Q1 Earnings Highlights: Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT) Vs The Rest Of The Consumer Discretionary - Leisure Facilities Stocks

Looking back on consumer discretionary - leisure facilities stocks’ Q1 earnings, we examine this quarter’s best and worst performers, including Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT) and its peers.

The Consumer Discretionary sector, by definition, is made up of companies selling non-essential goods and services. When economic conditions deteriorate or tastes shift, consumers can easily cut back or eliminate these purchases. For long-term investors with five-year holding periods, this creates a structural challenge: the sector is inherently hit-driven, with low switching costs and fickle customers. As a result, only a handful of companies can reliably grow demand and compound earnings over long periods, which is why our bar is high and High Quality ratings are rare. Leisure facilities companies own and operate theme parks, fitness centers, bowling alleys, and other venue-based entertainment destinations, generating revenue from admissions, memberships, and on-site spending. Tailwinds include consumer preference for experiential spending, tourism recovery, and technology-enhanced guest experiences that support premium pricing. Headwinds are notable: high fixed costs, such as real estate, labor, and maintenance, make profitability highly sensitive to attendance fluctuations during economic slowdowns. Weather, pandemics, and safety incidents can disrupt operations unpredictably. Rising construction and labor costs inflate expansion budgets, while competition from at-home entertainment alternatives and other experiential options limits pricing power in many markets.

The 10 consumer discretionary - leisure facilities stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.6% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 3.8% on average since the latest earnings results.

Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT)

Founded by two brothers who purchased a struggling gym, Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT) is a gym franchise that caters to casual fitness users by providing a friendly and inclusive atmosphere.

Planet Fitness reported revenues of $337.2 million, up 21.9% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 12.4%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income and EPS estimates.

"In the first quarter, our top and bottom line results exceeded expectations. However, 2026 is off to a slower than expected start from a net member growth perspective as we faced internal and external headwinds during our peak sign-up period. As a result, we are sharpening our marketing to prioritize capturing demand and driving net member growth. Additionally, we are pausing the planned national Black Card price increase pending a broader pricing review," said Colleen Keating, Chief Executive Officer.

Planet Fitness pulled off the biggest analyst estimate beat of the whole group. Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street’s published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts’ consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 19% since reporting and currently trades at $51.82.

Is now the time to buy Planet Fitness? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q1: Live Nation (NYSE:LYV)

Owner of Ticketmaster and operator of music festival EDC, Live Nation (NYSE:LYV) is a company specializing in live event promotion, venue management, and ticketing services for concerts and shows.

Live Nation reported revenues of $3.79 billion, up 12.1% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 6.1%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and EBITDA estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 15.8% since reporting. It currently trades at $182.19.

Is now the time to buy Live Nation? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q1: Dave & Buster's (NASDAQ:PLAY)

Founded by a former game parlor and bar operator, Dave & Buster’s (NASDAQ:PLAY) operates a chain of arcades providing immersive entertainment experiences.

Dave & Buster's reported revenues of $559.2 million, down 1.5% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3.1%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS and same-store sales estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 22.9% since the results and currently trades at $10.16.

Read our full analysis of Dave & Buster’s results here.

Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN)

Founded by two Aspen, Colorado ski patrol guides, Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN) is a mountain resort company offering luxury experiences in over 30 locations across the globe.

Vail Resorts reported revenues of $1.21 billion, down 7% year on year. This result came in 0.6% below analysts’ expectations. More broadly, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced a narrow beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but a miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is up 4.7% since reporting and currently trades at $143.70.

Read our full, actionable report on Vail Resorts here, it’s free.

Xponential Fitness (NYSE:XPOF)

Owner of CycleBar, Rumble, and Club Pilates, Xponential Fitness (NYSE:XPOF) is a boutique fitness brand offering diverse and specialized exercise experiences.

Xponential Fitness reported revenues of $60.71 million, down 21% year on year. This number missed analysts’ expectations by 5.1%. It was a slower quarter as it also logged a significant miss of analysts’ EPS and EBITDA estimates.

Xponential Fitness had the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 3.5% since reporting and currently trades at $6.77.

Read our full, actionable report on Xponential Fitness here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.