Kim Woinski

Kim is Vice President of Gaming USA Corporation, the previous owner of the Daily Lodging Report, now owned by Skift. Kim is the primary writer of the Daily Lodging Report – North America. Kim moved to Southwest Florida in July of 2020 and recently became a first time grandmother to baby Susie.

North America

Business Travel Sentiment Still Lags

The positive start to the day deteriorated quickly with the DJIA ending the day down 308 points, while Nasdaq was down 135 and the S&P 500 fell 44 points. The 10-year Treasury yield ended the day flat at 3.11%. VCSA was the only major mover, down -9% on the day. STR’s consumer research in July 2022 produced telling insights into the state of business travel worldwide. Roughly 400 global business travelers were asked to thank about their likelihood to travel for business both now and when the pandemic is over, the results, remained in negative territory. A recently released Global Travel Association report cites global business travel coming back albeit against significant headwinds.
North America

Wells Fargo Changes Lodging Coverage

The  DJIA fell 184 points, Nasdaq was down 124, the S&P 500 was down 27 points and the 10-year treasury yield was up .08 to 3.11%. Wells Fargo made a few changes to their coverage of lodging names . They cut their ratings on Hersha Hospitality, DiamondRock Hospitality and Pebblebrook Hotel Trust to Equal Weight from the previous Overweight ratings Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts unveiled its new brand creative platform, Luxury Is Our Love Language , celebrating the brand’s unique and energetic perspective on the definition of luxury.
North America

New U.S. Lodging Per Diems Disappoint

Fed Chief Jerome Powell once again roiled the financial markets with a speech. JP Morgan cut its view on IHG Hotels & Resorts to Neutral from Overweight. Hoteliers did not seem very pleased with the US General Services Administration’s increase in lodging per diems for 2023.
North America

U.S. Group Bookings Increase While Biz Travel Lags

The  DJIA  rose 323 points while  Nasdaq  jumped 208, the  S&P 500  rose 59 points, and the  10-year Treasury yield  took a breather, down .08 to 3.03%. Inflation, energy prices, supply chain challenges, labor shortages, and regional developments are  pushing the forecast for full recovery into 2026,  instead of the previously forecasted 2024. According to the latest monthly data from  STR  and  CoStar , the number of  groups booking U.S. hotel rooms  continued to increase in June, although individual business travel continued to lag.
North America

Global Hotel Groups Are Sitting on Piles of Cash

The  DJIA  rose 61 points,  Nasdaq  was up 50, the  S&P 500  was up 12 points and the  10-year Treasury yield  is quickly rising to where it peaked in June, up another .05 to 3.11%. STR said US RevPAR  for the week ended 8/20 was up 16.9% versus the same week last year. Global hotel groups are holding near-record amounts of cash.  Seven of the best-known hotel groups were collectively sitting on about $7.3 billion in cash and short-term investments as of the end of June .
North America

Business Travel Will Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels by Late 2023

The DJIA fell 154 points but Nasdaq was flat while the S&P 500 fell 9 points and the 10-year Treasury yield was up .02 to 3.05%. Citigroup upped its price target on Sunstone Hotels to $12 from $10.50. Morgan Stanley upped its price target on Airbnb to $125 from $100.
North America

July Room Rates Hit New High

According to July 2022 data from STR , the U.S. hotel industry reported record-high monthly room rates on a nominal basis. Raymond James believes the recovery in global travel still has plenty of room to run. They believe this is the earliest stage of what is set up to be a multi-year fundamental recovery in global travel. A 13-F filing from Sunstone Hotels showed Blackstone Group had taken a 4.1% stake in SHO.
North America

Lodging Stocks End the Week on a Down Note

The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index was up 14.3% in July. Year to date the first seven months of 2022, the stock index is still down by -10.4%. According to Bloomberg, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is exploring options, including a possible sale of the Miami Beach Edition hotel . AC Hotels by Marriott announced the opening of the new AC Hotel by Marriott Monterrey Valle , its first hotel in the city of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
North America

Hotel Acquisitions Cool in Northern California

The DJIA  rose 19 points, Nasdaq was up 27, the S&P 500 was up 10, the 10-year Treasury yield was down .01 to 2.88% and lodging stocks were higher on a calm day in the market. B.Riley Securities upped its price target on Ashford Inc to $23 from $19. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust said total revenue in July topped pre-pandemic levels for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.
North America
Membership Collective Group shares took it on the chin today, announcing 2Q results on a day when investors were not in the mood for anything. Host Hotels’ price target was raised to $20 by Citigroup . Baird issued a bullish report on Apple Hospitality REIT but removed the Bullish Fresh Pick designation as shares have increased 18% since their positive call in late June.