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Lindblad (LIND) & National Geographic Extend Partnership

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Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. (LIND - Free Report) recently announced the expansion and extension of its strategic relationship with National Geographic, which is an exploration and scientific discovery brand.

Per the new agreement, Lindblad extended its already existing 20-year relationship for an additional 17 years through 2040. Reaching a milestone in its global growth strategy, this extension will help the company expand its global market reach through new market opportunities.

Benefits of the New Agreement

Through the expansion and extension of its long-term partnership, Lindblad will possess global rights to the National Geographic brand for expedition cruises. This will enable it to increase its fleet capacity of 17 personally scaled exploration ships and expand into additional market segments. Furthermore, the company will be able to deliver more enhanced onboard guest experiences through the brand’s enriching tales and experiences.

Lindblad will also be able to expand its addressable market through the Disney marketing platform. As an affiliate of National Geographic Partners, the company will be able to leverage The Walt Disney Company’s brand recognition to distribute its products through its powerful sales channels and support robust joint marketing campaigns.

Zacks Investment Research
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Following the announcement, shares of this provider of ship expeditions and adventure travel experiences gained 10.1% during the trading hours on Nov 15. Also, shares of the company have gained 16.1% in the past month, outperforming the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry’s 8.2% growth.

Lindblad’s Robust Growth Strategy

Lindblad focuses on increasing its growth momentum through advanced marketing and sales platforms. This includes direct mail and targeted e-mails with meaningful digital lead generation accompanied by its focus on driving first-time bookings through elevated search campaigns to capture and convert new audiences. Moreover, new ship builds, charter expansion and accretive buyouts also add to the upward trend.

During the third quarter of 2023, the company reported 22% year-over-year revenue growth to $176 million. The uptrend was attributable to a 21% expansion in available guest nights from the broader utilization of the fleet along with increased pricing, which contributed to a 9% increase in net yield to $1,110 per available guest night. Also, additional departures and guests across the company’s land companies are further tailwinds.

Lindblad is optimistic about the sustained operating momentum across its portfolio as it believes this will support it in achieving long-term growth through leveraging its platform expansion opportunities.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Lindblad currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Here are some better-ranked stocks that investors may consider from the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector.

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE - Free Report) currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). LOPE delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.9%, on average. The stock has declined 26.3% in the past year. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LOPE’s 2023 sales and earnings per share (EPS) indicates growth of 7.1% and 17.1%, respectively, from a year ago.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL - Free Report) currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. RCL delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 28.3%, on average. It has surged 76.6% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL’s 2023 sales and EPS indicates growth of 57.5% and 186.9%, respectively, from the previous year.

Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (LYV - Free Report) presently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 37.5%, on average. Shares of LYV have rallied 24.1% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LYV’s 2023 sales and EPS indicates growth of 27.3% and 115.6%, respectively, from the prior-year levels.

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