Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN) Shares Gap Down After Earnings Miss

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:MTN)’s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Tuesday following a dissappointing earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $133.94, but opened at $130.00. Vail Resorts shares last traded at $133.0950, with a volume of 585,074 shares changing hands.

The company reported $5.87 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $6.06 by ($0.19). Vail Resorts had a net margin of 8.94% and a return on equity of 32.51%. The company had revenue of $1.08 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.11 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $6.56 earnings per share. Vail Resorts’s quarterly revenue was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis.

Vail Resorts Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 26th will be given a dividend of $2.22 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 26th. This represents a $8.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.7%. Vail Resorts’s payout ratio is 130.21%.

Vail Resorts News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Vail Resorts this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly dividend of $2.22/share (ex-dividend Mar 26; pay Apr 9) — boosts income appeal with a ~6.6% yield, which can support the stock vs. short‑term weakness.
• Positive Sentiment: Two brokers left “buy” ratings with sizable upside: Stifel trimmed its PT to $172 (≈29% upside from current levels) and Truist cut its PT to $217 but kept a buy (≈63% upside), providing conviction that some analysts view this as a longer‑term buying opportunity. Benzinga TickerReport
• Neutral Sentiment: Deutsche Bank lowered its price target to $151 — reduced but still above current trade, so it’s a mixed signal rather than outright bearish. AmericanBankingNews
• Negative Sentiment: Q2 results missed expectations: EPS $5.87 vs. $6.06 est., revenue $1.08B vs. $1.11B — declines vs. prior year. These headline misses pressured sentiment. Press Release
• Negative Sentiment: Company cut FY26 outlook after what it called a very weak ski season (low snowfall, fewer skier visits). New net income guidance: roughly $144M–$190M vs. prior $201M–$276M — the guidance reset is the primary negative catalyst. WSJ
• Negative Sentiment: Broader media coverage emphasized the “most challenging winter” theme, highlighting steep YOY declines in skier visits and revenue — narrative amplified selling pressure in aftermarket trading. Benzinga
• Negative Sentiment: Barclays moved to an “underweight” and cut its PT to $138 — a bearish, near‑term signal that likely added selling pressure. Benzinga

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have commented on MTN shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Vail Resorts in a report on Monday, December 29th. Barclays lowered their price objective on Vail Resorts from $140.00 to $138.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Truist Financial cut their target price on Vail Resorts from $234.00 to $217.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley set a $150.00 price target on shares of Vail Resorts in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Vail Resorts from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $171.27.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MTN. World Investment Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Vail Resorts during the third quarter worth approximately $1,118,000. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its holdings in Vail Resorts by 376.3% during the 3rd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 16,584 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,553,000 after acquiring an additional 13,102 shares during the period. Blume Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in Vail Resorts by 317.0% during the 3rd quarter. Blume Capital Management Inc. now owns 9,703 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,451,000 after acquiring an additional 7,376 shares during the period. Rice Hall James & Associates LLC raised its position in shares of Vail Resorts by 11.4% during the 3rd quarter. Rice Hall James & Associates LLC now owns 115,724 shares of the company’s stock valued at $17,309,000 after acquiring an additional 11,809 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Confluence Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vail Resorts in the 3rd quarter valued at $8,160,000. 94.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vail Resorts Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.52, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 0.54. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $137.49 and a 200-day moving average price of $145.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 8.46 and a beta of 0.78.

Vail Resorts Company Profile

Vail Resorts, Inc is a leading mountain resort company that owns and operates an integrated network of ski areas, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets. The company’s signature Epic Pass program offers skiers and snowboarders season‐long access to its portfolio of resorts, while ancillary services such as ski and snowboard schools, equipment rental and retail drive additional revenue.

Headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, Vail Resorts was formed in 1997, building on the legacy of Vail Associates, which opened the Vail ski area in 1962.