Chief Financial Officer, Six Flags Entertainment -old
Search every verified Brian Witherow interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. During a Six Flags investor day webcast on May 20, 2025, Brian Witherow outlined the company's financial strategy following the merger of Cedar Fair and Six Flags. He stated that the company is investing a billion dollars over the next two years in rides, attractions, and experiences. Witherow said the company has a "very clear path" to reducing leverage, targeting a reduction to below four times by the end of 2026, and that it is "on track to significantly overdeliver against our initial cost estimates." Witherow presented financial targets for 2028, including 58 million in attendance, $3.8 billion in revenue, $1.5 billion in adjusted EBITDA, and a 40% margin. He described a "volume strategy" for revenue growth, with approximately 90% of in-park spending growth expected from higher transaction counts and values rather than pricing. He also projected growing annual free cash flow by more than $400 million over four years, a growth rate he characterized as more than 40%.
“Over the next two years, Six Flags is investing a billion dollars to bring you even more amazing rides, attractions, and experiences. Think thrill rides that will blow your mind, delicious new menu items created by our executive chefs, and festivals and events that will keep you coming back for more.”
“We have a very clear path to reducing our leverage with ample room to keep reinvesting in the business. Our leverage is higher than I would like and we're going to get that down. We will reduce our leverage to below four times by the end of 2026. Once we're below four times, we'll have the capacity and flexibility to r...”
“By 2028, we're targeting 58 million in attendance and 3.8 billion in revenue. When you combine the attendance and the revenue growth with rigorous cost management, we can deliver 1.5 billion in adjusted EBITDA and a 40% margin. We think there's a very clear path to 40%.”
“We sold over 7 million season passes on the buying company last year. That will grow. We have a great steady base of business. You come with your grandparents when you're young, you come with your friends when you're teenagers, you bring your date when you're a young adult, and then when you have kids, everybody comes...”
“We're on track to significantly overdeliver against our initial cost estimates. We're seeing very positive early trends in guest satisfaction, attendance, and overall revenue. We're making great progress on our portfolio optimization efforts, including real estate deals. We think we can deliver deleveraging through the...”
“We're going to activate centralized capabilities around marketing, CRM, and business intelligence. We're going to regain the 10 million guests through guest satisfaction and higher market penetration. And we're going to capture more value from every guest visit through premium offerings around food and beverage, mercha...”
“We believe we're well positioned to generate $600 million or more of revenue growth between 2025 and 2028. Approximately 90% of the increase in in-park spending will be derived from higher transaction counts and higher transaction values, with roughly only 10% coming from pricing. On the admission side, about 75% of gr...”
“In 2025, we've targeted a net reduction in our operating costs and expenses of 3%, equating to about a $60 million net reduction compared to the combined spend of the two companies in 2024. In 2026, we're looking to generate another $60 million of gross cost savings, which will offset inflationary pressures and organic...”
“Based on planned capital expenditures and estimated payments for taxes and interest, we're projecting growing annual free cash flow by more than $400 million over the next four years, a compelling growth rate of more than 40%. Our capital allocation priorities remain focused on reinvesting in the business while paying...”
9:00 AM - 9:05 AM - Welcome - Presenter: Michael Russell, Corporate Director, Investor Relations • 9:05 AM - 9:30 AM - The New ...
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