Factors Likely To Shape Planet Fitness' (PLNT) Earnings In Q4

Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE:PLNT) is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2018 earnings on Feb 26, before the closing bell. In the last reported quarter, the company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 16.7%. Also, it delivered average four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 8.6%.

Q4 Expectations

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at 32 cents, higher than 24 cents reported in the year-ago quarter. Of late, the company’s earnings estimates have been stable. For revenues, the consensus mark stands at nearly $175 million, up 30.6% from the prior-year quarter number.

Let’s delve deeper to find out how the company’s top and bottom line will shape up this earnings season.

Factors at Play

Planet Fitness results in the fourth quarter are likely to be driven by net member growth and robust performance by the corporate-owned store, franchise as well as equipment segments. At the end of third-quarter 2018, the company’s member base was 12.2 million compared with 10.5 million members in a year-ago period.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues from the corporate-owned store segment is pegged at $33.8 million, mirroring a 19.7% improvement year over year. The same for revenues from the equipment and franchise segments stands at $84 million and $48.4 million each, up 27.3% and 29.1%, respectively, year over year.

New store openings will also drive company’s top line in the quartet to be reported. In the third-quarter 2018, the company opened 40 new franchise locations, taking the total franchise count to 1,573 in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Dominican Republic, Panama and Mexico.

Planet Fitness, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Our Model Suggests a Beat

According to the Zacks model, a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has a good chance of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP. Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell) stocks are best avoided, especially if they have a negative Earnings ESP. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Planet Fitness has an Earnings ESP of +11.86% and a Zacks Rank #3, a combination that makes us confident about an earnings beat this quarter. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Stock With Favorable Combinations

Here are a few other stocks from the Leisure and Recreation Services space that investors may consider as our model shows that they too have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the fourth quarter:

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:SEAS) has an Earnings ESP of +13.92% and a Zacks Rank #2.

Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:LYV) has an Earnings ESP of +3.77% and a Zacks Rank of 1.

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AMC) has an Earnings ESP of +3.88% and a Zacks Rank #3.

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