Atour Lifestyle (ATAT) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company's net revenues for Q3 2025 grew by 38.4% year-over-year and 6.5% quarter-over-quarter to RMB 2,628 million [34] - Adjusted net income for Q3 2025 was RMB 488 million, representing a 27.0% increase year-over-year, with an adjusted net profit margin of 18.6% [39] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2025 was RMB 685 million, up by 28.7% year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 26.1% [39] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the hotel business, RevPAR was RMB 371.3, representing 97.8% of its level in the same period of 2024, with OCC nearly recovering to 99.9% and ADR reaching 98.1% [8] - Revenues from managed hotels for Q3 2025 were RMB 1,560 million, up 32.3% year-over-year, while revenues from leased hotels were RMB 164 million, down 13.4% year-over-year [34] - Retail business GMV reached RMB 994 million, representing a 75.5% year-over-year increase, although there was a 12.3% quarter-over-quarter decline [22][35] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The hotel sector has shown a moderate recovery since Q3, with robust travel and leisure demand, although recovery is uneven across regions [5] - The retail market is increasingly focused on experiential offerings and quality-of-life upgrades, driven by evolving consumer habits and technological advancements [5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to achieve a strategic target of 2,000 premier hotels by year-end, having opened 152 new hotels in Q3 2025, marking a 27.1% year-over-year increase in total hotels [10][11] - Atour is focusing on quality-first principles in its rapid expansion, applying rigorous project selection criteria and strict quality standards [11] - The company is committed to enhancing shareholder value through dividends and share repurchase programs, targeting a payout ratio of 100% based on the previous fiscal year's net income [66] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the market will continue to show divergence, with challenges and uncertainties remaining, but they expect pressure from year-on-year declines in RevPAR to ease in Q4 [44] - The company plans to deepen its understanding of user needs and strengthen foundational capabilities to secure long-term advantages in a volatile market [45] Other Important Information - The company declared a second cash dividend for 2025, totaling approximately USD 50 million, bringing the cumulative dividend total for the year to about USD 108 million [40][66] - The membership base exceeded 108 million by the end of Q3 2025, representing a year-over-year growth of over 30% [30] Q&A Session Summary Question: RevPAR trend since October and outlook for Q4 - Management indicated that RevPAR has shown progressive improvement year-over-year, with expectations for easing pressure in Q4 due to strong demand in core cities [42][44] Question: Recent new hotel signing trends and full-year targets - Management confirmed that new hotel signings are generally in line with last year, with confidence in achieving the full-year guidance of 500 new openings [50][53] Question: Competition in the retail business and revenue guidance adjustments - Management acknowledged increasing competition but emphasized a focus on evolving user needs and raised the full-year retail revenue growth outlook to at least 65% year-on-year [56][60] Question: Update on shareholder returns - Management provided an update on the second dividend distribution and the ongoing share repurchase program, targeting a payout ratio of 100% based on the previous fiscal year's net income [64][66] Question: Plans for Atour Light brand expansion - Management expressed optimism about Atour Light's long-term development and plans to build a dedicated operational system to strengthen its market position [70][73]