Braemar Hotels & Resorts (BHR) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 08, 2025 11:00 AM ET Speaker0 and thank you for standing by. My name is Regina, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Braemar Hotels and Resorts Inc. First Quarter twenty twenty five Results Conference Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speakers' remarks, there will be a question and answer session. I would now like to turn the conference ove ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q1 2025, normalized FFO was $10.8 million or $0.07 per share, down from $0.13 per share in the prior year quarter [24] - Adjusted EBITDAre increased slightly year over year to $115.8 million [24] - Comparable hotel RevPAR grew by 2.6% year over year, with gross operating profit margin percentage declining by 330 basis points to 21.4% [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Comparable hotel RevPAR growth was supported by occupancy and ADR gains, with a 10.6% increase in RevPAR for the select service portfolio, primarily driven by occupancy growth in Hyatt Place and Sonesta Select hotels [11][10] - Full service hotels reported a 1.9% increase in RevPAR, while extended stay portfolio RevPAR was essentially flat due to renovation impacts [10][11] - Adjusted hotel EBITDA for the hotel portfolio was $23 million, a decline of 20.5% year over year, primarily due to renovations and increased costs [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The lodging portfolio experienced a softening in RevPAR as the quarter progressed, influenced by reduced government and international travel [8] - Group revenue pace increased by 6.5% year over year, indicating a positive trend despite overall market challenges [35] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to sell 123 hotels in 2025 with estimated proceeds of $1.1 billion to strengthen the balance sheet and reinvest in growth opportunities [9][14] - A strategic shift towards increasing net lease exposure is anticipated, with a target to adjust the investment composition from 56% lodging assets to 54% net lease properties [16] - The company aims to optimize its portfolio through asset sales and reinvestment in high-potential hotels, while gradually expanding net lease acquisitions [12][16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties but expressed confidence in the resilience of the net lease portfolio and the potential for long-term value creation through portfolio optimization initiatives [16] - The company expects challenges in the travel and lodging industries to impact key segments, but anticipates a seasonal benefit in Q2 [27] Other Important Information - The company is monitoring potential impacts from tariffs on capital improvement costs and supply chain uncertainties [29] - The net lease portfolio was nearly 98% leased with a weighted average lease term of eight years, providing steady cash flow [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you walk us through the RevPAR trends in the quarter? - Management indicated that RevPAR started strong in January but showed deceleration by March, with preliminary April numbers indicating a 1% year-over-year decrease [32][33] Question: What is the impact of international and government business on demand? - Approximately 30% of the portfolio is in top markets affected by international travel, with a modest decrease in government business noted [34][35] Question: How confident is the company in completing hotel sales at the expected price? - Management expressed confidence due to a robust selection process and strong buyer interest, with transactions expected to occur in phases [36][38] Question: Will the company continue to have hotel exposure in the future? - Management confirmed that while there will be a shift towards net lease properties, the company will maintain hotel exposure to drive EBITDA [41][43] Question: What is the outlook for the Sonesta stake? - The company believes the value of its 34% stake in Sonesta will grow as Sonesta transitions to a franchise model, enhancing margins [50][51]

Host Hotels & Resorts (HST) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 01, 2025 11:00 AM ET Company Participants Jaime Marcus - SVP, Investor RelationsJames Risoleo - President, CEO & DirectorSourav Ghosh - Executive VP & CFOAri Klein - Director - Equity ResearchDuane Pfennigwerth - Senior Managing DirectorDavid Katz - Managing DirectorJay Kornreich - VP - Equity ResearchJack Armstrong - Equity Research AssociateFloris van Dijkum - Managing DirectorSmedes Rose - Director Conference Call Participants Chris Woronka - AnalystS ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Comparable hotels total revenue was $329 million for Q4 2024 and $1.4 billion for the full year, up approximately 4% and 2.5% compared to the same periods in 2023 respectively [26] - Fourth quarter adjusted EBITDARE increased by approximately 7% and modified funds from operations (MFFO) rose by approximately 6% compared to Q4 2023 [10][36] - Comparable hotels RevPAR for Q4 was $109, up approximately 3%, with ADR at $153, up approximately 1%, and occupancy at 71%, up 2% compared to Q4 2023 [27] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved comparable hotels RevPAR growth of approximately 3% for Q4 and more than 1% for the full year, driven by improvements in both ADR and occupancy [9] - Comparable hotels occupancy for the full year was 75%, approximately 1% higher than 2023, and comparable hotels ADR was $159, up approximately 1% [27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Approximately 55% of the company's hotels had no new upper upscale, upscale, or upper midscale product under construction within a five-mile radius at the end of Q4 [11] - The company noted that supply-demand dynamics remain favorable, with limited supply growth in its markets enhancing the overall risk profile of the portfolio [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company continues to monitor its distribution rate and timing relative to hotel performance and potential capital uses, maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation [12][13] - Recent acquisitions have positively contributed to overall portfolio performance, with seven hotels acquired since June 2024 producing an unlevered 9% yield after CapEx [16] - The company is actively underwriting additional opportunities and is well-positioned to act where attractive yields can be achieved relative to other capital allocation choices [18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to produce strong returns for investors over the coming years, citing stable operating fundamentals and favorable supply-demand dynamics [22][42] - The outlook for 2025 includes expectations for net income between $173 million and $202 million, with comparable hotels RevPAR change projected between 1% and 3% [39] Other Important Information - The company paid distributions totaling $58 million or $0.24 per common share during Q4, bringing the annual payout to approximately $244 million or $1.01 per common share [37] - The company has approximately $1.5 billion of total debt outstanding, with a weighted average interest rate of 4.7% and a debt maturity profile averaging three years [38] Q&A Session Summary Question: What operating expense growth has been assumed in 2025 guidance? - Management indicated that normalizing for fixed cost hurdles, the assumed increase for total hotel expenses is around 4.2% at the midpoint, with variable expenses outside of fixed costs around 3.5% [50] Question: What percentage of the portfolio would be described as having outsized CapEx needs? - Management stated that between 7% and 10% of the portfolio fits this category, with a focus on strategic and tactical reasons for prioritizing asset sales [52] Question: How close is the midweek ADR to weekend ADR? - Management noted that midweek ADR is getting closer to weekend levels, with continued opportunities for growth as occupancy improves [60] Question: What is the outlook for RevPAR growth in 2025? - Management believes that both business and leisure demand could contribute to outperforming the guidance, with midweek growth expected to be a significant driver [73] Question: What is the expected wage benefit growth this year? - Wage benefit growth is expected to be between 3.5% and 4% [130] Question: What is the current state of the transaction market? - Management indicated that the transaction market remains challenging, with fewer bidders interested in portfolios, but they expect conditions to improve as the year progresses [66][110]