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Brookdale Senior May 2026 Occupancy Volume Rises to 82.5%

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Key Takeaways

  • Brookdale's May occupancy increased 250 bps year over year to 82.5%.
  • Brookdale expects RevPAR growth of 8-9% in 2026 on stronger demand.
  • Brookdale projects adjusted EBITDA of $502-$516 million for 2026.

Brookdale Senior Living Inc.’s (BKD - Free Report) May 2026 occupancy update points to continued momentum. Weighted average occupancy reached 82.5%, up 250 basis points from the prior-year period and 20 basis points from April. The company typically generates its strongest occupancy gains between May and September, making the latest increase an encouraging sign heading into the peak leasing season.

As of May 31, it had the capacity to serve around 46,000 residents in 41 states, with 543 communities. The company anticipates an average of about 42,800 consolidated units in the second quarter.

In the first quarter of 2026, weighted average occupancy was 82.1%, improving from 79.3% a year ago. However, it eased from 82.5% in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting seasonal pressures such as winter weather, illness-related delays, holiday disruptions and rate adjustments. Even so, Brookdale has delivered year-over-year occupancy growth in each of the past four quarters, highlighting steady demand across its portfolio.

Higher occupancy should continue to support resident fee revenue growth. Management expects RevPAR to increase 8-9% in 2026, while adjusted EBITDA is projected between $502 million and $516 million, up from $458 million reported last year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 remains a loss of 10 cents per share, unchanged over the past month. Still, the estimate reflects a sharp 91.1% improvement from the prior year. One concern is execution. Brookdale has fallen short of earnings expectations in each of the last four quarters, posting an average negative surprise of 40%, making future delivery a key area for investors to watch.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Brookdale Senior currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Medical space are Biodesix, Inc. (BDSX - Free Report) , Enovis Corporation (ENOV - Free Report) and Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc. (MD - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Biodesix’s full-year 2026 earnings implies a 36% improvement from the year-ago reported figure. It has remained stable over the past 30 days. Over the last four quarters, BDSX beat earnings estimates thrice and missed once, with an average surprise of 25.6%.

The consensus estimate for Enovis’ 2026 full-year earnings is pegged at $3.65 per share, implying a 10.6% jump from the year-ago reported level. The consensus mark for its current-year revenues is pegged at $2.35 billion, indicating 4.5% year-over-year growth. ENOV beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 11.1%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Pediatrix Medical’s 2026 bottom line suggests 9.3% year-over-year growth. MD has witnessed three upward estimate revisions over the past 60 days against no movement in the opposite direction. It beat earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters and missed once, with an average surprise of 21.3%.

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