PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 4, 2020 -Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) today announced results for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Highlights include:
Diluted earnings per share increased 5% to $0.23, and adjusted diluted EPS decreased 4% to $0.50.
Net income was $22 million for the first quarter, a 5% increase over the prior-year quarter; adjusted net income was $47 million, an 8% decrease over the prior-year quarter.
Adjusted EBITDA decreased 4% compared with the prior-year quarter, to $107 million.
System-wide rooms grew 2% year-over-year.
The Company’s development pipeline grew 4% year-over-year to 189,000 rooms.
Global RevPAR declined 23% year-over-year in constant currency.
“During the most challenging crisis the hotel industry has ever endured, our highest priority has remained the well-being and safety of our guests, owners and team members. We have taken the difficult but prudent measures to reduce our costs and bolster our liquidity while providing support and relief for our franchisees to help them weather this downturn,” said Geoffrey A. Ballotti, chief executive officer. “Nearly 5,900 of our 6,300 hotels in the U.S. remain open, and with nearly 90% of those properties located outside of major cities in drive-to destinations that cater to a leisure customer base, we believe that our asset-light business is well positioned for a quick recovery when travel demand returns.”
Revenues decreased 12% to $410 million, compared with $468 million in the first quarter of 2019. The decline includes lower pass-through cost-reimbursement revenues, which have little to no impact on adjusted EBITDA, in the Company’s hotel management business. Excluding cost-reimbursement revenues, revenues declined $29 million or 9%, reflecting a 23% decline in constant-currency RevPAR, as well as lower license fees which were adversely impacted by declining travel demand.
Net income increased 5% to $22 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, compared to $21 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2019 due to lower separation-related expenses associated with the Company’s spin-off and a decline in overall expenses due to cost reduction initiatives, partially offset by the decline in revenue (excluding cost-reimbursement revenues). Full reconciliations of GAAP results to the Company’s non-GAAP adjusted measures for all reported periods appear in the tables to this press release.
Business Segment Discussion
The following discussion of first quarter operating results focuses on revenue and adjusted EBITDA for each of the Company’s segments.
The Company’s franchised system increased 3% globally, which included the transfer of 7,100 rooms from the hotel management segment related to the CorePoint Lodging asset sales. Excluding the transfer, franchised net rooms grew 2% globally, including 40 basis point growth in the U.S. and 5% growth internationally.
RevPAR declined 23% globally due to travel restrictions related to COVID-19. In the U.S., RevPAR declined 17%, and internationally RevPAR declined 37% primarily due to a 70% decline in China.
Revenues decreased $26 million, or 10%, compared to first quarter 2019 reflecting the impact of COVID-19 on travel demand globally, while a decline in Adjusted EBITDA of $5 million, or 4%, was partially mitigated by cost savings initiatives.
The Company’s managed system decreased 11% globally primarily reflecting the transfer of 7,100 rooms to the hotel franchising segment as a result of CorePoint Lodging asset sales. Excluding the transfer of rooms to the hotel franchising segment, the Company’s managed system decreased 1% primarily due to the loss of rooms in the U.S. that were previously covered by unprofitable hotel management guarantees.
RevPAR declined 21% globally, primarily reflecting a 17% decline in the U.S. and a 31% decline internationally.
Revenues decreased $30 million compared to the prior-year period due to lower cost-reimbursement revenues, which have little to no impact on adjusted EBITDA. The decline in cost-reimbursement revenues is due to the loss of management properties resulting from the CorePoint Lodging asset sales and the termination of unprofitable hotel-management guarantees. Absent cost-reimbursements, revenues and adjusted EBITDA were unchanged as the unfavorable impact of COVID-19 on our owned and managed properties was offset by $5 million of management contract termination fees received from CorePoint Lodging asset sales.
Development
During the first quarter of 2020, the Company opened 58 new hotels totaling 6,200 rooms, a year-over-year decline of 47% as new construction openings were delayed in China and conversion volumes were materially lower in the U.S. during March. The Company retained 94.8% of its hotel system over the last twelve months compared to 94.7% during the same period last year. As of March 31, 2020, the Company’s hotel system consisted of approximately 9,300 properties and over 828,000 rooms, a 2% year-over-year increase.
The Company’s development pipeline consisted of 1,500 hotels and approximately 189,000 rooms, a 4% year- over-year room increase, or 2% decline sequentially. Approximately 58% of the Company’s development pipeline is international and 72% is new construction, of which nearly 40% have broken ground.
Balance Sheet and Liquidity
As of March 31, 2020, the Company had $749 million of cash on hand and $2.9 billion of debt outstanding, of which $2.4 billion was first lien debt. The Company’s first lien leverage ratio was 2.6x as of March 31, 2020, within the 5.0x limitation of its quarterly tested leverage covenant under its credit agreement. In April, the Company amended its credit agreement and obtained a waiver of the quarterly tested leverage covenant through and including the first quarter of 2021 (unless earlier terminated by the Company, subject to certain conditions). The Company is not required to test this covenant until June 30, 2021. The covenant calculation was also modified for the second, third and fourth quarters of 2021 to use annualized EBITDA rather than the last-twelve-months EBITDA, as previously required. In return for the amendment, among other modifications, the Company agreed to maintain minimum liquidity of $200 million, pay 25 basis points of higher interest on outstanding borrowings and restrict share repurchases. The Company has the ability to make future quarterly dividend payments up to the amount of $0.16 per share, so long as liquidity is greater than $300 million. In addition, the Company has the right to elect out of the waiver period at its discretion, at which time the restrictions on dividends and share repurchases would be lifted.
For the three months ended March 31, 2020, net cash provided by operating activities was $17 million, compared to $7 million in the prior year period. The increase was driven by lower separation and transaction cash outlays.
Share Repurchases and Dividends
During the first quarter of 2020, the Company repurchased approximately 878,000 shares of its common stock for $45 million at an average price of $51.57 per share. The Company suspended its share repurchase activities in March.
The Company paid common stock dividends of $30 million, or $0.32 per share, in the first quarter of 2020.
Due to the material adverse impact on the global economy and travel demand resulting from COVID-19, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a reduction in the quarterly cash dividend policy from $0.32 per share to $0.08 per share, beginning with the dividend that is expected to be declared, at the Board’s discretion, in the second quarter of 2020.
Other Items
In response to the effects on travel demand as a result of COVID-19, the Company identified approximately $255 million of cash savings. In connection with these initiatives, the Company has eliminated approximately 440 positions, reduced capital spend to focus only on the highest priority projects, eliminated all non-essential spend, consolidated certain facilities and indefinitely suspended Mr. Ballotti’s salary and the Company’s Board of Directors’ cash compensation. As a result, the Company recorded a restructuring charge of $13 million during the first quarter of 2020 and expects to incur an additional charge of $18 million during the second quarter of 2020.
The first quarter charge primarily represents future cash expenditures for the payment of severance and related benefits costs resulting from the elimination of approximately 260 positions. The Company expects this initiative to be substantially complete in the second quarter of 2020 and that annual savings realized will be approximately $30 million.
The second quarter charge will represent future cash expenditures of approximately $13 million for the payment of severance and related benefit costs resulting from the elimination of approximately 180 positions and approximately $5 million of lease-related costs. The Company expects this initiative to be substantially complete in the second quarter of 2020 and that annual savings realized will be approximately $21 million to $25 million.
Outlook
The Company’s ability to assess the impact of COVID-19 on its full-year financial results continues to be limited due to the rapidly evolving circumstances and uncertainty in travel demand. As a result, the Company remains unable, at this time, to accurately predict and provide 2020 outlook.
Conference Call Information
Wyndham Hotels will hold a conference call with investors to discuss the Company’s results and outlook on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Listeners can access the webcast live through the Company’s website at www.investor.wyndhamhotels.com. The conference call may also be accessed by dialing 877 876-9173 and providing the passcode “Wyndham”. Listeners are urged to call at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. An archive of this webcast will be available on the website for approximately 90 days beginning at noon ET on May 5, 2020. A telephone replay will be available for approximately ten days beginning at noon ET on May 5, 2020 at 800 839-1162.
Presentation of Financial Information
Financial information discussed in this press release includes non-GAAP measures, which include or exclude certain items. These non-GAAP measures differ from reported GAAP results and are intended to illustrate what management believes are relevant period-over-period comparisons and are helpful to investors as an additional tool for further understanding and assessing the Company’s ongoing operating performance. The Company uses these measures internally to assess its operating performance, both absolutely and in comparison to other companies, and to make day to day operating decisions, including in the evaluation of selected compensation decisions. Exclusion of items in the Company’s non-GAAP presentation should not be considered an inference that these items are unusual, infrequent or non-recurring. Full reconciliations of GAAP results to the comparable non-GAAP measures for the reported periods appear in the financial tables section of this press release.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 828,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers 83 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com. The Company may use its website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Disclosures of this nature will be included on the Company’s website in the Investors section, which can currently be accessed at www.investor.wyndhamhotels.com.
Accordingly, investors should monitor this section of the Company’s website in addition to following the Company’s press releases, filings submitted with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any public conference calls or webcasts.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements related to Wyndham Hotels’ current views and expectations with respect to its future performance and operations, including revenues, earnings, cash flow and other financial and operating measures, share repurchases and dividends, restructuring charges and statements related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forward-looking statements include those that convey management’s expectations as to the future based on plans, estimates and projections at the time Wyndham Hotels makes the statements and may be identified by words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “goal,” “future,” “outlook,” “guidance,” “target,” “estimate,” “projection” and similar words or expressions, including the negative version of such words and expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Wyndham Hotels to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, general economic conditions; the continuation or worsening of the effects from the
COVID-19 pandemic, its scope, duration and impact on the Company’s business operations, financial results, cash flows and liquidity, as well as the impact on the Company’s franchisees and property owners, guests and team members, the hospitality industry and overall demand for travel; the success of the Company’s mitigation efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the Company’s performance in any recovery from the
COVID-19 pandemic; the performance of financial and credit markets; the economic environment for the hospitality industry; operating risks associated with the hotel franchising and management businesses; the Company’s relationships with franchisees and property owners; the impact of war, terrorist activity or political strife; concerns with or threats of pandemics, contagious diseases or health epidemics, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and actions governments, businesses and individuals take in response to the pandemic, including stay-in-place directives and other travel restrictions; risks related to the acquisition of La Quinta and the Company’s relationship with CorePoint Lodging; the Company’s ability to satisfy obligations and agreements under its outstanding indebtedness, including the payment of principal and interest and compliance with covenants thereunder; risks related to the Company’s ability to obtain financing and the terms of such financing, including access to liquidity and capital as a result of COVID-19; and the Company’s ability and plans to pay dividends and to repurchase shares including the timing and amount of any future share repurchases and dividends, as well as the risks described in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise.
Will require consistent use of industry-leading, EPA-approved disinfectants from Ecolab; announces plans to drop-ship hard-to-source face masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes to over 6,000 U.S. hotels
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (May 4, 2020) – Highlighting its continued commitment to hotel owners, team members and guests, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,300 hotels across 90 countries, today launched “Count on UsSM,” a new long-term, multi-faceted initiative to build confidence among guests and to support franchisees as it begins making preparations to welcome travelers back to its more than 6,000 U.S. hotels.
Launch of the new initiative follows dialogue and collaboration with Wyndham franchisees, members of its Franchise Advisory Councils, leading industry partners, and key trade organizations like the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). The immediate focus is to further elevate health and safety protocols at Wyndham hotels in the wake of COVID-19, shore up critical supply chains and introduce new standards, training and guidelines grounded in guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Wyndham will also partner with industry leader Ecolab on requiring consistent use of Ecolab’s EPA-approved disinfectants in hotel guestrooms and public spaces nationwide.
“We want the everyday traveler to know they can count on us to put their health and safety first,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Over 90% of our hotels in the U.S. today are open and welcoming essential business, government, healthcare and emergency responders every night. We salute these everyday heroes who are keeping our nation running. We know that people will also travel again for leisure and to see family and friends. And when they do, Wyndham will be ready to welcome them back.”
Key early components of the new initiative—designed to be cost neutral when combined with other recent operational changes—are slated to begin rolling out in the coming weeks and include:
Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfection of Guestrooms and Public Spaces Through expansion of a decades-long relationship with industry leader Ecolab, Wyndham will require consistent use of Ecolab’s EPA-approved disinfectants in all U.S. hotel guestrooms and public spaces. Building on the already high operational standards at its hotels, the move is anticipated to help deliver an elevated and more consistent cleaning experience nationwide while providing hotel owners and their team members with access to Ecolab’s best-in-class training and resources, including a field team of more than 2,000 on-the-ground experts ready to assist hotels.
A global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention technologies and services with nearly 100 years of experience, Ecolab develops its products with a rigorous, science-based approach to infection prevention that helps enable hotels to consistently achieve the highest cleaning standards. In recent years, Wyndham’s brand operations teams have spent significant time in Ecolab’s research and development facilities, increasing their education on best practices and offering perspective on real-world use and how to create a better, cleaner stay for guests.
Easy Access to COVID-19 Health Essentials In response to the growing challenges that many small businesses and individuals face as they try to secure essential health supplies that meet CDC guidelines, Wyndham will leverage its scale and relationships with world class distributors to begin drop-shipping critical products to its more than 6,000 hotels across the U.S. within the next 30 days. Items will include face masks for hotel team members, hand sanitizer for distribution in public areas and guestrooms, and disinfectant wipes for guests. Leveraging volume discounts pre-negotiated by Wyndham, these items will be made available at cost to hotel owners with the Company financing all initial shipments and deferring payments from hotels until September 1, 2020.
Delivering on the Promise of a “Safe Stay” As a member of The AHLA Safe Stay Advisory Council, Wyndham has joined with other industry leaders as well as public health experts, scientists and medical leaders to develop a series of industry best practices and guidelines that focus on enhanced hotel cleaning practices, social interactions, and workplace protocols to meet the new health and safety challenges presented by COVID-19. In coordination with the rollout of these guidelines, Wyndham will be implementing a series of mandatory virtual trainings for all hotels while providing additional resources like housekeeping checklists, which hotels can use with team members to ensure consistency and accountability in execution.
A Visible Commitment to Guests Recognizing the importance of building trust and instilling confidence, Wyndham is also taking steps to ensure guests and hotel team members can physically see the above efforts and trust in their impact. On property, guests will be offered sanitizing wipes along with their keycards at check in, notice social distancing enhancing measures in public spaces, observe increased frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch areas, and can utilize complimentary travel-size hand sanitizer in each room. To further amplify these efforts, Wyndham will make available to hotels a suite of branded collateral emphasizing key safety measures. Similar messaging will also make its way onto the Company’s brand websites, emails and social channels.
“At a time when our industry is facing unprecedented challenges, Wyndham has once again proven itself to be an unwavering partner and advocate for me and for my business,” said Ajit Patel, chairman of the Days Inn® by Wyndham Franchise Advisory Council and a 21-year Wyndham franchisee. “By consistently putting first the needs of its franchisees, Wyndham enables us to always do what is best for our hotel and in turn, what is best for our team members and our guests.”
Count on Us is an extension of Wyndham’s signature Count on Me® service culture and is the latest in a growing list of efforts by the Company to help hotels, team members and guests affected by the global impact of COVID-19. In the last month alone, Wyndham has taken unprecedented steps to provide substantial financial assistance to its thousands of hotel owners; united with leading companies to offer alternative employment opportunities to displaced Wyndham team members; updated its policies to provide travelers and Wyndham Rewards members with increased travel flexibility; and launched #EverydayHeroes, a new initiative honoring essential workers on the frontlines of COVID-19. In the months to come, the Company will look for new ways to bring Count on Us to life, including exploring opportunities to expand the initiative to its hotels around the world.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by number of properties with approximately 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 831,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with approximately 400 properties under management. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 81 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
Will Host Conference Call and Webcast on May 5, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. ET
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) announced today that it will report first quarter 2020 results on Monday, May 4, 2020 at approximately 5:00 p.m. ET. Geoffrey A. Ballotti, president and chief executive officer, and Michele Allen, chief financial officer, will host a call with investors on May 5, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the Company’s results and business outlook.
Listeners can access the webcast live through the Company’s website at www.investor.wyndhamhotels.com. The conference call may also be accessed by calling 877 876-9173 and providing the passcode “Wyndham.” Listeners are urged to call at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. An archive of this webcast will be available on the website for approximately 90 days beginning at noon ET on May 5, 2020. A telephone replay will be available for approximately ten days beginning at noon ET on May 5, 2020 at 800 839-1162.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company, with approximately 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 831,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection®, and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with approximately 400 properties under management. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 81 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (April 14, 2020) – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties with approximately 9,300 hotels across 90 countries, today announced the launch of its new #EverydayHeroes initiative, offering all essential workers on the front lines of COVID-19 instant complimentary Gold membership upgrades in its award-winning loyalty program, Wyndham Rewards®.
Eligible workers—including, but not limited to, truck drivers, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, construction workers, sanitation workers, grocery associates and of course, healthcare workers—may claim their upgrades by visiting www.wyndhamrewards.com/heroes. The offer is available to both new and existing Wyndham Rewards members.
“We’re humbled to honor such a deserving group of individuals: everyday people who have been performing herculean tasks in the face of danger,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “This is one small way we can help make their next trip—whether it be to visit loved ones, friends, or simply to get away—as special as it deserves to be. They’ve earned it.”
Wyndham Rewards Gold membership provides everyday travelers with a host of meaningful benefits including members-only discounts, a dedicated member services line, preferred rooms, accelerated points earning and late checkout. Membership upgrade must be requested by September 30, 2020, is good through December 31, 2021, and applies to stays at all 20 Wyndham brands including names like Days Inn® by Wyndham, Super 8® by Wyndham, La Quinta® by Wyndham and Wyndham Grand.
In addition to recognizing those on the front lines of COVID-19, Wyndham continues to update its policies worldwide to provide travelers and Wyndham Rewards members with increased travel flexibility—relaxing cancellation policies, extending membership benefits and delaying points expiration. The Company also encourages members to donate Wyndham Rewards points to its preferred charitable partners, many of whom are also working to fight the burdens created by COVID-19.
Recently named the number one hotel rewards program by readers of USA TODAY, Wyndham Rewards® is the world’s most generous rewards program with more than 30,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Designed for the everyday traveler, members earn a guaranteed 1,000 points with every qualified stay and may redeem points for a wide-range of rewards, including free nights at any of approximately 9,300 hotels or thousands of vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally through affiliation with Wyndham Destinations (NYSE: WYND) and others. Wyndham Rewards has approximately 81 million enrolled members around the globe. Join for free today at www.wyndhamrewards.com. You’ve earned this.®
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 831,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with approximately 400 properties under management. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 81 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (April 6, 2020) – As the global novel coronavirus pandemic creates unprecedented circumstances for hospitality workers around the country, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has partnered with leading organizations to give team members whose positions have been furloughed or eliminated access to job opportunities opening up across various industries including retail, grocery, senior living and more.
The new relationships empower Wyndham’s affected hotel-level and corporate team members with opportunities to align their hospitality experience with thousands of newly available full-time, part-time, or temporary positions within leading corporations that are rapidly expanding their workforces to meet changing demands.
Team members whose positions were furloughed or eliminated may access employment opportunities with well-known national and regional organizations, including:
Albertsons Companies
Amazon
Dollar Tree & Family Dollar
Domino’s
Lowe’s
Pizza Hut
Senior Living Works
University of Texas Medical Branch
Walgreens
Walmart
Wyndham is also working closely with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the AHLA Foundation to identify and make available additional relevant work opportunities for hospitality professionals, available on AHLA’s website.
“In such difficult and destabilizing times, it’s more important than ever for businesses to come together to help serve those who need us most,” said Mary Falvey, chief administrative officer at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Our team members are the best of the best – their passion for hospitality makes them ideal candidates to help fill these essential positions on a temporary basis. We’re grateful to partner with other leading companies who recognize and celebrate the skillset and service these team members can provide while the hotel industry works to overcome the impact of this crisis.”
Team members at all levels are eligible to explore positions and can access relevant information and resources through Wyndham’s online human resources and learning portal or on the Company’s new Workforce Resources page, available here.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 831,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with approximately 400 properties under management. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 81 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
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With new search and RFP features, Wyndham caters to small and mid-size groups and meetings;
Offers limited-time discount of 10% off qualifying revenue on master bill, now through March 31
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts – the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,300 hotels in approximately 90 countries – is making planning group travel easier than ever by partnering with Cvent to develop wyndhamhotels.com/meetings, a dynamic site featuring innovative search capabilities designed to make the RFP process seamless for occasional planners and event organizers.
For more experienced planners, Wyndham worked with Cvent to create innovative, customized, location-based microsites within the Cvent Supplier Network, the world’s largest venue sourcing database used by more than 100,000 actively sourcing meeting professionals. Professional planners who have their eye on specific destinations can now search by region for Wyndham’s hotels in the U.S. and Canada; Latin America; Europe, Middle East and Africa; and South East Asia. Wyndham also offers third-party planners booking on behalf of other organizations a generous 10% commission on actualized booking revenue.
To celebrate, Wyndham is offering planners the opportunity to save 10% off qualifying revenue on their master bill for group bookings of 20 rooms or more booked by March 31 (for stays completed by December 31, 2020) at participating locations. Planners simply submit an RFP on wyndhamhotels.com/meetings and reference “MP2020” in the contract. Full terms and conditions are available at wyndhamhotels.com/meetings.
“Many of us become travel planners at some point, whether we’re scheduling a business meeting, planning a social event, or booking a room block for a tournament. For both experienced professional planners and occasional event organizers, finding the right hotel is all about simplicity, speed and options,” said Carol Lynch, Wyndham’s senior vice president, global sales. “That’s exactly what we aim to deliver with these new tools: give planners a seamless search experience across 9,300 hotels and 15 million square feet of meeting and event space worldwide to help curate the perfect gathering – whether you’re planning your first meeting or your fiftieth.”
Wyndhamhotels.com/meetings now allows planners to intuitively filter by location, capacity, amenities and more, empowering them to send RFPs and request a complete proposal back from multiple hotels. It also thoughtfully features Wyndham’s full portfolio of both full and select-service hotel brands for planners to explore, whether planning a corporate meeting at Dolce by Wyndham’s Silverado Resort and Spa, a team conference at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort, or a room block for their team’s cheer competition at the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Orlando I Drive Theme Parks.
For more casual planners who are looking for event-specific support, the site also offers global, occasion-minded collections focused on sports team travel, tour and leisure trips, incentive travel and meetings on a new search page empowering a retail “shopping cart” experience where they can explore multiple Wyndham hotels. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts hotels participate in the award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program, offering approximately 81 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, club resorts and vacation rental properties globally.
Planners who are members of Wyndham Rewards can take advantage of go meetSM to earn one point per dollar spent on qualifying revenue, including meeting space and event catering, with no minimum spend and no maximum point limit at participating properties. For full terms and conditions, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com/wyndham-rewards/go-meet.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 831,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with approximately 400 properties under management. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 81 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
Global hotel company’s culture of integrity, ethical business practices and focus on social responsibility and sustainability are the foundation of its commanding presence in the lodging industry
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (February 25, 2020) – With a commitment to acting with integrity and a mission to making hotel travel possible for all, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) has been recognized as one of the 2020 World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. This distinction marks the second time the Company has been by named to the list by Ethisphere, a leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is one of only two companies recognized in the lodging and hospitality segment for 2020.
“Our ethics and values-driven culture guide how we serve our guests, partners, communities and each other every day,” said Paul Cash, general counsel and chief compliance officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Wyndham’s core values of integrity, accountability, inclusivity, caring and fun are reflected in our compliance, social responsibility and sustainability programs, helping us to make smart and ethical decisions, which contribute to the bottom line.”
The World’s Most Ethical Companies designation recognizes those companies which align principle with action, work tirelessly to make trust part of their corporate DNA, and in doing so, shape future industry standards by introducing tomorrow’s best practices today.
“Our ethical business practices foster great experiences and brand loyalty for our guests and for Wyndham Rewards members, as well as our Wyndham Hotels & Resorts team members,” added Samantha Vaughan, group vice president, corporate compliance and chief privacy officer.
Maintaining a strong focus on ethical practices is part of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ robust social responsibility commitment. Some of the Company’s activities and accomplishments include:
Creating a diverse and inclusive place to work and do business through its values-driven culture of ethics and integrity;
Working to protect human rights by providing team members, hotel owners and franchisees training and awareness tools to identify human trafficking in partnership with Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), Polaris Project and ECPAT-USA; and
Implementing the Wyndham Green Certification Program, a progressive five-level property certification program focusing on sets of actions addressing energy, water and operational efficiencies as well as other industry best practices.
The World’s Most Ethical Company assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Quotient® (EQ) framework which offers a quantitative way to assess a company’s performance in an objective, consistent and standardized way. The information collected provides a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies, rather than all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics. Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35%), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20%), culture of ethics (20%), governance (15%) and leadership and reputation (10%).
About the Ethisphere Institute
The Ethisphere® Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character and measure and improve culture. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies recognition program and provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA). More information about Ethisphere can be found at: https://ethisphere.com.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 831,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with approximately 400 properties under management. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 81 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
Company Increases Dividend 10% and Provides Full-Year 2020 Projections
PARSIPPANY, N.J., February 13, 2020 – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) today announced results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2019. Highlights include:
Diluted earnings per share for the quarter increased 58% to $0.68 and was unchanged for the full-year at $1.62; adjusted diluted EPS grew 40% to $0.81 for the quarter and 21% to $3.28 for the full-year.
Net income increased 49% to $64 million for the quarter, and decreased 3% to $157 million for the full-year; adjusted net income increased 35% to $77 million for the quarter, and 17% to $317 million for the full-year.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 22% to $153 million for the quarter, and 21% to $613 million for the full-year.
System-wide rooms grew 3% year-over-year, including S. rooms growth of 1% and international rooms growth of 6%.
The Company’s development pipeline grew 7% year-over-year to 193,000
S. RevPAR declined 3% compared to the prior-year quarter, and international RevPAR remained unchanged compared to the prior-year quarter in constant currency.
Returned over $100 million to shareholders in the quarter, through share repurchases and dividends, and over $350 million for the full-year 2019.
“We finished 2019 with another solid quarter, capping off a year in which we delivered rooms growth, earnings growth and free cash flow that were in line with our expectations despite headwinds from a soft RevPAR environment. We achieved these results through consistent execution, careful expense management and disciplined capital allocation,” said Geoffrey A. Ballotti, chief executive officer. “As we enter 2020, we are confident in the strength and resilience of our business and remain focused on executing every day to deliver exceptional value for our hotel owners, hotel guests and shareholders.”
Fourth Quarter 2019 Operating Results
Revenues decreased 7% to $492 million, compared to $527 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. The decline reflects lower pass-through cost-reimbursement revenues, which are inconsequential to adjusted EBITDA, in the Company’s hotel management business. Excluding cost-reimbursements, revenue grew 2% reflecting growth in royalties and franchise fees, higher license fees, and an increase in marketing, reservation and loyalty fees, partially offset by lower other revenues.
Net income increased 49% to $64 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, compared to $43 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2018. Fourth quarter 2019 results include costs primarily related to a restructuring charge focused on enhancing the Company’s organizational efficiency and rationalizing its operations, transaction-related expenses associated with the integration of La Quinta and separation-related expenses associated with the Company’s spin-off. Fourth quarter 2018 results include costs primarily related to separation-related expenses associated with the Company’s spin-off.
Adjusted net income increased 35% to $77 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, compared to $57 million, or $0.58 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2018. Fourth quarter adjusted net income benefited from the growth in revenues (excluding cost-reimbursement revenues), as well as lower marketing expenses due to timing and increased synergies from the integration of La Quinta. Full reconciliations of GAAP results to the Company’s non-GAAP adjusted measures for all reported periods appear in the tables to this press release.
Fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA was $153 million, compared to $125 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, an increase of 22%. The increase in adjusted EBITDA primarily reflects the growth in revenues (excluding cost-reimbursement revenues), as well as, lower marketing expenses due to timing and increased synergies from the integration of La Quinta.
Full-Year 2019 Operating Results
Revenues increased 10% to $2,053 million, compared to $1,868 million in 2018. Results reflect $267 million of incremental revenues from La Quinta and $115 million of lower cost-reimbursement revenues in the Company’s hotel management business, which have no impact on adjusted EBITDA. Excluding the impact of these items, revenues increased 3% primarily due to higher license fees, an increase in marketing, reservation and loyalty fees and higher other revenues, partially offset by a $20 million reduction to revenues related to the Company’s agreement with CorePoint Lodging.
Net income was $157 million, or $1.62 per diluted share, compared to $162 million, or $1.62 per diluted share, in 2018. Full-year 2019 results reflect separation-related, transaction-related, impairment, contract-termination and restructuring expenses. Prior-year results included separation-related and transaction-related expenses associated with the Company’s spin-off and acquisition of La Quinta.
Adjusted net income was $317 million, or $3.28 per diluted share, compared to $270 million, or $2.71 per diluted share, in 2018. Full-year adjusted net income benefited from revenue growth, as well as incremental adjusted net income and increased synergies from the acquisition and integration of La Quinta, partially offset by higher interest expense. Full reconciliations of GAAP results to the Company’s non-GAAP adjusted measures for all reported periods appear in the tables to this press release.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 21% to $613 million, compared to $507 million in 2018. Results are consistent with the Company’s recent projection of adjusted EBITDA of $610 million to $615 million for the full year. Excluding $63 million of incremental EBITDA from La Quinta and $17 million of incremental synergies, adjusted EBITDA increased 6%, primarily reflecting the growth in revenues.
As of December 31, 2019, the Company’s hotel system consisted of approximately 9,300 properties and over 831,000 rooms, a 3% year-over-year increase. The Company’s development pipeline consisted of 1,500 hotels and approximately 193,000 rooms, a 7% year-over-year room increase or 2% sequentially. Approximately 57% of the Company’s development pipeline is international and 70% is new construction.
Fourth Quarter 2019 Business Segment Information
The following discussion of fourth quarter operating results focuses on revenue and adjusted EBITDA for each of the Company’s segments.
Revenues increased 2% compared to fourth quarter 2018, due to growth in royalties and franchise fees, higher license fees, and an increase in marketing, reservation and loyalty fees, partially offset by lower other revenues. Adjusted EBITDA grew 24% to $151 million, reflecting the growth in revenues, lower marketing expenses and increased synergies from the integration of La Quinta.
Revenues decreased $39 million compared to the prior-year period, due to lower cost-reimbursement revenues, which have no impact on adjusted EBITDA. The decline in cost-reimbursement revenues is primarily due to a change in the way the Company is required to account for certain costs at a portion of its managed hotels. Absent cost-reimbursements, revenues increased $3 million primarily related to management contract termination fees. Adjusted EBITDA increased $3 million compared to the prior-year quarter primarily reflecting the management contract termination fees.
Other Items
Share Repurchases and Dividend Payments – The Company repurchased approximately 1.3 million shares of its common stock for $75 million in the fourth quarter. The Company paid common stock dividends of $27 million, or $0.29 per share, in the fourth quarter. For the full-year, the Company repurchased approximately 4.5 million shares of stock, or 5% of shares outstanding, for $244 million and paid $112 million, or $1.16 per share in dividends.
Dividend Increase – The Company’s Board of Directors authorized a 10% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to 32 cents from 29 cents per share, beginning with the dividend that is expected to be declared in the first quarter of 2020.
Restructuring Charge – The Company recorded a restructuring charge of $8 million during the fourth quarter for actions focused on enhancing organizational efficiency and rationalizing its operations.
Outlook
The Company provided the following outlook for full-year 2020, excluding any potential impact from the Coronavirus:
Revenues of $1.89 billion to $1.93 billion driven by lower cost-reimbursement revenues, which have no impact on adjusted EBITDA. Excluding cost-reimbursement revenues, the Company expects revenues of $1.46 billion to $1.49 billion.
Adjusted net income of $329 million to $339 million.
Adjusted EBITDA of $635 million to $645 million, as illustrated below.
Adjusted diluted EPS of $3.48 to $3.58, based on an adjusted diluted share count of 94.6 million that excludes future share repurchases.
Rooms growth of 2% to 4%, including an expected (0.7%) adverse impact from the loss of rooms that were previously covered by unprofitable hotel-management guarantees.
RevPAR of flat to down (2%) in constant currency, including an expected (0.7%) adverse impact from the loss of rooms that were previously covered by unprofitable hotel-management guarantees.
The Company views its year-over-year growth in adjusted EBITDA as follows (in millions):
More detailed projections are available in Table 6 of this press release. The Company is providing outlook for net income and EPS only on a non-GAAP basis because it is unable to predict with reasonable certainty the occurrence or amount of potential adjustments that may arise in the future. Details regarding potential impacts from the Coronavirus will be provided on the Company’s conference call.
Conference Call Information
Wyndham Hotels will hold a conference call with investors to discuss the Company’s results and outlook on Thursday, February 13, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Listeners can access the webcast live through the Company’s website at www.investor.wyndhamhotels.com. The conference call may also be accessed by dialing 877 876-9173 and providing the passcode “Wyndham”. Listeners are urged to call at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. An archive of this webcast will be available on the website for approximately 90 days beginning at noon ET on February 13, 2020. A telephone replay will be available for approximately ten days beginning at noon ET on February 13, 2020 at 800 839-4012.
Presentation of Financial Information
Financial information discussed in this press release includes non-GAAP measures, which include or exclude certain items. These non-GAAP measures differ from reported GAAP results and are intended to illustrate what management believes are relevant period-over-period comparisons and are helpful to investors as an additional tool for further understanding and assessing the Company’s ongoing operating performance. The Company uses these measures internally to assess its operating performance, both absolutely and in comparison to other companies, and to make day to day operating decisions, including in the evaluation of selected compensation decisions. Exclusion of items in the Company’s non-GAAP presentation should not be considered an inference that these items are unusual, infrequent or non-recurring. Full reconciliations of GAAP results to the comparable non-GAAP measures for the reported periods appear in the financial tables section of this press release.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 831,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with approximately 400 properties under management. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 81 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com. The Company may use its website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Disclosures of this nature will be included on the Company’s website in the Investors section, which can currently be accessed at www.investor.wyndhamhotels.com. Accordingly, investors should monitor this section of the Company’s website in addition to following the Company’s press releases, filings submitted with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any public conference calls or webcasts.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements related to Wyndham Hotels’ current views and expectations with respect to its future performance and operations, including revenues, earnings, cash flow and other financial and operating measures, share repurchases and dividends. Forward-looking statements include those that convey management’s expectations as to the future based on plans, estimates and projections at the time Wyndham Hotels makes the statements and may be identified by words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “goal,” “future,” “outlook,” “guidance,” “target,” “estimate,” “projection” and similar words or expressions, including the negative version of such words and expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Wyndham Hotels to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, general economic conditions, the performance of financial and credit markets, the economic environment for the hospitality industry, operating risks associated with the hotel franchising and management businesses, the impact of war, terrorist activity or political strife, concerns with or threats of pandemics, contagious diseases or health epidemics, risks related to the acquisition of La Quinta and our relationship with CorePoint Lodging, risks related to our ability to obtain financing and the terms of such financing and the timing and amount of future share repurchases and dividends, as well as the risks described in Wyndham Hotels’ most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Wyndham Hotels undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise.
Will Host Conference Call and Webcast at 8:30 a.m. ET
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) announced today that it will report fourth quarter and full-year 2019 results on Thursday, February 13, 2020. Geoff Ballotti, president and chief executive officer, and Michele Allen, chief financial officer, will host a call with investors at 8:30 a.m. ET that morning to discuss the Company’s results and business outlook.
Listeners can access the webcast live through the Company’s website at www.investor.wyndhamhotels.com. The conference call may also be accessed by calling 877 876-9173 and providing the passcode “Wyndham.” Listeners are urged to call at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. An archive of this webcast will be available on the website for approximately 90 days beginning at noon ET on February 13, 2020. A telephone replay will be available for approximately ten days beginning at noon ET on February 13, 2020 at 800 839-4012.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company, with over 9,200 hotels across more than 80 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 822,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection®, and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with more than 400 properties under management. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers over 79 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
The safety of our guests, owners, team members and partners around the world is a top priority. We are currently recommending that our hotels in China follow the guidelines established by the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and their local health departments – and to report any suspected cases to the proper authorities as soon as possible. We are sending supplies to our hotels in China for distribution to workers, guests, and members of the community. Additionally, guests traveling to or from China with direct bookings for stays in any of our hotels from January 22nd through February 29th will have their cancellation or change penalties waived. We continue to monitor the situation closely.
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