Based in Orlando, SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company; its recognized brands include SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Sea Rescue, asserts Mark Skousen, editor of Home Run Trader.
Over the company’s 50-year history, it has built 12 destination and regional theme parks in key markets across the United States, hosting an average of more than 20 million visitors a year.
The parks offer guests a variety of up-close experiences with wildlife, as well as thrill rides and spectacular shows. The company rescues and rehabilitates marine animals that are ill, injured or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild.
SeaWorld has also produced Parent’s Choice and Emmy-Award-winning shows like Sea Rescue and The Wildlife Docs that celebrate the natural world. In fact, my daughter Hayley recently signed on as a professional skater. And her husband Pablo is a musician there.
The pandemic was a big negative for entertainment parks, of course, as they were forced to shut down. But most of them are coming back in a big way. And SeaWorld is no exception. Revenue hit $1.67 billion over the last 12 months and sales are up 15% year-over-year.
With the pandemic receding, the outlook remains positive. I estimate that earnings will increase from $4.25 a share this year to nearly $6 in 2023. (Next year’s revenue should approach $2 billion.)
And this estimate may be too conservative. At least, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Michelle Adams seems to think so. She recently purchased 39,000 shares at $51.03 per share, an investment of nearly $2 million. She now owns more than 75,000 shares. And Chief Commercial Officer Christopher Finazzo purchased 8,950 shares on Sept. 12. He owns over 72,000 shares.
These are two savvy insiders. (Adams served as the chief financial officer of The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas before joining SeaWorld a few months ago.) They know that shares of SeaWorld have soared nearly 300% over the past five years, despite the pandemic.
And with the lockdowns over and consumers choosing to spend more on experiential services, the outlook for SeaWorld is exceptional. I remain bullish on the stock.