H World Group Reports Fourth Quarter and 2024 Full-Year Financial Results

Rhea-AI Summary

H World Group (NASDAQ: HTHT) reported strong growth in Q4 and full-year 2024, with quarterly revenue up 7.8% Y-o-Y to RMB6.0 billion (US$825 million) and annual revenue increasing 9.2% Y-o-Y to RMB23.9 billion (US$3.3 billion). The company achieved significant network expansion with 2,442 new hotel openings in 2024, reaching 11,147 total hotels and maintaining 3,013 hotels in pipeline.

Q4 adjusted EBITDA reached US$171 million (+10.3% Y-o-Y), while full-year adjusted EBITDA grew to US$935 million (+8.8% Y-o-Y). Legacy-Huazhu maintained a high occupancy rate of 81.2%, while Legacy-DH business recorded a 5.9% Y-o-Y RevPAR increase. The company expanded its upper-mid scale segment with 231 new hotels and has 526 such properties in pipeline.

H Rewards membership grew to 267 million, with central reservation systems contributing to almost two-thirds of bookings. The company returned approximately US$767 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in 2024.

Positive

• Record 2,442 new hotel openings in 2024, surpassing target of 1,800
• Q4 adjusted EBITDA up 10.3% Y-o-Y to US$171 million
• Full-year revenue growth of 9.2% to US$3.3 billion
• High occupancy rate maintained at 81.2%
• Significant shareholder returns of US$767 million through dividends and buybacks
• Strong pipeline of 3,013 hotels for future growth
• H Rewards membership reached 267 million

Negative

• Legacy-Huazhu's full-year RevPAR declined year-over-year
• Impairment losses and one-off restructuring items impacted quarterly results

Insights

Financial Analyst

H World's Q4 and 2024 results demonstrate solid momentum across key financial metrics amid an aggressive expansion strategy. The company delivered 7.8% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4 to $825 million and 9.2% annual revenue growth to $3.3 billion. More impressively, adjusted EBITDA outpaced revenue growth, increasing 10.3% in Q4 and 8.8% for the full year, signaling enhanced operational efficiency despite the rapid expansion.

The record 2,442 new hotel openings in 2024 substantially exceeded management's initial target of 1,800, bringing the total network to 11,147 properties. This robust pipeline of 3,013 additional hotels in development portends continued growth momentum. The maintained 81.2% occupancy rate is particularly noteworthy given the pace of network expansion, as new properties typically experience a ramp-up period before reaching stabilized performance.

The $767 million returned to shareholders through dividends and buybacks represents significant capital allocation to investor returns while continuing to fund growth. This balanced approach suggests management confidence in sustainable free cash flow generation. The company's focus on high-margin, fee-based revenue through its asset-light model appears to be yielding positive results as evidenced by the EBITDA outperformance.

The strategic emphasis on upper-midscale segment expansion with 231 new properties and 526 more in pipeline (32% increase year-over-year) indicates a deliberate move toward higher-yielding properties. Meanwhile, the growth in H Rewards membership to 267 million and the 4% increase in central reservation system contribution represent meaningful progress in building direct booking channels, which typically carry higher margins than OTA-sourced bookings.

Hospitality Industry Expert

H World's execution against its multi-brand expansion strategy exhibits exceptional operational discipline in a competitive lodging environment. The ability to open 2,442 new hotels—averaging nearly 7 properties daily—while maintaining an 81.2% occupancy rate reflects sophisticated operational infrastructure and brand strength. Though Legacy-Huazhu's RevPAR declined slightly, this represents a natural consequence of network dilution from new property ramp-ups rather than fundamental demand weakness.

The company's dual-market approach continues to show promise with Legacy-DH's 5.9% RevPAR improvement in markets outside China providing geographic diversification. The pipeline composition is particularly telling: the 32% increase in upper-midscale development signals a strategic upward shift in the portfolio mix to capture higher-spending travelers. This segment typically delivers superior margins once stabilized, though requires more intensive initial marketing support.

The digital ecosystem continues to strengthen with central reservation system bookings now comprising nearly two-thirds of total volume. This 4% year-over-year increase in direct booking penetration represents significant progress in reducing customer acquisition costs. The 267 million members in H Rewards provides not only a proprietary marketing channel but also valuable customer data for personalization and dynamic pricing optimization.

While not explicitly quantified, the mention of "impairment losses and one-off restructuring items" suggests ongoing portfolio optimization, likely pruning underperforming assets while reallocating capital to higher-growth opportunities. This disciplined asset management approach, combined with the continued shift toward an asset-light model, should support further margin expansion. The upper-midscale push with brands like Crystal Orange Hotel and Intercity Hotel positions H World to capture the growing premium travel segment while maintaining its dominance in economy and midscale categories.

Accelerated network expansion, asset-light revenue growth, and rising membership and CRS contribution underscore long-term momentum

Highlights

• Fourth quarter revenue increased 7.8% Y-o-Y to RMB6.0 billion (US$825 million)
• 2024 full year revenue increased 9.2% Y-o-Y to RMB23.9 billion (US$3.3 billion)
• Fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA¹ totaled RMB1.2 billion (US$171 million²)
• 2024 full year adjusted EBITDA totaled RMB6.8 billion (US$935 million)
• A record 2,442 new hotel openings in 2024, reaching a total of 11,147 hotels as of year end
• 3013 hotels in the pipeline as of year end
• The Group returned approx. US$767 million to shareholders through cash dividends and share repurchases in 2024

SINGAPORE and SHANGHAI, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- H World Group Limited (NASDAQ: HTHT and HKEX: 1179), a key player in the global hotel industry, announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024.

The Company continued its significant network expansion, deepening its presence in the Chinese market and expanding its global footprint.

Jin Hui, CEO of H World said "In 2024, H World achieved the 10,000-hotel milestone, while continuing our rapid fast network expansion in China. In the year of 2024, Legacy- Huazhu³ opened over 2,400 new hotels, far exceeding our initial target of 1,800 hotels, supported by our strong brand reputation and excellent product quality. While Legacy- Huazhu's full-year RevPAR declined slightly year-over-year from a high base the previous year, Legacy-Huazhu maintained a high occupancy rate of 81.2%, which we believe is encouraging given the speed of our network expansion. Looking ahead, we will continue to implement our asset-light strategy, pursue high-quality hotel network growth, strengthen brand positioning, and enhance sales capability centered around our H Reward membership program."

"Regarding our business outside China, our Legacy-DH⁴ business recorded a 5.9% year- on-year RevPAR increase in 2024. Looking into 2025, we will continue to enhance our hotel operations, focus on cost reduction and efficiency improvement, and continue developing the asset-light portfolio."

EBITDA performance during the period demonstrated underlying profitability of the business, supported by continued growth in high-margin, fee-based revenue. Despite the impact of impairment losses and one-off restructuring items, fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA totaled US$171 million, up 10.3% year-over-year. Full year adjusted EBITDA totaled US$935 million, an increase of 8.8% year-over-year.

The Group continued to enhance its diverse portfolio to meet shifting needs of travelers in key markets. In 2024 H World added 231 new hotels in the upper-mid scale segment, under brands such as Crystal Orange Hotel, Intercity Hotel, Maxx by Steigenberger and Manxin Hotel. There are 526 upper-midscale hotels in the pipeline, a 32% increase over 2023.

Loyalty engagement continued to grow, with H Rewards membership rising to 267 million. Contribution from central reservation systems increased 4% year-over-year to almost two thirds of all bookings, reflecting the growing appeal of the H Rewards program and the company's digital innovations. New mobile features, dynamic pricing capabilities, and personalized booking experiences have further strengthened guest engagement and boosted direct booking conversion.

Looking ahead, H World Group remains focused on high-quality, disciplined growth. With a robust development pipeline, continued upgrades of products and direct sales capabilities, the Group is positioned to drive long-term value and deliver consistent, sustainable performance.

For the full release visit: https://ir.hworld.com/news-releases/news-release-details/h-world-group-limited-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2024

1. Adjusted EBITDA excludes foreign exchange (gain) loss, net (gain) loss on disposal of investments, (gains) losses from fair value changes of equity securities and share-based compensation expenses.
2. The conversion of Renminbi ("RMB") into United States dollars ("US$") is based on the exchange rate of US$1.00=RMB7.2993 on December 31, 2024, as set forth in H.10 statistical release of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and available at http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h10/hist/dat00_ch.htm.
3. Legacy-Huazhu refers to H World and its subsidiaries, excluding Steigenberger Hotels GmbH and its subsidiaries
4. Legacy-DH refers to Steigenberger Hotels GmbH and its subsidiaries

About H World Group Limited

Originated in China, H World Group Limited is a key player in the global hotel industry. H World's brands include HanTing Hotel, JI Hotel, Crystal Orange Hotel, Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, MAXX, Jaz in the City, IntercityHotel, Zleep Hotels and Steigenberger Icons. In addition, H World also has the rights as master franchisee for Mercure, Ibis and Ibis Styles, and co-development rights for Grand Mercure and Novotel, in the pan-China region.

For more information, please visit H World's website: https://ir.hworld.com.

H World undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/h-world-group-reports-fourth-quarter-and-2024-full-year-financial-results-302407070.html

SOURCE H World Group

FAQ

What was H World Group's (HTHT) revenue growth in Q4 2024?

H World Group's Q4 2024 revenue increased 7.8% year-over-year to RMB6.0 billion (US$825 million).

How many new hotels did HTHT open in 2024?

H World Group opened a record 2,442 new hotels in 2024, exceeding their initial target of 1,800 hotels.

What was HTHT's hotel occupancy rate in 2024?

Legacy-Huazhu maintained a high occupancy rate of 81.2% in 2024.

How much did HTHT return to shareholders in 2024?

H World Group returned approximately US$767 million to shareholders through cash dividends and share repurchases in 2024.

What was the growth in HTHT's H Rewards membership program?

H Rewards membership grew to 267 million members, with central reservation systems contributing to almost two-thirds of bookings.