H World Group to Report Q4 Earnings: What's in Store for the Stock?

Core Viewpoint - H World Group Limited (HTHT) is set to report its fourth-quarter 2024 results on March 20, with expectations of mixed performance due to various market factors [1]. Financial Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HTHT's earnings is 27 cents, reflecting an 18.2% decline from the previous year's actual earnings [3]. - Revenue expectations are pegged at $798.2 million, indicating a 1.6% increase from the year-ago figure [3]. - The company missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.6% in the last reported quarter [2]. Revenue Drivers - Fourth-quarter revenues are anticipated to increase year over year, driven by steady growth in domestic travel demand and ongoing expansion efforts [4]. - The company expects revenue growth of 1-5% year over year for the fourth quarter, supported by strong occupancy rates and brand recognition [5]. Challenges - Revenue per available room (RevPAR) and average daily rate (ADR) pressures are expected to negatively impact the top line, with a mid-single-digit year-over-year decline in RevPAR anticipated [6]. - The planned closure of leased and owned hotels as part of an asset-light strategy may also affect revenues [6]. - Rising operating costs, particularly in personnel and marketing, are likely to hurt the bottom line [7]. Earnings Prediction - The current model does not predict an earnings beat for HTHT, with an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [8][9].