Hyatt Reports First Quarter 2024 Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Hyatt Hotels reported its first quarter 2024 results, with highlights including a 5.5% increase in comparable system-wide hotels RevPAR, 11% increase in Net Package RevPAR for all-inclusive resorts, and $522 million in Net Income. The company repurchased shares, projected full-year RevPAR growth of 3% to 5%, and expects Net Income between $1,135 million and $1,195 million for 2024.

Positive

• Record gross fee revenue of $262 million in the quarter

• New record pipeline of 129,000 rooms and 46 million World of Hyatt members

• Projected full-year RevPAR growth of 3% to 5%

Negative

• Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 5.9% to $252 million

• Owned and leased segment's Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 9%

• Distribution segment performance impacted by challenging year-over-year comparisons

Insights

Financial Analyst

Hyatt Hotels Corporation's first-quarter financial performance showcases a mixed outcome with some key financial metrics reflecting growth, while others indicate areas for improvement. The 5.5% increase in RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) is a positive sign of recovery and demand in the hospitality industry, yet, when viewed alongside the 5.9% decline in Adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization), it suggests that cost pressures and investment might be weighing on profitability. The net income figure of $522 million is particularly strong; however, it's important to differentiate this from the much lower Adjusted Net Income of $75 million, which strips out one-time gains or losses and presents a more normalized earnings picture.

Hyatt's stock repurchase activity, which is often a sign of confidence from management in the company's valuation, might be viewed favorably by investors, particularly as the company has committed to a further $1 billion in buybacks. Nevertheless, the efficacy of this capital allocation strategy should be assessed in the context of the full year's projected Capital Returns to Shareholders of $800 million to $850 million and the entire capital structure of the company.

The projected full-year Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA figures, while robust, must be tempered by the acknowledgment of asset disposals which contribute to an 'asset-light' strategy. This strategy could benefit the company in the long run by focusing on management and franchising, which traditionally have higher margin profiles. However, this comes at the short-term cost of reduced EBITDA due to these transactions.

For retail investors, understanding the nuances between reported net income and adjusted figures, as well as the implications of an asset-light strategy, is critical for evaluating the performance and the future direction of the company.

Market Research Analyst

Hyatt’s pipeline expansion to 129,000 rooms indicates a 10% growth year-over-year, signifying an aggressive expansion strategy and an optimistic outlook on travel and hospitality industry growth. With the recent recovery in travel post-COVID-19 disruptions, such an expansion could capitalize on pent-up demand. However, with the owned and leased segment reporting a 16.5% decrease and the distribution segment down by 31.7% in Adjusted EBITDA, these figures suggest there are market segments within the company that are underperforming.

The mention of strong outbound travel from Greater China is notable, given the region's previous travel restrictions. This might indicate a shift in the global travel landscape with a potential increase in outbound tourism from Asia, benefitting the company’s properties in popular destinations like Japan, Thailand and South Korea. The growth of the World of Hyatt membership by 22% also indicates a solidifying customer base, which could ensure recurring revenue through loyalty programs.

For retail investors, looking at the diversified growth — through geographic expansion and customer loyalty — can provide insights into the longer-term stability of the company. However, the variability in segment performance underlines the importance of operational efficiency and market adaptability in sustaining growth.

Real Estate Investment Analyst

Hyatt's ongoing shift towards an asset-light business model is evident from its recent real estate sales and commitment to reduce owned real estate. The proceeds from these sales, recorded at impressive multiples such as the 14.7x multiple realized from recent hotel sales, highlight the potential for capital redeployment into higher ROI (Return on Investment) areas such as franchising and management contracts, which could lead to a more resilient business model.

The strategic financing involvement in the Park Hyatt Zurich deal, where Hyatt provided $45 million in seller financing, reflects a proactive approach to securing long-term management agreements, which may result in a stable and predictable income stream.

For investors, the impact of these transactions on the balance sheet should be scrutinized, along with the potential benefits of reduced capital expenditure and operational costs associated with property ownership. However, a thorough assessment would also consider the potential risks of losing control over the asset base and the implications for long-term branding and customer experience.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hyatt Hotels Corporation ("Hyatt" or the "Company") (NYSE: H) today reported first quarter 2024 results. Highlights include:

• Comparable system-wide hotels RevPAR increased 5.5% compared to the same period in 2023

• Comparable system-wide all-inclusive resorts Net Package RevPAR increased 11.0% compared to the same period in 2023

• Net Rooms Growth was approximately 5.5%

• Net Income was $522 million and Adjusted Net Income was $75 million

• Diluted EPS was $4.93 and Adjusted Diluted EPS was $0.71

• Adjusted EBITDA was $252 million

• Pipeline of executed management or franchise contracts was approximately 129,000 rooms

• Repurchased approximately 2.5 million shares of Class A and Class B common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $388 million

• Full year comparable system-wide hotels RevPAR is projected to increase 3% to 5% on a constant currency basis compared to full year 2023

• Full year Net Income is projected between $1,135 million and $1,195 million

• Full year Adjusted EBITDA is projected between $1,150 million and $1,190 million and is in line with previously provided 2024 Outlook when adjusting for $30 million of reduced Adjusted EBITDA due to transactions

• Full year Capital Returns to Shareholders is projected between $800 million and $850 million

Mark S. Hoplamazian, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt, said, "The year is off to a great start with gross fee revenue reaching a record of $262 million in the quarter. Our pipeline also reached a new record, expanding 10% year-over-year to 129,000 rooms, and we realized net rooms growth of 5.5%. World of Hyatt membership has grown by 22%, reaching a new record of 46 million members. Significant progress on asset dispositions is further expanding our asset-light earnings mix, reflecting our execution to permanently reduce owned real estate."

Segment Results and Highlights

(in millions)		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2024				2023				Change (%)
Management and franchising		$	203			$	184			10.2	%
Owned and leased			60				71			(16.5	)%
Distribution			39				58			(31.7	)%
Overhead			(51	)			(46	)		(9.0	)%
Eliminations			1				1			(33.0	)%
Adjusted EBITDA		$	252			$	268			(5.9	)%

• Management and franchising: Results in the first quarter were driven by solid demand across all customer segments. Regional highlights include strong outbound travel from Greater China, benefiting markets such as Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. Leisure demand was strong in Mexico and the Caribbean for hotels and all-inclusive resorts. European all-inclusive properties produced impressive Net Package RevPAR growth driven by high demand for resorts in the Canary Islands. In the United States, RevPAR was up approximately 2%, excluding the impact of Easter, reflecting normalized growth.

• Owned and leased: Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter decreased by 9% compared to the first quarter of 2023, when adjusted for asset dispositions. The decline was driven by difficult comparisons to 2023, including the Super Bowl in Phoenix, higher real estate taxes, higher wages, and transaction costs related to asset sales in process.

• Distribution: The segment performance was impacted by challenging year-over-year comparisons particularly due to ALG Vacations which lapped a strong quarter in the previous year.

Openings and Development

In the first quarter, 12 new hotels (or 2,425 rooms) joined Hyatt's portfolio. Notable openings included Thompson Houston, Secrets Tides Punta Cana, Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres, five UrCove properties in China, and Hyatt Regency Nairobi Westlands, marking the first hotel in Kenya.

As of March 31, 2024, the Company had a pipeline of executed management or franchise contracts for approximately 670 hotels (approximately 129,000 rooms).

Transactions and Capital Strategy

In addition to the completion of the transaction that resulted in the Company selling 80% of the entity that owns the Unlimited Vacation Club business (the "UVC Transaction") and the closing on the sale of Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino, which were previously announced, the Company is sharing the following updates:

• Sold Park Hyatt Zurich on April 4, 2024, Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk on April 23, 2024, and Hyatt Regency Green Bay on May 1, 2024 to unrelated third parties for combined proceeds of $535 million at a 14.7x multiple. The Company entered into long-term management agreements for Park Hyatt Zurich and Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk, and a long-term franchise agreement for Hyatt Regency Green Bay. In connection with the Park Hyatt Zurich transaction, the Company provided approximately $45 million of seller financing.

• Signed a purchase and sale agreement for an asset that, upon closing, would generate gross proceeds that exceed the remaining portion of the Company's $2.0 billion asset sell-down commitment.

• As previously disclosed, another asset remains in the marketing process.

As of May 9, 2024, the Company has realized $1.5 billion of gross proceeds from the net disposition of real estate at a 13.3x multiple and remains committed to successfully executing plans to realize $2.0 billion of gross proceeds from the sale of real estate, net of acquisitions, by the end of 2024 as part of its expanded asset disposition commitment announced in August 2021.

On February 28, 2024, Juniper Hotels, one of the Company's unconsolidated hospitality ventures in India, completed an initial public offering ("IPO") on the BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India. The Company holds approximately 86 million equity shares and following the IPO, retained a 38.8% ownership interest in the unconsolidated hospitality venture. The Company's shares were valued at approximately $536 million at March 31, 2024.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

As of March 31, 2024, the Company reported the following:

• Total debt of $3,055 million.

• Pro rata share of unconsolidated hospitality venture debt of $457 million, substantially all of which is non-recourse to Hyatt and a portion of which Hyatt guarantees pursuant to separate agreements.

• Total liquidity of approximately $2.3 billion with $794 million of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, and borrowing availability of $1,496 million under Hyatt's revolving credit facility, net of letters of credit outstanding.

During the first quarter, the Company repurchased a total of 528,427 shares of Class A common stock for approximately $76 million and 1,987,229 shares of Class B common stock for approximately $312 million. The Company's board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to an additional $1 billion of the Company's common stock. These repurchases may be made from time to time in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise, including pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan or an accelerated share repurchase transaction, at prices that the Company deems appropriate and subject to market conditions, applicable law and other factors deemed relevant in the Company's sole discretion. The share repurchase authorization applies to the Company's Class A common stock and/or Class B common stock, does not obligate the Company to repurchase any dollar amount or number of shares of common stock, and may be suspended or discontinued at any time. As of May 9, 2024, the Company has approximately $1.8 billion remaining under the share repurchase authorization.

The Company's board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.15 per share for the second quarter of 2024. The dividend is payable on June 11, 2024 to Class A and Class B stockholders of record as of May 29, 2024.

2024 Outlook

The Company is providing the following outlook for the 2024 fiscal year reflecting the sales of Park Hyatt Zurich, Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk, Hyatt Regency Green Bay, and the UVC Transaction. Full year 2024 outlook for Adjusted EBITDA remains in line with previously provided outlook when adjusted for $30 million reduction attributed to these transactions. Free Cash Flow remains in line with previously provided outlook including the $30 million reduction to Adjusted EBITDA and $25 million of cash tax payments related to the three asset sales.

		Full Year 2024 vs. 2023
System-Wide Hotels RevPAR1		3% to 5%
Net Rooms Growth		5.5% to 6.0%
(in millions)		Full Year 2024
Net Income		$1,135 - $1,195
Gross Fees		$1,100 - $1,130
Adjusted G&A Expenses2		$425 - $435
Adjusted EBITDA2		$1,150 - $1,190
Capital Expenditures		Approx. $170
Free Cash Flow2		$575 - $625
Capital Returns to Shareholders3		$800 - $850

1		RevPAR is based on constant currency whereby previous periods are translated based on the current period exchange rate. RevPAR percentage for 2024 vs. 2023 is based on comparable hotels.
2		Refer to the tables on schedule A-9 for a reconciliation of estimated Net Income attributable to Hyatt Hotels Corporation to Adjusted EBITDA, G&A expenses to Adjusted G&A Expenses, and net cash provided by operating activities to Free Cash Flow.
3		The Company expects to return capital to shareholders through a combination of cash dividends on its common stock and share repurchases.
No disposition or acquisition activity beyond what has been completed as of the date of this release has been included in the 2024 Outlook. The Company's 2024 Outlook is based on a number of assumptions that are subject to change and many of which are outside the control of the Company. If actual results vary from these assumptions, the Company's expectations may change. There can be no assurance that Hyatt will achieve these results.

Conference Call Information

The Company will hold an investor conference call this morning, May 9, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. CT.

Participants are encouraged to listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call, which may be accessed through the Company's website at investors.hyatt.com. Alternatively, participants may access the live call by dialing: 800.715.9871 (U.S. Toll-Free) or 646.307.1963 (International Toll Number) using conference ID# 2303828 approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

A replay of the call will be available for one week beginning on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. CT by dialing: 800.770.2030 (U.S. Toll-Free) or 609.800.9909 (International Toll Number) using conference ID# 2303828. An archive of the webcast will be available on the Company's website for 90 days.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include statements about our plans, strategies, outlook, occupancy, the amount by which the Company intends to reduce its real estate asset base, the expected amount of gross proceeds from the sale of such assets, and the anticipated timeframe for such asset dispositions, the number of properties we expect to open in the future, pace and booking trends, the expected timing and payment of dividends, RevPAR trends, our expected Adjusted G&A Expense, our expected capital expenditures, our expected net rooms growth, our expected system-wide RevPAR, our expected one-time integration-related expenses, financial performance, prospects or future events and involve known and unknown risks that are difficult to predict. As a result, our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: general economic uncertainty in key global markets and a worsening of global economic conditions or low levels of economic growth; the rate and pace of economic recovery following economic downturns; global supply chain constraints and interruptions, rising costs of construction-related labor and materials, and increases in costs due to inflation or other factors that may not be fully offset by increases in revenues in our business; risks affecting the luxury, resort, and all-inclusive lodging segments; levels of spending in business, leisure, and group segments, as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; limited visibility with respect to future bookings; loss of key personnel; domestic and international political and geopolitical conditions, including political or civil unrest or changes in trade policy; hostilities, or fear of hostilities, including future terrorist attacks, that affect travel; travel-related accidents; natural or man-made disasters, weather and climate-related events, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, floods, wildfires, oil spills, nuclear incidents, and global outbreaks of pandemics or contagious diseases, or fear of such outbreaks; our ability to successfully achieve certain levels of operating profits at hotels that have performance tests or guarantees in favor of our third-party owners; the impact of hotel renovations and redevelopments; risks associated with our capital allocation plans, share repurchase program, and dividend payments, including a reduction in, or elimination or suspension of, repurchase activity or dividend payments; the seasonal and cyclical nature of the real estate and hospitality businesses; changes in distribution arrangements, such as through internet travel intermediaries; changes in the tastes and preferences of our customers; relationships with colleagues and labor unions and changes in labor laws; the financial condition of, and our relationships with, third-party owners, franchisees, and hospitality venture partners; the possible inability of third-party owners, franchisees, or development partners to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; risks associated with potential acquisitions and dispositions and our ability to successfully integrate completed acquisitions with existing operations; failure to successfully complete proposed transactions (including the failure to satisfy closing conditions or obtain required approvals); our ability to successfully execute our strategy to expand our management and hotels services and franchising business while at the same time reducing our real estate asset base within targeted timeframes and at expected values; our ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; declines in the value of our real estate assets; unforeseen terminations of our management and hotels services or franchise agreements; changes in federal, state, local, or foreign tax law; increases in interest rates, wages, and other operating costs; foreign exchange rate fluctuations or currency restructurings; risks associated with the introduction of new brand concepts, including lack of acceptance of new brands or innovation; general volatility of the capital markets and our ability to access such markets; changes in the competitive environment in our industry, industry consolidation, and the markets where we operate; our ability to successfully grow the World of Hyatt loyalty program and Unlimited Vacation Club paid membership program; cyber incidents and information technology failures; outcomes of legal or administrative proceedings; and violations of regulations or laws related to our franchising business and licensing businesses and our international operations; and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, including our annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which filings are available from the SEC. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake or assume any obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company refers to certain financial measures that are not recognized under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in this press release, including: Adjusted Net Income; Adjusted Diluted EPS; Adjusted EBITDA; Adjusted G&A Expenses; and Free Cash Flow. See the schedules to this earnings release, including the "Definitions" section, for additional information and reconciliations of such non-GAAP financial measures.

Availability of Information on Hyatt's Website and Social Media Channels

Investors and others should note that Hyatt routinely announces material information to investors and the marketplace using U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts and the Hyatt Investor Relations website. The Company uses these channels as well as social media channels (e.g., the Hyatt Facebook account (facebook.com/hyatt); the Hyatt Instagram account (instagram.com/hyatt/); the Hyatt X account (twitter.com/hyatt); the Hyatt LinkedIn account (linkedin.com/company/hyatt/); and the Hyatt YouTube account (youtube.com/user/hyatt)) as a means of disclosing information about the Company's business to our guests, customers, colleagues, investors, and the public. While not all of the information that the Company posts to the Hyatt Investor Relations website or on the Company's social media channels is of a material nature, some information could be deemed to be material. Accordingly, the Company encourages investors, the media, and others interested in Hyatt to review the information that it shares at the Investor Relations link located at the bottom of the page on hyatt.com and on the Company's social media channels. Users may automatically receive email alerts and other information about the Company when enrolling an email address by visiting "Investor Email Alerts" in the "Resources" section of Hyatt's website at investors.hyatt.com. The contents of these websites are not incorporated by reference into this press release or any report or document Hyatt files with the SEC, and any references to the websites are intended to be inactive textual references only.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of March 31, 2024, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,300 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 78 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Timeless Collection, including Park Hyatt®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios, and UrCove; the Boundless Collection, including Miraval®, Alila®, Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, Dream® Hotels, Hyatt Centric®, and Caption by Hyatt®; the Independent Collection, including The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination by Hyatt®, and JdV by Hyatt®; and the Inclusive Collection, including Impression by Secrets, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith™, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Refer to the table on page A-7 of the schedules for a summary of special items impacting Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Note: All RevPAR and ADR percentage changes are in constant dollars. All Net Package RevPAR and Net Package ADR percentage changes are in reported dollars. This release includes references to non-GAAP financial measures. Refer to the non-GAAP reconciliations included in the schedules and the definitions of the non-GAAP measures presented beginning on page A-5.

HHC-FIN

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240509006668/en/

Investor Contacts

• Adam Rohman, 312.780.5834, adam.rohman@hyatt.com

• Tara Atwood, 312.780.5713, tara.atwood@hyatt.com

Media Contact

• Franziska Weber, 312.780.6106, franziska.weber@hyatt.com

 

Source: Hyatt Hotels Corporation

FAQ

What was Hyatt's Net Income for the first quarter of 2024?

Hyatt's Net Income for the first quarter of 2024 was $522 million.

What is Hyatt's projected full year Net Income range for 2024?

Hyatt's projected full year Net Income for 2024 is between $1,135 million and $1,195 million.

What was the percentage increase in comparable system-wide hotels RevPAR for Hyatt in the first quarter of 2024?

Hyatt saw a 5.5% increase in comparable system-wide hotels RevPAR in the first quarter of 2024.