Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN) Shares Gap Up – Should You Buy?

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:MTN)’s share price gapped up prior to trading on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $177.10, but opened at $181.10. Vail Resorts shares last traded at $178.91, with a volume of 68,617 shares changing hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have commented on MTN shares. StockNews.com upgraded Vail Resorts from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “equal weight” rating and set a $197.00 target price on shares of Vail Resorts in a research note on Monday, December 23rd. Mizuho boosted their price target on shares of Vail Resorts from $222.00 to $227.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Macquarie increased their price target on shares of Vail Resorts from $180.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, UBS Group began coverage on shares of Vail Resorts in a report on Thursday, November 14th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $185.00 price objective for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $205.50.

Vail Resorts Stock Down 0.6 %

The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $183.01 and its 200 day simple moving average is $179.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.64. The company has a market cap of $6.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.74, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.12.

Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN) last issued its earnings results on Monday, December 9th. The company reported ($4.61) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($4.99) by $0.38. Vail Resorts had a net margin of 8.07% and a return on equity of 21.90%. The firm had revenue of $260.28 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $251.45 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted ($4.60) earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Vail Resorts, Inc. will post 7.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Vail Resorts Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 26th were paid a dividend of $2.22 per share. This represents a $8.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.96%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 26th. Vail Resorts’s payout ratio is 147.51%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vail Resorts

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of MTN. V Square Quantitative Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Vail Resorts during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new stake in Vail Resorts during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its position in Vail Resorts by 318.8% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 201 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in Vail Resorts by 123.5% in the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 219 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the period. Finally, Venturi Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Vail Resorts by 165.3% in the third quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 321 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. 94.94% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vail Resorts Company Profile

Vail Resorts, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates mountain resorts and regional ski areas in the United States. It operates through three segments: Mountain, Lodging, and Real Estate. The Mountain segment operates 41 destination mountain resorts and regional ski areas. This segment is also involved in the ancillary activities, including ski school, dining, and retail/rental operations, as well as real estate brokerage activities.