Financial Performance & Growth - Hyatt's Adjusted Free Cash Flow reached $540 million[8] - The company has returned $4.5 billion to shareholders over the past 8 years (2017-2024) through share repurchases and dividends[10, 12] - System-wide rooms have grown by 87% from 186,000 in 2017 to 347,000 in 2024[13] - Gross fee revenue increased by 120% from $498 million in 2017 to $1,099 million in 2024[13] - World of Hyatt loyalty members increased by 435% from 10 million in 2017 to 54 million in 2024[13] Portfolio & Strategy - Asset-light earnings mix increased from 47% in 2017 to 79% in 2024[7, 13] - Hyatt has significantly expanded its luxury, resort, and lifestyle hotels portfolio[17] - Luxury rooms have doubled from 43,000 in 2017 to 114,000 in 2024[19] - Resort rooms have tripled from 23,000 in 2017 to 90,000 in 2024[19] Q2 2025 Highlights - Adjusted EBITDA was $303 million[52] - Net Income (Loss) was $(3) million[52] - Gross Fees reached $301 million[52] - World of Hyatt members reached ~58 million, a new record, with 21% growth[52]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 7% year-over-year increase in contract sales for Q4 2024, with first-time buyer sales growing by 9% [22][39] - Adjusted EBITDA for the total company decreased by 1% to $185 million, while adjusted EBITDA in the Vacation Ownership segment was $221 million with a margin of 27% [26][27] - The company ended the year with leverage of approximately four times, higher than the long-term goal of three times, but still manageable [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Vacation Ownership segment, rental occupancy increased by 300 basis points, and profit increased by 20% compared to the previous year [26] - The Exchange and Third-Party Management segment saw adjusted EBITDA decline by $9 million year-over-year, primarily due to lower profit at Aqua Aston and reduced transactions at Interval [27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - System-wide resort occupancy reached 90%, with Hawaii occupancy at 95% [8] - Research indicates that 80% of American adults plan to take a vacation this year, with international travelers to the U.S. expected to increase, particularly from the Asia Pacific region [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on business modernization to enhance operational efficiencies and accelerate revenue growth, expecting to generate an additional $150 million to $200 million in annualized adjusted EBITDA by the end of 2026 [17][35] - New developments include a 168-unit Marriott Vacation Club in Downtown Nashville and expansion plans in Thailand and Bali [12][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that consumers are prioritizing leisure travel, which has been particularly pronounced post-pandemic [7] - The company anticipates contract sales growth in the range of 2% to 6% for the upcoming year, with a focus on enhancing customer experiences through technology and data analytics [29][19] Other Important Information - The company plans to spend $90 million to $95 million on reacquired inventory this year, which is below replacement cost [28] - The company has over $900 million in liquidity and no corporate debt maturities until early 2026 [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Is the trend of new owner mix expected to continue in 2025? - Management confirmed the goal is to continue growing first-time buyers, which contributed to contract sales growth in Q4 [45] Question: Does the $90 million to $95 million of inventory repurchase correlate with the increased reserve taken last year? - Management explained that the repurchase relates to owners not using their vacations as much and maintenance fee defaults [48] Question: Can you clarify the headwinds for 2025 EBITDA guidance? - Management indicated a $15 million to $20 million increase in variable compensation and a $10 million hard comp from rental benefits in 2024 that won't recur in 2025 [60][62] Question: How did the modernization initiatives come about? - Management stated that the initiatives were driven by the need to accelerate growth and improve efficiencies, particularly in technology [72][75]