The James

Truist is optimistic about Wyndham Hotels' new developments, RevPAR growth, and brand launches, highlighting a strong positive outlook on the economy and travel spending, with franchisees highly confident.

Major stock indexes and several lodging stocks experienced declines. Service Properties Trust signaled a shift away from hotel acquisitions after buying the Nautilus Hotel in Miami. New hotels opened in Cincinnati , Yuba City , Orange , TX, and Pennsylvania . Notable construction and restoration projects are underway in Houston, Hastings, and Longmont. Several properties announced upcoming renovations or management changes. RobertDouglas managed a $60 million sale of three properties; Cronheim Hotel Capital refinanced Hotel Phillips in Kansas City. Key personnel changes occurred at Valor Hospitality Partners and the Rosewood Hotel Group .

STR gave U.S. lodging data for the week ended 3/18. US hotel RevPAR rose 10.4% year over year. When compared with the same week in 2019, US hotel RevPAR was up 20.8%. We can’t tell if the markets genuinely hate U.S. Fed Chief Jerome Powell or if the guy should just have a stand-in for his press conferences. Redburn Partners lowered its rating on InterContinental Hotels Group to Sell. UBS Group downgraded shares of Melia Hotels International from a Buy rating to a Sell rating.

Lodging stocks were mixed but the biggest movers were to the upside. VCSA and SLNA both rose 6% on the day. The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index fell -10% in December. That put all of 2022 down -15% from 2021. The Hotel Brand sub-index was down -9.2% in December from November while the Hotel REIT sub-index was down -12.8% Sonesta International Hotels Corporation announced the expansion of its global development strategy to include The James brand as part of the Sonesta Franchise portfolio in the U.S. and in Latin America.

The DJIA rose 133 points while Nasdaq was up 72, the S&P 500 was up 29 points and the 10 year treasury yield was down .08 to 3.71%. Canada’s hotel performance came in lower than the month prior but showed improved comparisons to 2019, according to STR ‘s November 2022 data. Kolter Urban is planning to build a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Residences in Sarasota Bay, Florida .

EF Hutton initiated coverage on Selina Hospitality with a Buy rating and $6.50 price target. STR reported US lodging data for the week ended 12/24. RevPAR was down -0.2% year over year while down -7.6% versus the same week in 2019. Bluegreen Vacation Holdings said they had a total of 3,040,882 shares of Class A Common Stock tendered in their cash tender offer to purchase up to 4.5 million common shares at $25 per share.