MarineMax maintains steady target despite hurricane impact

Published 04/10/2024, 18:02
MarineMax maintains steady target despite hurricane impact

MarineMax, a recreational boat and yacht retailer, faced operational challenges due to Hurricane Helene's impact on its Florida locations. Despite this, B.Riley maintains a Buy rating and a $49.00 price target for MarineMax (NYSE:HZO). The company reported significant damage to some of its west coast Florida locations and minor damage to other Southeast locations. As a result, MarineMax anticipates its FY24 AEBITDA to be at the lower end of the previously guided range of $155M-$190M.

Management is currently evaluating the hurricane's effects and the potential disruption to FY25 operations. Although the hurricane struck during the last week of FY24, affecting sales and dealership traffic, MarineMax expects revenue to be slightly below projections. The company's FY24 revenue estimate stands at $2.465 billion, with a consensus estimate of $2.461 billion.

MarineMax's ability to keep AEBITDA within the guided range, despite the hurricane, reflects successful efforts to streamline operating costs and benefits from recent acquisition diversification. The company will delay any adjustments to its financial models until after the release of its 4Q24 results, expected on October 24, 2024. Analysts suggest that the timing of the hurricane, coinciding with the industry's off-peak season, may mitigate the long-term impact on sales.

The firm believes that the hurricane's effect on MarineMax will be a temporary operational disruption rather than a shift in underlying demand, which could benefit from future interest rate reductions. Historical data from the National Hurricane Center shows that while MarineMax's shares typically fall in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane, they have rebounded after 30 and 90 days in past events.

MarineMax, a recreational boat and yacht services company, experienced significant operational disruptions due to Hurricane Helene. The storm caused considerable damage to some of the company's west coast Florida locations, leading to a temporary closure of boat and yacht insurance markets. As a result, MarineMax anticipates its Adjusted EBITDA for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, to be at or near the lower end of its guidance range, with revenues expected to be slightly lower than previously projected.

In the midst of these challenges, MarineMax announced the appointment of Steven English as the new CEO of its subsidiary, IGY Marinas. English, a company veteran since 2007, is expected to spearhead IGY's growth and innovation efforts, with new projects in the United States and Saudi Arabia under his leadership.

The company also reported a 5% increase in revenue for the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, despite a decrease in gross margins to 32%. MarineMax's adjusted net income guidance for FY2024 remains at $2.20 to $3.20 per diluted share, with adjusted EBITDA projected to be between $155 million and $190 million.

MarineMax has received positive feedback from financial analysts. Citi upgraded its rating for MarineMax from Neutral to Buy, raising the price target to $44.00. B.Riley and Stifel also maintain Buy ratings for the company, with price targets of $49.00 and $40.00 respectively.

InvestingPro Insights

Recent data from InvestingPro sheds additional light on MarineMax's financial position and market performance. The company's market capitalization stands at $758.37 million, with a P/E ratio of 15.29, indicating a relatively moderate valuation compared to earnings. This aligns with the article's discussion of the company's operational challenges and financial outlook.

InvestingPro Tips highlight that MarineMax has been profitable over the last twelve months, which supports the company's ability to navigate through temporary disruptions like Hurricane Helene. However, the stock has taken a significant hit over the last week, with a 1-week price total return of -12.16%, likely reflecting the market's reaction to the hurricane's impact.

Interestingly, despite recent challenges, MarineMax has shown a strong return over the last five years, suggesting long-term resilience. This historical performance could provide context to B.Riley's maintained Buy rating and $49.00 price target mentioned in the article.

For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 5 additional tips for MarineMax, providing deeper insights into the company's financial health and market position.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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