Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH) and the best and worst performers in the travel and vacation providers industry.
Airlines, hotels, resorts, and cruise line companies often sell experiences rather than tangible products, and in the last decade-plus, consumers have slowly shifted from buying "things" (wasteful) to buying "experiences" (memorable). In addition, the internet has introduced new ways of approaching leisure and lodging such as booking homes and longer-term accommodations. Traditional airlines, hotel, resorts, and cruise line companies must innovate to stay relevant in a market rife with innovation.
The 19 travel and vacation providers stocks we track reported a mixed Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.6% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 4.6% above.
Luckily, travel and vacation providers stocks have performed well with share prices up 13.7% on average since the latest earnings results.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH)
With amenities like a full go-kart race track built into its ships, Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH) is a premier global cruise company.
Norwegian Cruise Line reported revenues of $2.13 billion, down 2.9% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. Overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
“We kicked off 2025 with solid first quarter results, demonstrating the continued momentum of our Charting the Course strategy in building a strong foundation for long-term success and delivering on our vision for guests to Vacation Better | Experience More," said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of
The stock is up 12.6% since reporting and currently trades at $19.56.
Read our full report on Norwegian Cruise Line here, it’s free.
Best Q1: Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ:LIND)
Founded by explorer Sven-Olof Lindblad in 1979, Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ:LIND) offers cruising experiences to remote destinations in partnership with National Geographic.
Lindblad Expeditions reported revenues of $179.7 million, up 17% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 18.8%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
Lindblad Expeditions pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat, fastest revenue growth, and highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 20.5% since reporting. It currently trades at $10.98.
Is now the time to buy Lindblad Expeditions? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Hilton Grand Vacations (NYSE:HGV)
Spun off from Hilton Worldwide in 2017, Hilton Grand Vacations (NYSE:HGV) is a global timeshare company that provides travel experiences for its customers through its timeshare resorts and club membership programs.
Hilton Grand Vacations reported revenues of $1.15 billion, flat year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 7.6%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income and EPS estimates.
Hilton Grand Vacations delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. Interestingly, the stock is up 13.4% since the results and currently trades at $38.13.
Read our full analysis of Hilton Grand Vacations’s results here.
Travel + Leisure (NYSE:TNL)
Formerly known as Wyndham Destinations, Travel + Leisure (NYSE:TNL) is a global vacation company that provides travelers with vacation ownership, exchange, and travel services.
Travel + Leisure reported revenues of $934 million, up 2% year on year. This result met analysts’ expectations. More broadly, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded a decent beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates but a miss of analysts’ tours conducted estimates.
The stock is up 17.2% since reporting and currently trades at $49.96.
Read our full, actionable report on Travel + Leisure here, it’s free.
Marriott Vacations (NYSE:VAC)
Spun off from Marriott International in 1984, Marriott Vacations (NYSE:VAC) is a vacation company providing leisure experiences for travelers around the world.
Marriott Vacations reported revenues of $1.2 billion, flat year on year. This number lagged analysts' expectations by 0.7%. Zooming out, it was actually a strong quarter as it put up a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a decent beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
The stock is up 13.8% since reporting and currently trades at $66.25.
Read our full, actionable report on Marriott Vacations here, it’s free.
Market Update
In response to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been gradually trending down from its post-pandemic peak, trending closer to the Fed’s 2% target. Despite higher borrowing costs, the economy has avoided flashing recessionary signals. This is the much-desired soft landing that many investors hoped for. The recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November 2024) have bolstered the stock market, making 2024 a strong year for equities. Donald Trump’s presidential win in November sparked additional market gains, sending indices to record highs in the days following his victory. However, debates continue over possible tariffs and corporate tax adjustments, raising questions about economic stability in 2025.
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