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Braemar Hotels & Resorts(BHR) - 2024 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a net loss attributable to common stockholders of 1.4million,or1.4 million, or 0.02 per diluted share, and an AFFO per diluted share of negative 0.24[16]AdjustedEBITDAreforthequarterwas0.24 [16] - Adjusted EBITDAre for the quarter was 18.5 million, with total assets of 2.2billionand2.2 billion and 1.2 billion in loans at a blended average interest rate of 7.6% [16][17] - Comparable RevPAR for the portfolio was 261,witha1.6261, with a 1.6% decrease year-over-year, while Comparable Hotel EBITDA was 24.7 million [9][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Urban hotels achieved Comparable RevPAR of 213andComparableHotelEBITDAof213 and Comparable Hotel EBITDA of 16.4 million, with a 6% growth in RevPAR over the prior year quarter [10][9] - Resort hotels saw a 16.2% increase in RevPAR compared to the same period in 2019, but a slight decline in leisure demand year-over-year [24] - Group revenue increased by 14% year-over-year, with urban assets showing an 8% growth in total hotel revenue and a 4% increase in occupancy [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted strong demand in corporate revenue, which was up 12% year-on-year, except for San Francisco, which faced challenges [41] - Group rooms revenue for the third quarter was 14% higher than the prior year, with a 40% increase in group pace for the first quarter of 2025 [26][14] - The company reported a 7.5% increase in Comparable RevPAR for October, setting a positive tone for fourth-quarter performance [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a Shareholder Value Creation Plan, which includes non-core asset sales, debt repayment, preferred share redemption, and common share buybacks [11] - The recent sale of Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines for 165millionwaspartofthisstrategy,withplanstoevaluateadditionalhotelpropertysales[12]Thecompanyaimstoenhancebalancesheetflexibilityandhassuccessfullyaddressedall2024debtmaturities[11][13]ManagementsCommentsonOperatingEnvironmentandFutureOutlookManagementexpressedoptimismaboutthecontinuedstrengthofurbanhotelsastheprimarygrowthdriverfortheportfolio[10]Thecompanyanticipatesastrongperformanceintheupcomingquarters,supportedbypositivegrouppaceandrevenuetrends[14][37]Managementacknowledgedsomesofteningingovernmentrelatedtravelduetoelectionuncertaintybutexpectsareboundpostelection[44]OtherImportantInformationThecompanycompletedseveralrenovationsatTheRitzCarltonLakeTahoeandotherproperties,withcapitalexpendituresexpectedtorangebetween165 million was part of this strategy, with plans to evaluate additional hotel property sales [12] - The company aims to enhance balance sheet flexibility and has successfully addressed all 2024 debt maturities [11][13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the continued strength of urban hotels as the primary growth driver for the portfolio [10] - The company anticipates a strong performance in the upcoming quarters, supported by positive group pace and revenue trends [14][37] - Management acknowledged some softening in government-related travel due to election uncertainty but expects a rebound post-election [44] Other Important Information - The company completed several renovations at The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe and other properties, with capital expenditures expected to range between 70 million and 90millionfor2024[36]Thecompanyhasimplementedvariousinitiativestoboostproductivity,resultingina40basispointimprovementinoverallproductivity[25]Thecompanyhasasolidcashpositionwith90 million for 2024 [36] - The company has implemented various initiatives to boost productivity, resulting in a 40 basis point improvement in overall productivity [25] - The company has a solid cash position with 168.7 million in cash and cash equivalents and 48.5 million in restricted cash [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of mixed shifts to more BT demand and strong group outlook - Management noted a historical mix of 25% to 30% group business, with strong group pace increases expected for 2025 [39] Question: Strength of corporate demand post-Labor Day - There was a slight acceleration in corporate demand post-Labor Day, with overall corporate revenue up 12% year-on-year [42] Question: Election impact on overall portfolio demand - Management observed softening in government segments in DC due to election uncertainty but mitigated some impact through strong group pace [43][44] Question: Transaction market volume and pricing - Management indicated positive trends in the transaction market, with firming cap rates and plans to sell additional hotels next year [45][46] Question: Financing market changes - Management noted that spreads have continued to come down, with plenty of debt capital available, although large banks remain less active [47][48] Question: 4Q impact from hurricane damage - The estimated impact from hurricane damage was between 500K to $700K at the affected hotel, but overall portfolio performance remained strong [51]