Zacks Research Reduces Earnings Estimates for Vail Resorts

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:MTN) – Equities research analysts at Zacks Research decreased their Q3 2026 earnings estimates for Vail Resorts in a research note issued on Monday, March 23rd. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the company will post earnings per share of $9.65 for the quarter, down from their previous estimate of $10.38. Zacks Research currently has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Vail Resorts’ current full-year earnings is $7.62 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Vail Resorts’ Q2 2027 earnings at $6.75 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $11.00 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $7.26 EPS and Q2 2028 earnings at $6.95 EPS.

Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, March 9th. The company reported $5.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.06 by ($0.19). The business had revenue of $1.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.11 billion. Vail Resorts had a net margin of 7.89% and a return on equity of 29.72%. Vail Resorts’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $6.56 EPS.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on MTN. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on Vail Resorts from $175.00 to $172.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Vail Resorts from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. Barclays dropped their price objective on Vail Resorts from $140.00 to $138.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $169.00 price target on shares of Vail Resorts in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on Vail Resorts from $159.00 to $151.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 6th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $165.00.

Vail Resorts Stock Performance

Vail Resorts stock opened at $126.55 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $136.50 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $142.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.43. Vail Resorts has a twelve month low of $125.15 and a twelve month high of $175.51. The company has a market capitalization of $4.51 billion, a PE ratio of 20.64, a P/E/G ratio of 9.40 and a beta of 0.78.

Vail Resorts Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 26th will be given a dividend of $2.22 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 26th. This represents a $8.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.0%. Vail Resorts’s payout ratio is currently 144.86%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Robert A. Katz purchased 37,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $131.81 per share, with a total value of $4,942,875.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 285,312 shares in the company, valued at approximately $37,606,974.72. This represents a 15.13% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Angela A. Korch acquired 190 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was bought at an average price of $131.85 per share, with a total value of $25,051.50. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief financial officer directly owned 5,539 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $730,317.15. This trade represents a 3.55% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 1.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. grew its stake in Vail Resorts by 15.9% in the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 22,022 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,925,000 after purchasing an additional 3,023 shares during the period. Union Savings Bank purchased a new position in Vail Resorts during the fourth quarter valued at $46,000. Midway Capital Research & Management purchased a new position in Vail Resorts during the fourth quarter valued at $1,070,000. River Road Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vail Resorts by 37.9% during the 4th quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC now owns 508,498 shares of the company’s stock valued at $67,529,000 after buying an additional 139,828 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Virtu Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vail Resorts during the 4th quarter valued at $935,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.90% of the company’s stock.

Vail Resorts News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Vail Resorts this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Park City lift upgrades highlighted as a clear value-add for the resort, which could boost guest experience and lift capacity (potentially supporting revenue per skier). Park City Mountain lift upgrades ‘add tremendous value to the resort’
• Positive Sentiment: CEO retrospectives emphasize 20 years of growth and ongoing investment in resorts — a reminder of the company’s track record of expansion and capital deployment. Vail Resorts CEO reviews 20 years of epic growth since he began
• Positive Sentiment: Management signals openness to rethinking the $1,000+ pass strategy, which could lead to new pricing tiers or product changes aimed at broadening demand. Strategy shifts can help long‑term pass sales and margin mix. Vail Resorts’ CEO says it’s time to think beyond the $1,000 ski pass that helped build the empire
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks issued mixed estimate changes (cuts to Q3 2026 and FY2027, raises for some later quarters) and maintains a “Hold” rating — a signal that analysts see earnings variability but not yet a clear buy/sell trigger. MarketBeat profile / Zacks note summary
• Negative Sentiment: A wave of legal filings — including a federal antitrust complaint and multiple class‑action suits — alleges that Vail and Alterra manipulated lift‑ticket pricing to push consumers to Epic/Ikon passes. This creates regulatory and litigation risk, potential damages, and reputational pressure. Lawsuit alleges Vail Resorts, Alterra, charge exorbitant lift ticket prices to drive Epic and Ikon pass sales Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company face federal antitrust lawsuit Vail Resorts, Alterra face class-action lawsuit over season passes
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/weather risk: commentary and coverage note worsening weather patterns and multi‑year stock underperformance, which reinforce concerns around revenue volatility for a seasonally driven business. Vail Resorts Stock Is Down 54% Over Five Years and the Weather Just Got Worse

Vail Resorts Company Profile

Vail Resorts, Inc is a leading mountain resort company that owns and operates an integrated network of ski areas, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets. The company’s signature Epic Pass program offers skiers and snowboarders season‐long access to its portfolio of resorts, while ancillary services such as ski and snowboard schools, equipment rental and retail drive additional revenue.

Headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, Vail Resorts was formed in 1997, building on the legacy of Vail Associates, which opened the Vail ski area in 1962.