Extended Stay America

Morgan Stanley favors C-Corps over hotel REITs for their growth potential and downside protection, while Barclays upgraded Park Hotels and Resorts due to its high dividend yield. Choice Hotels missed estimates, and the potential acquisition by Wyndham remains uncertain, with suggestions for possible negotiation tactics.   Various hotels reported earnings and developments, with openings, auctions, and construction plans in different regions, including California, Texas, and North Carolina.

Hilton Grand Vacations is acquiring Bluegreen Vacations for approximately $1.5 billion, expanding its membership base and resort portfolio. HEI Hotels & Resorts takes over management of the Renaissance Times Square hotel in New York. Hyatt is collaborating with Parks Hospitality Holdings to develop four new properties in Mexico, including the Park Hyatt Cancun and Grand Hyatt Mexico Santa Fe.

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust warns of 3Q impact from Tropical Storm Hillary. CoStar's July 2023 report shows mixed U.S. hotel performance. Global travel deal activity down -35.7%. Travel & Tourism investment grows 11.1% in 2022, below 2019 levels. WTTC forecasts 11.5% growth in 2023, warns of challenges from interest rate hikes. Ashford converts hotel, St. Joe builds new property. Personnel changes across industry, Alberto Pirozzini joins Pellicano Hotels as COO.

DJIA and S&P 500 rose, Nasdaq was up, and the 10-year treasury yield decreased. Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia sold over $1 billion worth of stock, while ABNB reached a 52-week high. U.S. hotel RevPAR increased, new hotel constructions and acquisitions were announced, and a hotel opening was delayed in Portland.

Market Performance: DJIA fell 5 points, Nasdaq rose 128, and S&P 500 increased by 16 points; lodging stocks underperformed consumer and leisure stocks. Jefferies Nantucket Conference: Lodging companies report moderation in leisure demand, strength in group business, and mixed recovery of business transient; limited conviction impacting strategies and stock performance. Hotel Industry Updates: Canada's hotel industry shows improved performance; various hotels undergo renovations, acquisitions, and openings across different locations.

Stock market: DJIA down 245 points, Nasdaq down 22, S&P 500 down 21 points Decline in travel and tourism deal activity: 41% YoY decline, all deal types registered a decline in volume Hotel transactions: Several hotels sold, renovated, or under development in different locations

Sotherly Hotels reported preliminary operating results for 1Q23 for their 10 wholly-owned properties. RevPAR was up 21.4% led by an 11.4% jump in occupancy. Tighter budgets, busy airports, and soaring prices are prompting a more frugal tourist to return . Even high-end travelers are pulling back on their vacation spending, Bloomberg reported. Lightstone announced the April 12 debut of the 37-story, 727-key Moxy & AC Hotels Downtown Los Angeles.

Wells Fargo has cut price targets on lodging stocks under coverage due to concerns over regional banks and their impact on the hotel industry. The bank only downgraded two names - Park Hotels and Xenia Hotels - but reduced price targets on many others, including Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt. STR's global "bubble chart" update shows growing momentum in the Asia Pacific region and more than half of markets globally with better than 20% growth in RevPAR versus 2019. Israel, Switzerland, Singapore, the Dominican Republic, and New Zealand led in RevPAR on an actual basis. HEI Hotels & Resorts has taken over management of the Marriott Jacksonville Downtown Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida, which will undergo a comprehensive renovation in the planning stages with completion anticipated in the first quarter of 2024.

Aimbridge Hospitality has acquired the management arm of Terrapin Hospitality , with 71 hotels located in 21 states. This aggregates to over 8,100 keys transitioning to Aimbridge management. B.Riley lowered their price target on Ashford Inc. to $14 from $18, they maintained their Neutral rating on the stock. IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of a new Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hotel in Glendale, California .

Lodging stocks were mostly lower. SOND was up 6% but that was pretty much it for any type of positive movement.  MCG fell another -11%, SLNA was down -7%, SOHO and ABNB both fell -5%. JP Morgan lowered their rating on Membership Collective Group to Neutral from Overweight. JPM said their downgraded was based on MGC’s exposure to Europe. Los Cabos Tourism Board announced unprecedented growth in tourism arrivals is expected by the end of 2022 with more than 3.3 million visitors.