Viking Open to M&A If Right Opportunity Arises

Leah Talactac, president and CFO at Viking, said the company is prepared to pursue acquisitions if the right situation emerges, with a focus on improving return on invested capital.

Speaking during Viking’s second-quarter earnings call, Talactac explained: “Our growth engine is ocean, and our strategy is to maintain our dominance in the river, so that strong cash balance gives us the opportunity to continue to contract these vessels further out, with options going out to 2032 and 2033.”

She emphasized Viking’s long-standing criteria for evaluating growth opportunities: scalability, margin accretion, and alignment with the brand. “India is an example of that, where it is definitely complementary to the brand. Our guests have demonstrated that when we come to market with a new product, they are willing to book, in this case, two to three years out,” she said.

Talactac noted that Viking continues to monitor potential deals as companies become available but stressed the importance of adhering to these guiding principles. “We do assess them, but at the end of the day, we want to make sure that these three principles are met,” she added.

Chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen reinforced this stance, stating: “We think about what we’re doing for the shareholders, not what we’re doing for the management egos. If an acquisition should take place, it has to be a good deal, and it has to fit those principles. So I wouldn’t have too much fear.”