Six Flags shares fall 12.4% after fatal accident and roller coaster shutdowns
Key Facts
Six Flags Entertainment shares fell 12.4% to $10.44 in morning trading on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, after a fatal roller coaster accident at the company's Georgia park, according to Investing.com. The stock hit a new 52-week low as ride suspensions extended to multiple parks. The accident occurred on Monday, killing one person and injuring others, according to the Associated Press. The company announced the temporary suspension of 9 similar roller coasters at 6 North American parks, according to ABC News. The action covered specific rides across the company's network, while seasonal park closures had already been scheduled.
Police identified the deceased as Hassan Jihad Ibn Karim, 42, of Atlanta, according to ABC News. They said preliminary information indicated that Karim was ejected from the ride and struck other visitors at the park. The Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire launched an investigation into the circumstances of the accident, alongside a police investigation. Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard, the manufacturer of the Georgia roller coaster, said it was "actively investigating the incident," according to the network. The manufacturer is thus participating in investigations involving the ride, alongside the separate investigations by police and the state safety authority.
The Goliath roller coaster at the Georgia park stands 200 feet tall, according to specifications published on Six Flags' website. The ride opened in 2006, according to the same official account of its operating history. Its rider restraint system uses bars that lower over the legs and waist, according to the Associated Press. In a subsequent update on the accident issued on Thursday, the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire said its most recent inspection of the roller coaster was on March 16, 2026. The authority added in its statement published on October 15 that the inspection found no violations, deficiencies, notices of violation or red tags.
The list of suspended rides included another roller coaster named Goliath at Magic Mountain, built by the now-defunct Swiss company Giovanola, according to ABC News. The parks covered by the action had already been scheduled for seasonal midweek closures on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. When Investing.com published its report on Tuesday, no timetable had been announced for reopening the suspended rides. In a subsequent development, Magic Mountain confirmed on its official website that Goliath had "reopened following a review." Six Flags, outlining the park's safety procedures, said its rides undergo daily, weekly, monthly and annual inspections.
The accident followed a decline in Six Flags' reported revenue in its latest quarterly results, according to the company's filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Revenue for the second quarter of 2026 was about $865 million, compared with $930 million in the corresponding period of 2025. That represented a decline of $65 million, or 7.0%, according to the earnings release. In the same statement, the company cited "strong season pass sales" in its account of business performance during the period. Six Flags' operations span the United States, Canada and Mexico, and its business also includes operating a theme park in Saudi Arabia, according to the company's investor page.
On a same-park basis, the company recorded a different trend in second-quarter revenue, according to the quarterly filing. Revenue on this basis rose to $864 million from $844 million in the corresponding period, an increase of $20 million. Growth on this basis was 2.4%, with the company excluding the results of sold and closed parks from the comparison. Six Flags set November 5 as the date for announcing its third-quarter 2026 results, according to a separate statement on the upcoming earnings. The earnings call is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, on the same day the company releases its quarterly figures.