Vail Resorts lowers its earnings guidance after low snowfall has kept skiers away
TheWkly Analysis
It’s been a warm winter and Vail Resorts is feeling it. The ski giant lowered its earnings forecast yesterday after visits to its resorts cratered by nearly 20% this season. If you were hoping to capture some winter wonder, there’s a good chance you’ll have to settle for that feeling of a cold toilet seat. Vail said that the snowfall at its western resorts in November and December was down almost 60% compared to the 30-year average. Translation: Most resorts had too little snow to open substantial terrain — for instance, Vail Mountain reported the worst December snowpack since 1978, with only 4.4 inches of snow. As a result, only 11% of terrain was open at some of Vail’s Rocky Mountain resorts. Reduced terrain meant reduced revenue: Ski school revenue dropped 14.9% and dining revenue fell nearly 16% through Jan. 4, per Vail’s investor report. So far, Vail’s worst snow woes are confined to the western US. It saw better snow conditions at its east coast resorts. FYI: Vail has had a tough few years and CEO Rob Katz returned to the company last May to reverse it. It seems Mother Nature might not let him.
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Key Entities
- • Vail Resorts - Major North American ski resort operator
- • Skier visits - Core demand metric reported as down early in the season
- • Snowfall - Weather driver affecting terrain openings and visitation
- • Rocky Mountain resorts - Western properties facing low snow conditions, per the report
- • Snowpack - Measure of accumulated snow tied to ski conditions and water storage
- • Snowmaking - Resort tool limited by temperature and water availability
- • Ski school revenue - On-mountain revenue stream reported as down
- • Dining revenue - On-mountain spending category reported as down
- • Epic Pass - Season-pass product shaping visitation and revenue mix
- • Rob Katz - Vail Resorts chief executive referenced in coverage
Bias Distribution
Multi-Perspective Analysis
Left-Leaning View
Links weak snowpack to climate change and broader water impacts.
Centrist View
Emphasizes visitation metrics, snowfall data, and guidance changes.
Right-Leaning View
Focuses on business strategy, pricing, and consumer demand shifts.
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