United Parks & Resorts (NYSE:PRKS) Issues Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.14 EPS

United Parks & Resorts (NYSE:PRKS) issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $1.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.88 by ($0.14), FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $506.45 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $511.03 million. United Parks & Resorts had a negative return on equity of 23.19% and a net margin of 7.57%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.61 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from United Parks & Resorts’ conference call:

• Q3 revenue fell 1.1% to $506.5 million, attendance declined 4.7%, and Adjusted EBITDA decreased $11.2 million to $205.1 million. Management attributed attendance weakness to weather, calendar effects, and lower international visitation, while higher per-capita spending partly offset the decline.
• Pass sales rose nearly 8% in Q3, and the paid pass base was up 0.3% year over year as of October 31; passes tied specifically to 2027 were up more than 15%. Management sees these trends, alongside double-digit growth in forward bookings for Discovery Cove and group business, as support for a return to growth in 2027.
• The company is targeting another $40 million–$50 million in gross cost savings for 2027, following its existing $50 million savings program, and expects technology, automation, and tighter cost management to help. Management said revenue growth could also support margins, though past gross savings have not always translated into net savings or margin expansion.
• United Parks bought back about $218 million of stock, or roughly 12% of shares outstanding, this year, but made no repurchases in Q3 because of cash-flow dynamics and expects to resume only when liquidity and other conditions permit. Discussions with prospective real-estate partners continue, but management cautioned that there is no assurance of a deal.

United Parks & Resorts Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:PRKS traded up $1.95 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $39.81. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,068,820 shares, compared to its average volume of 744,648. United Parks & Resorts has a fifty-two week low of $28.77 and a fifty-two week high of $50.00. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $34.47 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $38.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.98, a PEG ratio of 3.76 and a beta of 1.22.

Trending Headlines about United Parks & Resorts

Here are the key news stories impacting United Parks & Resorts this week:

• Positive Sentiment: United Parks’ 2027 outlook helped offset its Q3 earnings miss, and shares rose as investors responded to the forward view. United Parks Shares Rise as 2027 Outlook Offsets Third-Quarter Earnings Miss
• Positive Sentiment: The stock moved above its 50-day moving average following the results, a potentially encouraging technical signal. United Parks Stock Price Crosses Above 50-Day Moving Average Following Weak Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: The CEO promised continued investment and improvements at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. This could support the park’s longer-term appeal, though investment may also involve added costs. United Parks CEO Promises Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Improvements
• Negative Sentiment: Q3 adjusted earnings were $1.74 per share, below the roughly $1.87–$1.88 analyst consensus. Revenue of about $506.5 million also missed expectations of $511 million and declined 1.1% year over year. United Parks Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Lower attendance weighed on the quarter; the company pointed to poor weather and international-market headwinds as factors dragging traffic. United Parks Points to International Headwinds and Poor Weather as Traffic Drags

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

PRKS has been the subject of several research reports. Citigroup increased their target price on United Parks & Resorts from $34.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. Zacks Research raised United Parks & Resorts from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Barclays lifted their target price on United Parks & Resorts from $37.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Weiss Ratings lowered United Parks & Resorts from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Friday, October 30th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $39.00 target price on shares of United Parks & Resorts in a report on Friday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, United Parks & Resorts has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $45.70.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other United Parks & Resorts news, insider James Forrester, Jr. sold 1,150 shares of United Parks & Resorts stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.71, for a total value of $41,066.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 26,733 shares in the company, valued at approximately $954,635.43. The trade was a 4.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.70% of the company’s stock.

United Parks & Resorts Company Profile

United Parks & Resorts Inc (NYSE: PRKS) is a theme park and entertainment company that owns and operates a portfolio of destination amusement and water parks in the United States. Its properties combine rides, live entertainment, animal exhibits, educational experiences, seasonal events and hospitality-related offerings.

The company’s portfolio includes SeaWorld parks in Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego; Busch Gardens parks in Tampa and Williamsburg, Virginia; Sesame Place parks in Pennsylvania and California; and water parks and attractions such as Aquatica, Adventure Island, Water Country USA and Discovery Cove.