Steiner Getting Finer

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Life's been a pleasure cruise for Steiner Leisure (Nasdaq: STNR) lately. The provider of spa services on just about every major cruise ship was one of the few stocks that traded higher yesterday after showing up with robust third-quarter results.

Earnings rose from $0.52 a share to $0.61 per share on a 15% uptick in revenue. Analysts were expecting profits to clock in at only $0.56 per stub on a more modest 11% top-line gain.

It's a welcome return to the norm for Steiner. After stumping Wall Street by topping profit forecasts for a dozen straight quarters, second-quarter results merely matched expectations. But no sooner than you can say, "Up high, down low, too slow," Steiner's leaped ahead of the market prognosticators yet again.

It's a good place to be. The stock is up more than 50% since being recommended to Motley Fool Rule Breakers subscribers. The shares may seem like an eclectic choice for a high-octane ultimate growth newsletter, but the company has been revolutionizing the cruising industry for a few years now. Demographic trends continue to work in Steiner's favor, as younger passengers take to cruise ships, and more men are tapping into their inner desire to be pampered.

The company's sterling reputation at sea has it operating on 120 of the largest cruise ships. We're talking about companies like Carnival (NYSE: CCL), NCL, Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL), and Disney (NYSE: DIS). The company also runs several dozen resort hotel spas for companies like Hilton (NYSE: HLT) and Marriott (NYSE: MAR), though Steiner's role as a proven cruise-line tenant has provided the company with the bulk of its profits.

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Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz doesn't consider himself the spa type, but his wife did talk him into a pair of surial baths for couples on the Disney Wonder. He does own shares in Disney. The Fool has a disclosure policy. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.