SeaWorld Announces Record Fiscal Year

A preliminary report by SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. revealed that the total revenue for 2013 is expected to be a record $1.46 billion, the company announced today. 

The results are subject to completion of SeaWorld’s audit procedures, but if the projections stand, it would be a full-year record for the company in its 50-year operating history.

SeaWorld ended 2013 with a bang, too. The company’s parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio all recorded record fourth-quarter attendance in 2013.

On top of that, SeaWorld’s full-year Adjusted EBITDA guidance range spans from $432 million to $442 million. Any number within the guidance range would also represent a full-year record for the company.

"We are very pleased with our fourth quarter performance, particularly for the SeaWorld-branded parks in Orlando and San Diego, which helped us to achieve record revenue for the year," said Jim Atchison, president and chief executive officer of the company. 

Atchison and SeaWorld will celebrate by holding a year-long commemoration of the company’s 50^th anniversary in 2014.

"In addition to the great holiday events that proved so popular last month, we have launched our year-long celebration of SeaWorld's 50th anniversary.  The success of the SeaWorld parks in 2013 suggests that the extraordinary experience offered in these parks is as meaningful today as at any point in our history," Atchison said.  "But as strong as last year was for us, we are looking forward to another great year in 2014."

Other fourth-quarter successes included Standard and Poor's upgrade of the company's corporate credit rating, as well as a secondary offering of 18 million shares of the company’s common stock, via the selling stockholders of The Blackstone Group L.P.

SeaWorld’s stranded animal rehabilitation program also passed the 23,000-rescue mark late last year.

SeaWorld expects to release final fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013 results in March 2014.