Shares of Six Flags Entertainment (FUN +15.59%) rallied on Thursday after the amusement park operator announced encouraging Spring traffic trends.
Image source: Getty Images.
People are returning to Six Flags' parks
Six Flags' net revenue grew by 12% to $225.6 million in its fiscal first quarter, which ended on March 29.
Attendance rose 4% to 2.9 million visits. The gains came despite 24 fewer operating days than in the first quarter of 2025, primarily due to management's decision to scale back some winter holiday events.
Additionally, ticket price hikes and higher guest expenditures on food and beverages combined to drive per capita spending up by 6% to $69.26.
NYSE: FUN
Key Data Points
With most of its seasonal parks closed, the resort manager tends to operate at a loss during the first three months of the year. That was again the case in the first quarter. Six Flags generated a net loss of $269 million.
However, the company's cost-cutting efforts helped improve its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) loss by $48 million compared to the prior-year quarter, to $123 million.
Promising early season trends
Better still, Six Flags' same-park active pass base was up 6% through the end of April to roughly 5 million units.
"We are seeing positive early response to changes in our season pass and membership offerings, including expanded regional access to more parks on certain products, which we believe are supporting increased guest engagement and a more favorable product mix," CEO John Reilly said.
Notably, these gains came even as gasoline prices rose sharply amid conflict in the Middle East. Should the situation stabilize and energy prices pull back, Six Flags' sales growth could accelerate.
