Vail (NYSE:MTN) is the largest publically-traded ski resort company. It owns and operates some of the top ski resorts in the US, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone. The company also manages a portfolio of luxury hotels as well as a real estate development company. Due to the world-class nature of its ski resorts, Vail counts 12% of all skiers in the US as customers, despite operating only 11 out of some 620 existing resorts in the country.
As a ski resort company, of course snowfall drives traffic and season pass sales, but management has been every effective in leveraging its franchise to create comprehensive vacation destinations and develop customer loyalty. To diversify geographical coverage, extend its operational expertise and grow earnings power, the company buys and improves less well managed resorts. The most recent acquisitions were Park City in Utah, Perisher, the largest ski resort in Australia, and Wilmot Mountain near Chicago.
Business has been improving. For the past year, season pass sales were up 13% in units. EBITDA should continue to grow from the addition of new assets as well as management’s efforts to increase the usage of the resorts during the off-season.
From the Third Avenue Value Fund 1st quarter 2016 letter.
