WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Oct. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sotherly Hotels Inc. (NASDAQ: SOHO) (the “Company”) today announced that it is deferring payment of its previously announced dividends for its Series B Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, and Series D Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock that were to be paid November 20, 2025, to shareholders of record as of October 31, 2025. In connection with that payment deferral, the Oct ...

Core Viewpoint - Sotherly Hotels Inc. has entered into a definitive merger agreement with a joint venture led by Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners, which will acquire all outstanding shares of Sotherly common stock for $2.25 per share in cash, representing a significant premium to the current share price [1][2]. Summary by Sections Merger Agreement - The merger consideration of $2.25 per share represents a premium of 152.7% over Sotherly's closing share price on October 24, 2025, and a 126.4% premium to the volume-weighted average share price over the previous 30 days [2]. - The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by Sotherly's board of directors following a recommendation from a special committee of independent directors [2]. Management Statements - Andrew Sims, Chairman of the Board, emphasized that this transaction provides stockholders with a significant premium and is the highest premium paid for a public, exchange-traded REIT in the past five years [3]. - David Folsom, CEO, noted that the transaction reflects the high-quality portfolio built by Sotherly over the past 20 years and is expected to lead to future success for the hotels [3]. - Webb Wilson from KWHP highlighted Sotherly's distinctive portfolio of hotels and the additional resources that KWHP will bring to ensure continued success [3]. Preferred Stock - Holders of Sotherly's preferred stock will be entitled to receive the merger consideration if they elect to convert their shares into common stock after the merger closes [4]. Closing Timeline - The merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending approval from Sotherly stockholders and customary closing conditions [5]. Financial Advisors - Piper Sandler & Co. is serving as the exclusive financial advisor to the Special Committee, while Frost Brown Todd LLP is the legal advisor [8].

CX leaders to discuss the CX revolution in the hospitality industry and how Red Roof is delivering an award-winning, AI-driven customer experience ibex and Red Roof to Speak at the ICMI Contact Center Expo in Orlando Experts to discuss the CX revolution in the hospitality industry ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ibex (NASDAQ: IBEX), a leading global provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) and AI-powered customer engagement technology solutions, today announced it will participate ...

Bethesda, Maryland-based Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (HST) is the largest lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) and a leading owner of luxury and upper-upscale hotels. Valued at $11.3 billion by market cap, the company delivers exceptional guest experiences in top destinations by partnering with renowned hospitality brands such as Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, Westin, St. Regis, Hyatt, Hilton, and Four Seasons. The largest lodging REIT is expected to announce its fiscal third-quarter earnings for 2025 afte ...

Core Points - Hilton Garden Inn has partnered with celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli to introduce a limited-time menu at its Garden Grille & Bar locations across the United States [1][5][4] - The collaboration aims to enhance the dining experience for travelers by offering comforting and elevated Italian-American dishes [2][4] - The new menu is available at over 600 hotels and will run until December 31, 2025, featuring items like Cheesy Garlic Bread and Italian Meatballs [5][6] Company Strategy - The partnership reflects Hilton Garden Inn's commitment to evolving upscale hospitality through chef-inspired dining options [2][4] - The initiative is designed to meet the desires of modern travelers who seek comfort food while away from home, as highlighted in the 2026 Hilton Trends Report [3][4] - The brand emphasizes a dining experience that is both elevated and inviting, focusing on comfort over ceremony [8] Menu Highlights - The limited-time menu includes bold takes on traditional comfort dishes, allowing guests to enjoy them individually or as a combined meal [6][7] - Chef Guarnaschelli's approach aims to create a sense of warmth and connection through the food, reflecting the brand's familiar and comfortable atmosphere [7][4] - The menu items are crafted to be satisfying and easy to execute, enhancing the overall guest experience [7][4]

Summary of Conference Call Notes Industry Overview - **Industry**: China/Hong Kong Consumer - **Event**: National Day Holiday 2025 Key Points General Demand Trends - Holiday retail sales growth was +2.7% year-over-year (yoy) during the Golden Week (Oct 1-7), which is a deceleration compared to the 3.4% yoy growth in August [2][12] - Per capita travel spending remained largely flat yoy despite an additional day of holiday, indicating a lack of imminent overall demand recovery [1][12] Domestic Travel Insights - The number of domestic travelers increased by +16.1% yoy during Golden Week, with tourism revenue up +15.4% yoy, translating to Rmb101 billion daily [3][14] - Daily spending per traveler was Rmb911, which is a slight decline of -0.6% yoy, but the gap compared to 2019 has narrowed [3][14] Hotel Industry Performance - Revenue per available room (RevPAR) in the hotel industry showed low-single-digit positive growth yoy, driven by an increase in average daily rate (ADR) [4][12] Outbound Travel - Daily average visitors for both outbound and inbound travel grew by +11.5% yoy [4][12] Hainan Duty-Free Market - Duty-free sales in Hainan reached Rmb944 million during the holiday, with a daily average of Rmb118 million, marking a +5% yoy increase [6][12] - Daily per capita spending was Rmb7.7K, up +8% yoy, although this level is still 44% lower than the peak in 2021 [6][12] Box Office Revenue - Box office revenue was reported at Rmb1.8 billion, with a daily revenue decline of -25% yoy [7][12] Consumption Shifts - Consumption patterns are shifting towards travel, impacting traditional gathering and gifting demand, particularly affecting liquor and liquid milk sales [11][12] Stock Implications - The company remains selective on consumer stocks due to mixed underlying momentum across categories, with preferences for growth stocks like Pop Mart and Giant Biogene, turnaround stocks like Shenzhou and Yili, and balanced return/value stocks like YUMC and ANTA [12][12] Additional Insights - The overall demand recovery appears to be sluggish, with travel intentions not translating into proportional spending, indicating potential risks for consumer stocks [1][12] - The performance of retail and restaurant sectors during the holiday was uneven, with tourist destination stores benefiting while residential and office area stores suffered [11][12]

Core Viewpoint - Sotherly Hotels Inc. is set to report its financial results for the third quarter of 2025 on November 13, 2025, before the market opens, followed by a conference call for discussion of the results [1] Company Overview - Sotherly Hotels Inc. is a self-managed and self-administered lodging REIT focused on acquiring, renovating, upbranding, and repositioning upscale to upper-upscale full-service hotels primarily in the Southern United States [3] - The company's portfolio includes investments in ten hotel properties, totaling 2,786 rooms, along with interests in two condominium hotels and their associated rental programs [3] - Sotherly Hotels operates hotels under brands such as Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels Corporation, as well as independent hotels [3] - The company was established in 2004 and is headquartered in Williamsburg, Virginia [3]

Group 1 - The price of gold indicates a strong demand from investors for real assets, suggesting a shift in investment preferences [1] - Despite lower inflation rates currently, it is anticipated that inflation will remain above target levels until public debt burdens are reduced [1] - The analyst has extensive experience in private equity, real estate, and economic research, providing a solid foundation for market insights [1] Group 2 - No specific stock positions are held by the analyst, but there is potential for initiating a long position in HST within the next 72 hours [2] - The article expresses the analyst's personal opinions and does not involve compensation from any mentioned companies [2] Group 3 - A short position in HLT has been maintained since May, although the reasons for this are not detailed in the article [3]

Core Insights - Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (HST) is expected to experience revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth due to its strong portfolio of upscale hotels in lucrative markets [1] - The company is implementing a strategic capital-recycling program and maintains a healthy balance sheet, which are positive indicators for future performance [1] Group 1: Positive Factors - Host Hotels has significant exposure in the Sunbelt region and operates in the top 21 U.S. markets, with properties located in central business districts, enhancing demand [2] - The improvement in group travel and business transient demand, particularly from small and medium-sized businesses, has positively impacted occupancy and RevPAR growth [2] - The company anticipates comparable hotel RevPAR growth of 1.5% to 2.5% in 2025 [9] - Host Hotels follows an aggressive capital-recycling strategy, focusing on divesting non-strategic assets and reinvesting in higher-yielding properties [3] - As of June 30, 2025, Host Hotels had $2.3 billion in total available liquidity and a weighted average debt maturity of 5.4 years with an interest rate of 4.9%, indicating financial stability [4] - The company has increased its dividend eight times in the last five years, reflecting a commitment to solid dividend payouts [5] Group 2: Negative Factors - The lodging industry outlook is uncertain due to trade policy impacts, financial market volatility, and geopolitical conflicts, which may affect demand [6] - Challenges in the supply chain have caused project delays, and a tight lending environment has made construction financing difficult [7] - Host Hotels faces competition from other lodging REITs, which could negatively impact revenues and profitability [7] - The company has a substantial debt burden of approximately $5.08 billion as of June 30, 2025, with projected interest expenses increasing by 11.2% year over year [8][9]

Core Viewpoint - Choice Hotels International's stock was downgraded by BofA Securities due to prolonged weakness in the lower-end lodging segment, raising concerns about the company's fundamentals [1][2] Summary by Relevant Categories Stock Performance - Choice Hotels' shares fell nearly 2% intra-day following the downgrade from BofA Securities [1] Analyst Insights - BofA Securities downgraded the stock from Neutral to Underperform and reduced the price target from $160 to $110 [1] - Analysts highlighted the company's weakest net unit growth compared to peers, indicating a concerning trend [1] Market Conditions - There has been a prolonged weakness in the lower-end lodging segment over the past two to three years, contributing to the downgrade [1] - The slowing tailwinds from mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and ancillary revenue were also noted as factors affecting the company's performance [1] Financial Flexibility - The downgrade reflects diminished balance sheet flexibility for Choice Hotels, further impacting its risk-reward profile [1][2]