Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Hilton Grand Vacations (NYSE: HGV) and the best and worst performers in the travel and vacation providers industry.

Airlines, hotels, resorts, and cruise line companies often sell experiences rather than tangible products, and in the last decade-plus, consumers have slowly shifted from buying "things" (wasteful) to buying "experiences" (memorable). In addition, the internet has introduced new ways of approaching leisure and lodging such as booking homes and longer-term accommodations. Traditional airlines, hotel, resorts, and cruise line companies must innovate to stay relevant in a market rife with innovation.

The 19 travel and vacation providers stocks we track reported a mixed Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.7% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 4.5% above.

Luckily, travel and vacation providers stocks have performed well with share prices up 14.1% on average since the latest earnings results.

Hilton Grand Vacations (NYSE: HGV)

Spun off from Hilton Worldwide in 2017, Hilton Grand Vacations (NYSE: HGV) is a global timeshare company that provides travel experiences for its customers through its timeshare resorts and club membership programs.

Hilton Grand Vacations reported revenues of $1.15 billion, flat year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 7.6%. Overall, it was a disappointing quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income and EPS estimates.

Hilton Grand Vacations delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. Interestingly, the stock is up 21.7% since reporting and currently trades at $40.90.

Read our full report on Hilton Grand Vacations here, it’s free.

Best Q1: Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ: LIND)

Founded by explorer Sven-Olof Lindblad in 1979, Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ: LIND) offers cruising experiences to remote destinations in partnership with National Geographic.

Lindblad Expeditions reported revenues of $179.7 million, up 17% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 18.8%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Lindblad Expeditions pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat, fastest revenue growth, and highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 22.9% since reporting. It currently trades at $11.20.

Is now the time to buy Lindblad Expeditions? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Pursuit (NYSE: PRSU)

With attractions ranging from glacier tours in the Canadian Rockies to an oceanfront geothermal lagoon in Iceland, Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality (NYSE: PRSU) operates iconic travel experiences, experiential marketing services, and exhibition management across North America and Europe.

Pursuit reported revenues of $37.58 million, down 86.3% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3.5%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates and a miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Pursuit delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 1.5% since the results and currently trades at $29.21.

Read our full analysis of Pursuit’s results here.

Carnival (NYSE: CCL)

Boasting outrageous amenities like a planetarium on board its ships, Carnival (NYSE: CCL) is one of the world's largest leisure travel companies and a prominent player in the cruise industry.

Carnival reported revenues of $6.33 billion, up 9.5% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 1.7%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also put up an impressive beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

The stock is up 6.7% since reporting and currently trades at $25.66.

Read our full, actionable report on Carnival here, it’s free.

Playa Hotels & Resorts (NASDAQ: PLYA)

Sporting a roster of beachfront properties, Playa Hotels & Resorts (NASDAQ: PLYA) is an owner, operator, and developer of all-inclusive resorts in prime vacation destinations.

Playa Hotels & Resorts reported revenues of $267.3 million, down 11.1% year on year. This number was in line with analysts’ expectations. Zooming out, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also produced a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but a miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $13.48.

Read our full, actionable report on Playa Hotels & Resorts here, it’s free.

Market Update

In response to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been gradually trending down from its post-pandemic peak, trending closer to the Fed’s 2% target. Despite higher borrowing costs, the economy has avoided flashing recessionary signals. This is the much-desired soft landing that many investors hoped for. The recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November 2024) have bolstered the stock market, making 2024 a strong year for equities. Donald Trump’s presidential win in November sparked additional market gains, sending indices to record highs in the days following his victory. However, debates continue over possible tariffs and corporate tax adjustments, raising questions about economic stability in 2025.

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