- Though retail sales in the U.S. have disappointed across a number of categories this year, the theme park sector has quietly outperformed broad market averages.
- Lower gas prices in the U.S. and some improvement on the employment front have helped to drive guest spending and traffic at theme parks even as ticket prices were raised. The YTD returns at Six Flags (+27%), Cedar Fair (+17%), SeaWorld Entertainment (+13%) are all much higher than the meager 1% gain in the S&P 500 Index. The theme park segment at Disney (NYSE:DIS) has also been a profit driver, helping to lift the House of Mouse's shares 13% this year.
- If the scope is widened outside of theme parks a bit - Royal Caribbean (+24%), Carnival (+22%), and Dave & Buster's Entertainment (+54%) are all showing outsized gains this year which could be partially attributed to low gas prices.
- Consumer-happy stocks: SIX, FUN, SEAS, DIS, RCL, CCL, PLAY.