Host Hotels & Resorts(US:HST) ZACKS·2025-05-01 18:55Core Viewpoint - Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (HST) reported strong first-quarter results, with adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) per share of 64 cents, exceeding expectations and reflecting a year-over-year increase of 4.9% [1][2] Financial Performance - Total revenues for Host Hotels reached $1.59 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.54 billion, and showing an 8.4% increase year-over-year [2] - Comparable hotel RevPAR was $240.18, up 7% from the previous year, primarily due to increased room rates [3] - Comparable hotel EBITDA was $504 million, reflecting a 5.9% increase from the prior year, driven by improved rates [3] Operational Metrics - The average room rate increased to $345.86 from $327.11 year-over-year [3] - Comparable average occupancy percentage rose to 69.4%, an increase of 80 basis points from the prior year [4] - Transient and group room nights declined by 0.8% and 0.6%, respectively, while contract business increased by 11.4% [4] Balance Sheet and Liquidity - As of March 31, 2025, Host Hotels had cash and cash equivalents of $428 million, down from $554 million at the end of 2024 [5] - Total liquidity stood at $2.2 billion, including $264 million in FF&E escrow reserves and $1.5 billion available under the credit facility [5] Share Repurchase and Capital Expenditure - In the first quarter, the company repurchased 6.3 million shares at an average price of $15.79, totaling $100 million, with approximately $585 million remaining under the repurchase program [6] - Capital expenditures totaled $146 million, with allocations for return on investment projects, renewal and replacement expenditures, and property damage reconstruction [7] 2025 Outlook - Host Hotels revised its full-year AFFO per share guidance to a range of $1.88-$1.97, higher than the previous guidance and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.84 [8] - Expected comparable hotel RevPAR is projected between $221-$225 million, with adjusted EBITDAre estimated between $1.61 billion and $1.68 billion [8] - Total capital expenditure for 2025 is anticipated to be in the range of $580-$670 million [9]