RLJ Lodging Trust(RLJ)2025-05-05 15:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved RevPAR growth of 1.6% in Q1 2025, driven by a 2.1% increase in ADR, slightly offset by a 0.5% decline in occupancy [5][17] - First quarter occupancy was 69.1%, average daily rate was 141.23 [17] - Total revenue growth was 1.2%, benefiting from a 3.8% increase in out-of-room spend [18][20] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 was 0.31 [20][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Group segment was the best performing, with revenue growth of 10% driven by strong citywide events [8][18] - Urban hotels achieved RevPAR growth of 3.6%, with weekday urban RevPAR growing by 4.9% [7][8] - The leisure segment saw a 2% increase in revenues, with urban leisure outperforming at 3% growth [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strong RevPAR growth was noted in urban markets such as San Jose (14.1%), Houston CBD (9.9%), Philadelphia (26.4%), Pittsburgh (12.6%), and Louisville (10.3%) [18] - International demand remains soft, representing less than 3% of revenues, primarily in markets like New York and South Florida [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on capital recycling and strengthening its balance sheet, including opportunistic asset sales and share repurchases [6][10] - The company is optimistic about the long-term outlook for lodging fundamentals, supported by consumer preferences for experiences and a favorable operating environment for urban markets [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged that fundamentals have moderated and uncertainty persists due to macroeconomic risks, leading to an adjustment in full-year guidance [11][12] - The company expects RevPAR growth for 2025 to range between negative 1% and positive 1% [25] - The booking window has shortened, with a noted increase in cancellations primarily in the government segment [47][48] Other Important Information - The company ended Q1 with over 2.2 billion in debt, maintaining a strong balance sheet [22] - The company has a new $250 million share repurchase program approved by the Board [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide insights on April's performance and how it compared to expectations? - Management indicated that April was expected to be slightly positive but came in lower than anticipated due to elongated spring break and softening government demand [30][31] Question: What is the current state of the balance sheet and capital markets? - The bank group market remains strong, with capacity for top-quality sponsors, while high-yield issuance has seen some widening in spreads [34][35] Question: What are the trends in the group segment and future bookings? - The group segment is performing well, with a healthy booking pace for the year, although cancellations were noted primarily in the government sector [78] Question: How is the company addressing the uncertainty in the transaction market? - The company is taking an opportunistic approach to asset sales, with one additional asset currently under consideration [92]