RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Access earnings results, analyst expectations, report, slides, earnings call, and transcript.
Overview
The earnings call presents a mixed outlook. While there are positive aspects like expected urban market performance, successful conversions, and lifestyle-oriented asset focus, there are also concerns such as moderated Q4 2025 view, negative RevPAR guidance, and macroeconomic uncertainties. The Q&A section highlights uncertainties in guidance and asset dispositions. Overall, the sentiment is neutral, with no significant catalysts to drive the stock price strongly in either direction. Given the company's market cap, a neutral movement (-2% to 2%) is anticipated over the next two weeks.
Key Financial Performance
RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) $137, a 1.5% decline year-over-year. This was due to a 0.9% decline in occupancy and a 0.7% decline in ADR, primarily impacted by the government shutdown in October and November, which are seasonally high months.
Urban Market RevPAR Outperformed the portfolio by approximately 0.5 points, with notable growth in Northern California (18.5%), Denver CBD (10.1%), and New York City (4.7%). This was driven by robust growth in these markets.
Non-Room Revenue Grew by 7.2% year-over-year, exceeding RevPAR performance by nearly 900 basis points. This growth was driven by solid increases in food & beverage, parking, and other revenues.
Total Revenue Increased by 0.2% year-over-year, supported by strong non-room revenue growth.
Total Operating Costs Increased by 0.8% year-over-year for the quarter and 1.6% for the full year. Excluding $4.7 million in real estate tax benefits, total expenses increased by 2.1% for the full year. The increase was mitigated by a favorable insurance renewal and successful real estate tax appeals.
Comparable Hotel EBITDA $87.8 million for the quarter, with Hotel EBITDA margins at 27%, only 44 basis points behind last year. This was achieved through disciplined cost management in a soft RevPAR environment.
Adjusted EBITDA $80.4 million for the quarter, driven by better-than-expected RevPAR performance, non-room revenue growth, and disciplined cost containment.
Adjusted FFO per Diluted Share $0.32 for the quarter, reflecting strong financial performance despite challenges.
Shareholder Returns $120 million returned to shareholders in 2025 through share repurchases and dividends, showcasing a commitment to returning capital to shareholders.
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Operating Highlights
Nashville conversion: Delivered the Nashville conversion and continued ramping completed conversions, achieving RevPAR growth nearly 700 basis points ahead of the broader portfolio.
Boston conversion: Advanced the next phase of the pipeline, including the selection of the brand for the Boston conversion.
Renovations: Completed transformative renovations of several hotels in high-demand markets, including Waikiki and Deerfield Beach, achieving RevPAR growth of 12% and 10% respectively in December.
Urban markets: Urban hotels outperformed, with San Francisco CBD achieving 52% RevPAR growth, supported by a thriving tech economy and events like the Dreamforce Conference.
Leisure demand: Urban leisure demand increased, driven by strong holiday demand and renovated hotels in Waikiki and Deerfield Beach.
Non-government business travel: Non-government-related business transient revenues grew by 5%, with corporate rates up 2%.
Non-room revenue: Achieved robust non-room revenue growth of 7.2%, exceeding RevPAR performance by nearly 900 basis points.
Cost management: Disciplined cost management led to total operating costs increasing only 0.8% during the quarter.
Debt refinancing: Addressed all near-term debt maturities through 2028, including refinancing transactions and creating $500 million of new capacity.
Capital allocation: Executed opportunistic asset sales and returned $120 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
Future conversions: On pace to deliver an average of 2 conversions per year, with plans for the Renaissance Pittsburgh and Wyndham Boston Beacon Hill conversions.
Urban-centric strategy: Positioned to benefit from urban market growth, supported by events like the World Cup and 250th Anniversary of America.
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Risk or Challenges
Government Shutdown Impact: The protracted government shutdown negatively affected operating results, particularly in D.C. and Southern California markets, leading to reduced government business demand and group revenues.
RevPAR Decline: The company experienced a 1.5% decline in RevPAR during the fourth quarter, driven by a 0.9% decline in occupancy and a 0.7% decline in ADR, partially due to the government shutdown and difficult year-over-year comparisons.
Price Sensitivity in Leisure Segment: The leisure segment showed some price sensitivity among consumers, which could impact revenue growth in this segment.
Debt Maturities and Refinancing: The company addressed all near-term debt maturities through refinancing, but this resulted in minimal increases in annual interest expenses due to refinancing in a higher interest rate environment.
Soft First Quarter Outlook: The first quarter of 2026 is expected to be the softest due to difficult year-over-year comparisons in D.C. and Southern California, which could impact overall financial performance.
Geopolitical Uncertainty: Lingering geopolitical uncertainty poses risks to the broader economy and travel demand, which could affect the company's performance.
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Guidance & Outlook
RevPAR Growth: For 2026, comparable RevPAR growth is expected to range between 0.5% and 3%.
Comparable Hotel EBITDA: Expected to range between $344 million and $374 million for 2026.
Corporate Adjusted EBITDA: Projected to be between $312 million and $342 million for 2026.
Adjusted FFO per Diluted Share: Anticipated to range between $1.21 and $1.41 for 2026.
Capital Expenditures: Estimated to be in the range of $80 million to $90 million for 2026.
Cash G&A: Expected to range between $32.5 million and $33.5 million for 2026.
Net Interest Expense: Projected to be between $101 million and $103 million for 2026.
Total Revenue Growth: Expected to outpace RevPAR growth due to initiatives driving out-of-room spend.
First Quarter 2026 Outlook: Expected to be the softest quarter with January RevPAR down 1.9% and first quarter adjusted EBITDA contributing approximately 22% of the full-year outlook.
Second Quarter 2026 Outlook: Contribution expected to be similar to last year, with stronger performance anticipated in the back half of the year.
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Shareholder Return Plan
Dividends: The company returned $120 million to shareholders through a well-covered dividend program in 2025. The quarterly dividend was maintained at $0.15 per share, which is described as attractive and well-covered.
Share Repurchases: The company repurchased 3.3 million shares for $28.6 million in 2025. This was part of a broader capital allocation strategy to return value to shareholders.
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Key Q&A
Q:How much benefit are you assuming from the World Cup and easier comps due to the government shutdown? How much of the RevPAR growth this year is expected to come from rate growth versus occupancy?
A:The company is balancing rate and occupancy equally at the midpoint of guidance. They expect BT (business transient) to improve due to national accounts returning, leading to rate growth. Leisure demand is expected to increase in 2026 due to unique events, with urban leisure outperforming. The World Cup is expected to contribute 45 basis points of pickup, with 9 markets benefiting from 63 games. High-occupancy renovations from last year will add 40 basis points. Additional benefits include events like the 250th anniversary in D.C., Boston, New York, and Philly, March Madness, and the Final Four.
Q:How are you prioritizing capital allocation between asset sales and share repurchases? What would need to change for external growth to become more attractive?
A:The company is balancing near-term opportunities and long-term resiliency. They are constructive on asset sales and plan to recycle more proceeds in 2026 while maintaining their balance sheet. They view buybacks as an important tool and aim to drive shareholder value and earnings growth. External growth would become more attractive with changes in valuation or transaction markets.
Q:What are your expectations for operating costs and EBITDA margin growth in 2026?
A:Expenses are expected to grow about 3%, with variable expenses at 2% and fixed expenses at 4%, excluding tax benefits. Wage and benefits growth is assumed to be 3%-4%. EBITDA margin growth is projected at 1% year-over-year at the midpoint.
Q:What are the plans for conversions and renovations in 2026?
A:The company completed 7 conversions to date and has 2 more underway, including Boston and Pittsburgh. Renovations this year are smaller in scale compared to last year, with Boston being the largest project. Recent conversions have shown strong performance, with 4 most recent ones achieving 15% RevPAR growth. The company plans to continue delivering 2 conversions per year.
Q:What was the motivation and process for selling Dallas and Houston hotels?
A:The decision was based on market demand drivers and forward capital needs for one asset, while the other was sold opportunistically to an alternative use buyer. The company is leveraging credible inbound calls in today's market.
Q:How do you balance expected improvement in Northern California with potential asset sales in non-CBD hotels?
A:The company balances its footprint size to benefit from San Francisco's relative strength while being opportunistic with asset sales. They prioritize submarkets thoughtfully when pruning their portfolio.
Q:Do you expect any material change in how bookings from brands will be sourced this year due to AI efforts?
A:The company is working with brands to enhance consumer interaction and booking through brand.com, which has the highest return. They support centralized services and AI tools for cost savings and productivity enhancements. They are also improving data insights for asset management decisions.
Q:Is there any change in labor cost growth expectations for the third and fourth quarters, particularly in New York City?
A:Labor cost growth is embedded in the overall blended expense growth of 3% for the year. Contract labor is being reduced, and productivity is improving. Management companies are focusing on scheduling and operational efficiencies to maintain sustainable business models.
Q:Is there any thought to reshaping the portfolio to deemphasize select-service hotels?
A:The company is leaning towards lifestyle-oriented assets with thoughtful F&B and appropriate room counts. They expect the transaction market to improve and plan to be active in asset sales, focusing on urban lifestyle properties.
Q:Are brands showing more flexibility in CapEx and operational efficiencies?
A:The company has strong relationships with brand partners, who are being thoughtful about renovation requirements and market-specific needs. Brands are offering benefits for capital deployment and reallocating fee dollars to support owners.
Q:What is the likelihood of hitting the low end of guidance for 2026?
A:The range reflects potential variations in production strength or weakness from factors like the World Cup, special events, urban market performance, and conversion ramp-ups. The midpoint is based on current visibility, but the transient business's short-term booking window adds uncertainty.
Q:What are the economics behind the Wyndham Boston conversion to Tapestry?
A:The conversion is expected to generate 40% EBITDA upside due to location advantages and demand drivers. The renovation costs are not significantly higher than a normal renovation, and returns are projected to be well north of 50%. The Hilton system will enhance the asset's market positioning and business mix.
Q:Do you expect RevPAR growth to outperform total revenue growth in 2026?
A:Total revenue is expected to outperform room revenue by about 50 basis points. F&B improvements, including beverage-centric renovations and community-focused initiatives, are driving margin growth and contributing to the outperformance.
Q:What percentage of business was government-related in 2025, and what is expected in 2026?
A:In a normalized year, government-related business is 3%. In 2025, it was down about 20%. The 2026 range assumes no change in government demand.
Q:What factors are considered when deciding on asset dispositions?
A:The company considers market demand trends, return on capital for sustaining assets, and opportunistic offers. They actively manage their portfolio and evaluate all aspects relative to a constructive disposition environment.
Q:Is there appetite for larger-scale portfolio deals today?
A:The most active buyers are owner-operators focusing on single assets. However, there is increasing volume for larger single assets, which could lead to liquidity for smaller asset pools. Interest rate cuts and conviction in bottom-line growth are key factors for larger deals.
Q:Review of Unclear Management Responses
A:Management avoided directly addressing the likelihood of hitting the low end of guidance for 2026, citing the transient business's short-term booking window and potential variations in production strength or weakness. Additionally, while they discussed general factors influencing asset dispositions, they did not provide specific details on how these factors are weighted or prioritized.
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Earnings Word Cloud
The most frequently occurring keywords in this quarter's earning call
ADR demand
America addition
America scale
Angeles Miami
Anniversary America
Austin Director
Baseball Star
Boston
California market
Collection
Cup game
Deerfield Beach
RevPAR basis
Waikiki Deerfield
conversion RevPAR
conversion renovation
demand segment
demand shutdown
economy
government shutdown
group dynamic
hotel Waikiki
leisure demand
line result
multiple
occupancy renovation
outperformance market
positioning
progress
ramp conversion
result outperformance
sale
sector
setup
travel demand
trend demand
RLJ Transcript
RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Unknown2-27
The earnings call presents a mixed outlook. While there are positive aspects like expected urban market performance, successful conversions, and lifestyle-oriented asset focus, there are also concerns such as moderated Q4 2025 view, negative RevPAR guidance, and macroeconomic uncertainties. The Q&A section highlights uncertainties in guidance and asset dispositions. Overall, the sentiment is neutral, with no significant catalysts to drive the stock price strongly in either direction. Given the company's market cap, a neutral movement (-2% to 2%) is anticipated over the next two weeks.
RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Unknown11-6
The earnings call presents a mixed outlook. Despite positive developments like renovations and strategic events in 2026, current headwinds such as softer RevPAR, government shutdown impacts, and cost pressures overshadow potential gains. The Q&A reveals management's optimism for long-term growth, but immediate challenges like declining RevPAR and unclear guidance responses raise concerns. Given the company's small-cap status and current market conditions, the stock is likely to experience a negative reaction in the short term.
RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) Q2 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Unknown8-8
The company's earnings call reveals mixed signals: strong urban leisure performance and positive Nashville market updates are offset by soft group bookings and flat RevPAR guidance. While F&B revenue is up, leisure rate pressure and unclear management responses on supply growth impact create uncertainty. The market cap suggests a moderate reaction, leading to a neutral sentiment.
RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE:RLJ) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Unknown5-6
Despite strong shareholder return initiatives, the earnings call revealed several negative factors: EPS and revenue missed expectations, guidance was lowered due to economic uncertainties, and there is a decline in occupancy rates. The Q&A highlighted concerns about government demand, international travel, and increased cancellations. Although there are positive aspects like share repurchases and a new partnership, the overall sentiment remains negative, especially given the market cap of $1.48 billion, which implies a more pronounced reaction to these developments.
RLJ Slides
RLJ Report
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