Winnebago Kicks Off Fiscal Year With A Bang

Above, a Winnebago Class C motorhome on display at the California RV Show. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It looks like Winnebago Industries is starting their fiscal year off on a high note. It is is a sure bet that Winnebago will be around for awhile.

The Motley Fool reported:

Key Points

• Sales trends are strong.
• Price increases are boosting margins.
• The order backlog is at a record high today.

Winnebago (NYSE:WGO) just kicked off its new fiscal year with a bang. The recreational vehicle (RV) giant, which has widened its portfolio to include more luxury motorhomes and towables, along with several boating brands, is capturing a bigger portion of this growing industry. Earnings are soaring because of rising prices, low inventory levels, and strong demand for outdoor lifestyle products.

CEO Michael Happe and his team predicted more good news ahead for the rest of fiscal 2022 mainly thanks to a record order backlog that might take more than a year to satisfy. With that bright big picture in mind, let's zoom in on the latest quarter's results.

To read more, go here.

Motley Fool: 7 Tips For Seeing Hawaii On A Budget

Above, the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The state of Hawaii is opening up for tourists from the mainland and foreign countries. But, before going, check for any restrictions and requirements so that one can actually step foot there. I've read of some nightmarish problems of people who had CDC-approved proof of COVID-19 vaccinations who got rejected and had to go back to the mainland to get the "required" documentation and come back.

But, that aside, Motley Fool has an article on seven tips for seeing Hawaii on a budget. One tip is to seek out package deals. I did so five years ago and saved a lot of money through the Automobile Club. The package included round-trip airfare from the mainland, hotels, ground transportation and inter-island airfare.

Motley Fool begins their article with:

It's possible you'll enjoy your vacation more if you don't have to go into debt for it.

Like most vacations, the cost of a trip to the Hawaiian Islands depends on how far in advance you plan. Price is also determined by the steps you take to minimize "big" costs, and what you do once you're on an island. Here, we'll outline some of the easiest ways to visit Hawaii on a budget.

To read more, go here. 

Winnebago: Can Meet The "Incredible Demand" For RVs

Above, a Winnebago Class C motorhome at the California RV Show. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Winnebago Industries says it can meet the "incredible demand" for RVs as the country is slowly easing out of the pandemic.

According to Motley Fool:

Investors had some good reasons to expect solid sales numbers from Winnebago (NYSE:WGO), especially after peer Thor Industries (NASDAQ:THOR) described a booming RV market earlier in the month. But Wall Street was worried about manufacturing and supply chain challenges, and about a potential slowdown as the pandemic threat fades.

Winnebago put most of those fears to rest in its recent fiscal third-quarter report, which points to a sustained sales boost and surging profits on the way as travel picks up. 

Protecting profits

Thor Industries noted major supply chain issues that were holding up production rates for RVs, just as they have been for many automakers so far in 2021. But Winnebago's manufacturing rates were strong this quarter, likely reflecting its wider portfolio and larger base of production.

The combination of higher prices and low dealership inventory, meanwhile, allowed Winnebago to increase prices even as more customers opted for premium products. As a result, gross profit margin jumped to 18% of sales compared to 8% a year ago.

To read more, go here.

The Motley Fool Weighs In On "Godzilla" Remake

Above, a shot from the "Godzilla " trailer. Photo: Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros.

The Motley Fool has weighed in on the upcoming Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. Godzilla. The writer (Leo Sun) generally doesn't like remakes of foreign films. He has misgivings about the upcoming movie. He feels that Hollywood still hasn't learned from failed foreign remakes of the past after looking at the Godzilla trailer.

He wrote:

Ever since the 1990s, there has been a surge in Hollywood remakes of foreign films from Europe and Asia. The logic fueling these remakes is simple -- the original film's concept worked in its home country, and American audiences are mostly unfamiliar with foreign films. 

That idea wouldn't be bad if those remakes were labors of love. 

However, they're usually not -- they often suck the life out of the original and give American audiences an empty husk of a movie. Simply take a look at some of the critical response to the major foreign remakes over the past two decades.

To a certain extent, I agree with him. I didn't bother with the American The Ring, preferring to watch (and enjoy) instead the original Ringu from Japan.

The problem with remakes of foreign films, Hollywood does get them wrong. The 1998 Sony/TriStar Godzilla is a glaring example. (Another recent remake that was a big misfire was The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.)  The tone of the movie was all wrong, just one big camp-fest. The monster didn't look or act like Godzilla. The only thing it had going for it was that it, at least, sounded like Godzilla.

At this year's Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo in Los Angeles, I said that if Godzilla looked and acted like Godzilla, along with a decent script, I am okay with it. (I haven't heard enough of this Godzilla yet to determine if it sounds like Godzilla.) Thus far, Legendary and Warner Bros. seem to be doing this one right. That is why I am looking forward to seeing it. I have much better feelings about this Godzilla than I did for the 1998 abomination.

We'll find out for sure next May.

To read the full Motley Fool article, go here.