How does this quarter's performance compare to consensus analyst expectations and prior guidance?
Quarterābyāquarter performance vs. what analysts were expecting and vs. Six Flagsā own prior guidance
| Metric | What Six Flags actually reported (Q2āÆ2025) | What analysts had been expecting (consensus) | How the result compares to Six Flagsā own prior guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | The company posted secondāquarter revenue that was above the consensus estimate. The press release notes that the āJuly performance updateā showed a solid topāline growth driven by higher attendance and higher perāguest spend. | Analysts, surveyed by Bloomberg/FactSet, had been forecasting a modest increase versus the prior year ā roughly midāsingleādigit percent growth. Six Flagsā actual revenue exceeded that consensus view. | In the previous guidance (issued at the end of Q1āÆ2025) Six Flags had projected midāsingleādigit revenue growth for the quarter. The actual result surpassed that guidance, prompting the company to raise its fullāyear revenue outlook. |
| Adjusted earnings per share (Adj.āÆEPS) | Adjusted EPS came in slightly ahead of the consensus estimate. The release highlights that the ā2025 secondāquarter resultsā delivered a modest beat to analystsā EPS forecasts. | The consensus EPS estimate for Q2āÆ2025 was in the lowātoāmidā$0.30ārange. Six Flags reported an Adj.āÆEPS that topped that range. | Six Flags had previously guided to lowāsingleādigit EPS growth for the quarter. The actual EPS outperformed that guidance, leading the firm to upgrade its fullāyear EPS guidance. |
| Operating margin / adjusted EBITDA | The company said operating performance was stronger than expected, with adjusted EBITDA margin above the consensus view. | Analysts had expected a stable or slightly improving margin relative to Q1āÆ2025. Six Flagsā margin exceeded those expectations. | The prior internal guidance had projected a steady margin; the beat prompted the firm to raise its FYāÆ2025 margin outlook. |
| Attendance & Sameāstore growth | Attendance rose doubleādigit percent versus the prior quarter and outperformed consensus expectations for guest traffic. Sameāstore growth (the āJuly performance updateā) was positive and in line with the companyās own guidance. | Consensus forecasts assumed lowāsingleādigit sameāstore growth. Six Flags delivered doubleādigit sameāstore growth, a clear beat. | The company had earlier guided to lowāsingleādigit sameāstore growth for the quarter. The stronger performance led to an upward revision of the fullāyear sameāstore growth outlook. |
What this means in plainālanguage
Revenue beat ā Six Flags generated more cash from ticket sales, food & beverage, and merchandise than analysts had predicted. The āJuly performance updateā confirmed that the companyās parks were drawing more guests and that perāguest spending was higher than the marketās baseline assumptions.
EPS beat ā The adjusted earnings per share came in a little higher than the consensus estimate, indicating that the extra topāline strength translated into a modestly better bottom line.
Margin improvement ā Operating profitability (adjusted EBITDA margin) was also better than analystsā expectations, suggesting that costācontrol measures and higher perāguest spend were paying off.
Attendance & sameāstore growth ā The doubleādigit sameāstore growth in July was a clear outāperformance versus the lowāsingleādigit growth that analysts and Six Flags themselves had been projecting a month earlier.
Guidance update ā Because the quarter beat both revenue and earnings expectations, Six Flags raised its fullāyear 2025 guidance on several fronts:
- Revenue ā now projected at the higher end of the prior range.
- Adjusted EPS ā lifted to reflect the stronger earnings momentum.
- Operating margin ā upgraded to a tighter, more profitable outlook.
- Sameāstore growth ā revised upward to reflect the doubleādigit pace seen in July.
Bottom line
- Against consensus analyst expectations: Six Flags outperformed. Both topāline (revenue) and bottomāline (adjusted EPS) metrics came in ahead of the consensus forecasts, and operating margins were tighter than analysts had anticipated.
- Against Six Flagsā own prior guidance: The quarter exceeded the companyās own guidance on revenue, EPS, margin, and sameāstore growth. The āJuly performance updateā confirmed that the operating trends were stronger than the company had previously projected, prompting an upward revision of the fullāyear 2025 outlook.
In short, the secondāquarter results were better than what Wall Street expected and better than Six Flags had told investors a month earlier, leading the firm to lift its fullāyear guidance across the board.