Earnings results often indicate what direction a company will take in the months ahead. With Q3 behind us, let’s have a look at AMC Entertainment (NYSE: AMC) and its peers.

Leisure facilities companies often sell experiences rather than tangible products, and in the last decade-plus, consumers have slowly shifted their spending from "things" to "experiences". Leisure facilities seek to benefit but must innovate to do so because of the industry's high competition and capital intensity.

The 11 leisure facilities stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q3. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.7% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 0.6% below.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 4.5% on average since the latest earnings results.

Best Q3: AMC Entertainment (NYSE: AMC)

With a profile that was raised due to meme stock mania beginning in 2021, AMC Entertainment (NYSE: AMC) operates movie theaters primarily in the US and Europe.

AMC Entertainment reported revenues of $1.3 billion, down 3.6% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 6.3%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

AMC Entertainment achieved the biggest analyst estimates beat of the whole group. Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street’s published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts’ consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 36.3% since reporting and currently trades at $1.61.

Is now the time to buy AMC Entertainment? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Topgolf Callaway (NYSE: MODG)

Formed between the merger of Callaway and Topgolf, Topgolf Callaway (NYSE: MODG) sells golf equipment and operates technology-driven golf entertainment venues.

Topgolf Callaway reported revenues of $934 million, down 7.8% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.3%. The business had a very strong quarter with EBITDA guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 25% since reporting. It currently trades at $11.59.

Is now the time to buy Topgolf Callaway? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: United Parks & Resorts (NYSE: PRKS)

Parent company of SeaWorld and home of the world-famous Shamu, United Parks & Resorts (NYSE: PRKS) is a theme park chain featuring marine life, live entertainment, roller coasters, and waterparks.

United Parks & Resorts reported revenues of $511.9 million, down 6.2% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 5.2%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a miss of analysts’ visitors estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 21.3% since the results and currently trades at $36.36.

Read our full analysis of United Parks & Resorts’s results here.

Lucky Strike (NYSE: LUCK)

Born from the transformation of traditional bowling alleys into modern entertainment destinations, Lucky Strike (NYSE: LUCK) operates bowling alleys and other entertainment venues with upscale amenities, arcade games, and food and beverage services across North America.

Lucky Strike reported revenues of $292.3 million, up 12.3% year on year. This result topped analysts’ expectations by 3.3%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also produced a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

Lucky Strike scored the highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The stock is up 7.6% since reporting and currently trades at $8.68.

Read our full, actionable report on Lucky Strike here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Live Nation (NYSE: LYV)

Owner of Ticketmaster and operator of music festival EDC, Live Nation (NYSE: LYV) is a company specializing in live event promotion, venue management, and ticketing services for concerts and shows.

Live Nation reported revenues of $8.50 billion, up 11.1% year on year. This number came in 0.9% below analysts' expectations. More broadly, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also produced a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates but a miss of analysts’ events estimates.

The stock is down 4.5% since reporting and currently trades at $143.96.

Read our full, actionable report on Live Nation here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Market Update

The Fed’s interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 have successfully cooled post-pandemic inflation, bringing it closer to the 2% target. Inflationary pressures have eased without tipping the economy into a recession, suggesting a soft landing. This stability, paired with recent rate cuts (0.5% in September 2024 and 0.25% in November 2024), fueled a strong year for the stock market in 2024. The markets surged further after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, with major indices reaching record highs in the days following the election. Still, questions remain about the direction of economic policy, as potential tariffs and corporate tax changes add uncertainty for 2025.

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