Viking Holdings VIK, which went public last year, is scheduled to release fourth-quarter 2024 results on March 11, before market open.

Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VIK’s soon-to-be-reported quarter’s earnings has remained stable at 36 cents per share in the past 60 days. The consensus mark has declined 59% from third-quarter 2024 actuals. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $1.4 billion, which indicates a decline of 19.6% from the third-quarter 2024 actuals.

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VIK’s bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the three quarters since going public. The average beat is 37%.

Against this backdrop, let us check out the factors that are expected to have influenced VIK’s December-quarter performance.

VIK’s results in the to-be-reported quarter are expected to be aided by its efforts to expand fleet size. To this end, the company recently added a new ocean ship, Viking Vela, to its fleet. The vessel is set to sail in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe for its inaugural season. This cruise operator’s fourth-quarter performance is likely to have been aided by strong consumer demand and a favorable pricing environment.

Despite strong performance expectations, VIK faces several headwinds that might have negatively impacted its performance. Higher expenses related to commissions, transportation and onboard services remain a concern. Inflation and global supply-chain disruptions are expected to have continued pressuring margins. Geopolitical risks also pose operational challenges.

What Our Model Says About VIK

Our proven model does not conclusively predict that Viking Holdings will beat earnings this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP  and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here.

Earnings ESP: Viking Holdings has an Earnings ESP of -4.49%, as the Most Accurate Estimate is currently pegged at 2 cents below the Zacks Consensus Estimates of 36 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: Viking Holdings currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Q4 Performances of Other Transportation Companies

Delta Air Lines DAL reported fourth-quarter 2024 earnings (excluding 56 cents from non-recurring items) of $1.85 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.76. Earnings increased 44.5% on a year-over-year basis due to low fuel costs.

DAL’s revenues of $15.56 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $14.99 billion and increased 9.4% on a year-over-year basis, driven by strong holiday travel demand. Adjusted operating revenues (excluding third-party refinery sales) totaled $14.44 billion, up 5.7% year over year. Passenger revenues, which accounted for 82.4% of total revenues, increased 5% year over year at $12.82 billion.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services JBHT reported fourth-quarter 2024 earnings per share of $1.53, which fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.62. However, the bottom line increased 4.1% on a year-over-year basis.  

JBHT’s total operating revenues of $3.15 billion narrowly beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.13 billion but declined 4.8% year over year. The decline was mainly due to lower fuel surcharge revenues and yield pressure in its Intermodal segment.

JBHT’s fourth-quarter 2024 operating revenues of $2.78 billion, excluding fuel surcharge revenues, decreased 2% from the year-ago reported quarter. Total operating income for the reported quarter increased 2% year over year to $207 million.

Alaska Air Group ALK reported solid fourth-quarter 2024 results, wherein both earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Quarterly earnings per share of 97 cents outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 47 cents and improved more than 100% on a year-over-year basis. The reported figure exceeded the guided range of 40-50 cents per share.

ALK’s bottom line benefited from solid revenue growth, cost and operational performance throughout the quarter and holiday travel periods. ALK also benefited from a renegotiation of certain interest payments and favorability in its fourth-quarter tax rate.

ALK’s operating revenues of $3.53 billion beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.51 billion. The top line jumped 38.4% year over year, with passenger revenues accounting for 89.9% of the top line and increasing 37% owing to continued recovery in air travel demand.

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Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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