
|
Loss on early debt extinguishment |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
7,974 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
Other expense (income), net |
|
26,722 |
|
|
|
(3,882 |
) |
|
33,584 |
|
|
|
(5,390 |
) |
|
(Loss) income before taxes |
|
(54,508 |
) |
|
|
(2,156 |
) |
|
34,178 |
|
|
|
172,602 |
|
|
Provision for taxes |
|
209,708 |
|
|
|
7,797 |
|
|
240,843 |
|
|
|
48,043 |
|
|
Net (loss) income |
|
(264,216 |
) |
|
|
(9,953 |
) |
|
(206,665 |
) |
|
|
124,559 |
|
|
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
24,499 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
Net (loss) income attributable to Six Flags Entertainment Corporation |
$ |
(264,216 |
) |
|
$ |
(9,953 |
) |
|
$ |
(231,164 |
) |
|
$ |
124,559 |
|
Net (loss) income margin (1) |
|
-38.4 |
% |
|
|
-2.7 |
% |
|
-7.6 |
% |
|
|
6.9 |
% |
|
(1) Net (loss) income margin is calculated as net income divided by net revenues. |
|||||||||||||||
|
||||||
SIX FLAGS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DATA (In thousands) |
||||||
|
||||||
|
December 31, 2024 |
|
December 31, 2023 |
|||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
83,174 |
|
$ |
65,488 |
|
Total assets |
$ |
9,130,516 |
|
$ |
2,240,533 |
|
Long-term debt, including current maturities: |
||||||
Revolving credit loans |
$ |
296,953 |
|
$ |
— |
|
Term debt |
|
976,712 |
|
|
— |
|
Notes |
|
3,659,407 |
|
|
2,275,451 |
|
|
$ |
4,933,072 |
|
$ |
2,275,451 |
|
Equity (deficit) |
$ |
2,041,863 |
|
$ |
(582,962 |
) |
|
|||||||||||||||
SIX FLAGS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF MODIFIED EBITDA, ADJUSTED EBITDA AND MODIFIED EBITDA MARGIN (In thousands) |
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Quarters Ended December 31, |
|
Years Ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
(In thousands) |
|
2024 |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
|
2024 |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
Net (loss) income |
$ |
(264,216 |
) |
|
$ |
(9,953 |
) |
|
$ |
(206,665 |
) |
|
$ |
124,559 |
|
Interest expense, net |
|
78,867 |
|
|
|
34,853 |
|
|
|
234,770 |
|
|
|
138,952 |
|
Provision for taxes |
|
209,708 |
|
|
|
7,797 |
|
|
|
240,843 |
|
|
|
48,043 |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
106,226 |
|
|
|
30,284 |
|
|
|
318,113 |
|
|
|
157,995 |
|
EBITDA |
|
130,585 |
|
|
|
62,981 |
|
|
|
587,061 |
|
|
|
469,549 |
|
Loss on early debt extinguishment |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
7,974 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Non-cash foreign currency loss (gain) |
|
24,677 |
|
|
|
(3,920 |
) |
|
|
30,557 |
|
|
|
(5,594 |
) |
Non-cash equity compensation expense |
|
10,259 |
|
|
|
6,770 |
|
|
|
63,809 |
|
|
|
22,611 |
|
Loss on retirement of fixed assets, net |
|
6,658 |
|
|
|
5,288 |
|
|
|
18,064 |
|
|
|
18,067 |
|
Loss on impairment of goodwill |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
42,462 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Costs related to the Mergers (1) |
|
23,726 |
|
|
|
17,275 |
|
|
|
118,336 |
|
|
|
22,287 |
|
Self-insurance adjustment (2) |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
14,865 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Other (3) |
|
13,069 |
|
|
|
468 |
|
|
|
16,662 |
|
|
|
752 |
|
Modified EBITDA (4) |
|
208,974 |
|
|
|
88,862 |
|
|
|
899,790 |
|
|
|
527,672 |
|
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
24,499 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Adjusted EBITDA (4) |
$ |
208,974 |
|
|
$ |
88,862 |
|
|
$ |
875,291 |
|
|
$ |
527,672 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Modified EBITDA margin (5) |
|
30.4 |
% |
|
|
23.9 |
% |
|
|
33.2 |
% |
|
|
29.3 |
% |
(1) |
Consists of third-party legal and consulting transaction costs, as well as integration costs related to the Mergers. Integration costs include third-party consulting costs, contract termination costs, retention bonuses, severance related to the Mergers, integration team salaries and benefits, maintenance costs to update Former Six Flags parks to Cedar Fair standards, onboarding of new advertising firms, and travel costs. These costs are added back to net (loss) income to calculate Modified EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as defined in the Combined Company's credit agreement. |
|
|
||
(2) |
During the third quarter of 2024, an actuarial analysis of Former Cedar Fair's self-insurance reserves resulted in a change in estimate that increased the incurred but not reported ("IBNR") reserves related to these self-insurance reserves by |
|
|
||
(3) |
Consists of certain costs as defined in the Combined Company's credit agreement. These costs are added back to net (loss) income to calculate Modified EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA and include: enacted cost savings initiatives related to overhead and administrative costs incurred by Former Six Flags, specifically for insurance premiums, legal costs and information technology costs; repairs for unusual weather events; certain legal and consulting expenses; Mexican VAT taxes on intercompany activity; severance and related benefits; payments related to the Partnership Parks; cost of goods sold recorded to align inventory standards following the Mergers; and contract termination costs. This balance also includes unrealized gains and losses on pension assets and short-term investments. |
|
(4) |
Modified EBITDA represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, other non-cash items, and adjustments as defined in the Combined Company's credit agreement. Adjusted EBITDA represents Modified EBITDA minus net income attributable to non-controlling interests. Management included both measures to disclose the effect of non-controlling interests. Prior to the Merger, legacy Cedar Fair did not have net income attributable to non-controlling interests. Management believes Modified EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are meaningful measures of park-level operating profitability and use them for measuring returns on capital investments, evaluating potential acquisitions, determining awards under incentive compensation plans, and calculating compliance with certain loan covenants. Adjusted EBITDA is widely used by analysts, investors and comparable companies in the industry to evaluate operating performance on a consistent basis, as well as more easily compare results with those of other companies in the industry. Modified EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are provided as a supplemental measure of the Combined Company's operating results and are not intended to be a substitute for operating income, net income or cash flows from operating activities as defined under generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, Modified EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. |
|
|
||
(5) |
Modified EBITDA margin (Modified EBITDA divided by net revenues) is not a measurement computed in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Modified EBITDA margin is provided because management believes the measure provides a meaningful metric of operating profitability. Modified EBITDA margin has been disclosed as opposed to Adjusted EBITDA margin because management believes Modified EBITDA margin more accurately reflects the park-level operations of the Combined Company as it does not give effect to distributions to non-controlling interests. |
|
|||
SIX FLAGS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION CALCULATION OF NET DEBT (In thousands) |
|||
|
|
||
|
December 31, 2024 |
||
Long-term debt, including current maturities |
$ |
4,933,072 |
|
Plus: Debt issuance costs and original issue discount |
|
49,562 |
|
Less: Acquisition fair value layers |
|
(22,634 |
) |
Less: Cash and cash equivalents |
|
(83,174 |
) |
Net Debt (1) |
$ |
4,876,826 |
|
(1) Net Debt is a non-GAAP financial measure used by investors to monitor leverage. The measure may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. |
|||
|
|||||||||||
SIX FLAGS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION KEY OPERATIONAL MEASURES (In thousands, except per capita and operating day amounts) |
|||||||||||
|
Quarters Ended December 31, |
|
Years Ended December 31, |
||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
Attendance |
|
10,694 |
|
|
5,776 |
|
|
41,649 |
|
|
26,665 |
In-park per capita spending (1) |
$ |
61.60 |
|
$ |
59.59 |
|
$ |
61.31 |
|
$ |
62.21 |
Out-of-park revenues (1) |
$ |
47,792 |
|
$ |
36,892 |
|
$ |
232,415 |
|
$ |
192,257 |
Operating days |
|
878 |
|
|
377 |
|
|
4,369 |
|
|
2,365 |
(1) |
In-park per capita spending is calculated as revenues generated within the Combined Company's amusement parks and separately gated outdoor water parks along with related parking revenues and online transaction fees charged to customers (in-park revenues), divided by total attendance. Out-of-park revenues are defined as revenues from resorts, out-of-park food and retail locations, sponsorships, international agreements and all other out-of-park operations. In-park revenues, in-park per capita spending and out-of-park revenues are non-GAAP measures. These metrics are used by management as major factors in significant operational decisions as they are primary drivers of financial and operational performance, measuring demand, pricing, and consumer behavior. A reconciliation of in-park revenues and out-of-park revenues to net revenues for the periods presented in the table below. Certain prior period amounts totaling |
|
Quarters Ended December 31, |
|
Years Ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
(In thousands) |
|
2024 |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
|
2024 |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
In-park revenues |
$ |
658,720 |
|
|
$ |
344,188 |
|
|
$ |
2,553,486 |
|
|
$ |
1,658,912 |
|
Out-of-park revenues |
|
47,792 |
|
|
|
36,892 |
|
|
|
232,415 |
|
|
|
192,257 |
|
Concessionaire remittance |
|
(19,202 |
) |
|
|
(9,957 |
) |
|
|
(76,975 |
) |
|
|
(52,501 |
) |
Net revenues |
$ |
687,310 |
|
|
$ |
371,123 |
|
|
$ |
2,708,926 |
|
|
$ |
1,798,668 |
|
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250227928301/en/
Investor Contact: Michael Russell, 419.627.2233
Media Contact: Gary Rhodes, 704.249.6119
https://investors.sixflags.com
Source: Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
