PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 26, 2022 – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) today announced results for the three months ended March 31, 2022. Highlights include:
Global RevPAR grew 39% compared to first quarter 2021 in constant currency.
System-wide rooms grew 200 basis points year-over-year, including 120 basis points of growth in the U.S. and 330 basis points of growth internationally.
Diluted earnings per share of $1.14 compared to $0.26 in the first quarter 2021; adjusted diluted earnings per share increased to $0.95 compared to $0.36 in first quarter 2021.
Net income of $106 million compared to $24 million in first quarter 2021; adjusted net income of $88 million compared to $33 million in first quarter 2021.
Adjusted EBITDA of $159 million compared to $97 million in first quarter 2021.
Net cash provided by operating activities of $135 million compared to $64 million in first quarter 2021; free cash flow of $125 million compared to $59 million in first quarter 2021.
Completed the exit of its select-service management business.
Completed the sale of the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek Resort; the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Resort is under contract and expected to close in May 2022.
Returned $68 million to shareholders through $38 million of share repurchases and a quarterly cash dividend of $0.32 per share.
“Our exemplary first quarter results demonstrate the power of our brands and the value we are driving to our owners, guests, and shareholders,” said Geoffrey A. Ballotti, president and chief executive officer. “Strong leisure and everyday business travel demand drove RevPAR 4% above 2019 levels domestically and we continued to simplify our operations by exiting our select-service management business and selling one of our two owned assets. Our development pipeline increased 9% to a record 204,000 rooms, including the first 50 deals for our new extended-stay product, and our room openings grew 50% more than last year, putting us solidly on track with our full year net-room growth guidance.”
Fee-related and other revenues increased 36% year-over-year to $316 million primarily reflecting strong ADR growth in the U.S.
The Company generated net income of $106 million, or $1.14 per diluted share, an increase of $82 million, or $0.88 per diluted share, reflecting higher adjusted EBITDA, a gain on the sale of the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek Resort and lower net interest expense. Adjusted EBITDA increased $62 million, or 64%, versus 2021 to $159 million reflecting higher revenue and a favorable timing benefit from the marketing fund, partially offset by higher variable expenses at the Company’s owned hotels.
During the first quarter 2022, the Company’s marketing fund revenues exceeded expenses by $7 million; while in first quarter 2021, the Company’s marketing fund expenses exceeded revenues by $7 million.
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.
System Size
The Company’s global system grew 200 basis points, reflecting 120 basis points of growth in the U.S. and 330 basis points of growth internationally. As expected, these increases included strong growth in both the higher RevPAR midscale and above segments in the U.S. and the direct franchising business in China, which grew 6% and 12%, respectively. The Company remains solidly on track with its goal of achieving a retention rate above 95% and its net room growth outlook of 2 to 4% for the full year 2022.
RevPAR
First quarter RevPAR grew 39% globally in constant currency, including 38% growth in the U.S. and 46% growth internationally. The increase is approximately two-thirds driven by stronger pricing power and one-third driven by higher occupancy levels.
Business Segment Discussion
Hotel Management revenues increased 5% year-over-year to $99 million, including a $16 million decrease in cost-reimbursement revenues, which have no impact on adjusted EBITDA. Absent cost-reimbursements, Hotel Management revenues increased $21 million, or 91%, to $44 million primarily due to the global RevPAR increase and improved performance at the Company’s owned hotels. Hotel Management adjusted EBITDA increased $15 million year-over-year reflecting the revenue increases, partially offset by higher variable expenses at the Company’s owned hotels.Hotel Franchising revenues increased 30% year-over-year to $272 million primarily due to the global RevPAR increase. Hotel Franchising adjusted EBITDA increased 48% to $155 million reflecting the growth in revenues and a timing benefit from the marketing fund.
Development
The Company awarded 165 new contracts this quarter, including 50 new construction projects for the Company’s new extended-stay brand, compared to 112 in the first quarter 2021. On March 31, 2022, the Company’s global development pipeline consisted of approximately 1,600 hotels and approximately 204,000 rooms, of which approximately 80% is in the midscale and above segments (nearly 70% in the U.S.). The pipeline grew 9% year-over-year, including 12% domestically and 7% internationally. Approximately 63% of the Company’s development pipeline is international and 79% is new construction, of which approximately 35% has broken ground.
Exit of Select-Service Management Business
On March 3, 2022, the Company completed the exit of its select-service management business and received proceeds of $84 million from CorePoint Lodging (“CPLG”). The franchise agreements for these hotels remained in-place at their stated fee structure with CPLG’s buyer, Highgate Holdings, Inc. The proceeds received were offset on the Company’s income statement by the non-cash write-off of the remaining balance of the management contract intangible asset that was created upon the acquisition of La Quinta Holdings in 2018.
Sale of Owned Hotels
On March 24, 2022, the Company completed the sale of the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando for gross proceeds of approximately $121 million and recognized a $36 million gain on sale, which has been excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. The Company entered into a 20-year franchise agreement with the buyer.
The Company is under contract and expects to complete the sale of the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Resort in Puerto Rico in May 2022. The Company expects to enter into a 20-year franchise agreement with the buyer in connection with the sale.
Balance Sheet and Liquidity
The Company generated $135 million of net cash provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2022 and $125 million of free cash flow. The Company ended the quarter with a cash balance of $416 million, including $84 million of proceeds received in connection with the Company’s exit of its select-service management business and gross proceeds of approximately $121 million received in connection with its sale of the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek Resort. These inflows are reflected within the investing section of the Statement of Cash Flows and therefore not included in the Company’s free cash flow.
At March 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $1.2 billion in total liquidity and its net debt leverage ratio was 2.6 times, below the Company’s 3 to 4 times stated target range. Excluding the proceeds received in connection with the exit of its select-service management business and the sale of the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek Resort, which are expected to be redeployed, the net debt leverage ratio was 2.9 times.
In April 2022, the Company amended its $750 million revolving credit facility, extending the maturity from May 2023 to April 2027 on similar terms as the previous facility, and issued a new $400 million senior secured Term Loan A facility, which matures in April 2027. The proceeds from the Term Loan A were used to repay a portion of the Company’s existing Term Loan B facility, which is scheduled to mature in May 2025. There was no increase in rates from the Term Loan B to the new Term Loan A.
Share Repurchases and Dividends
During the first quarter of 2022, the Company repurchased approximately 455,100 shares of its common stock for $38 million at an average price of $83.72 per share.
The Company paid common stock dividends of $30 million, or $0.32 per share, in the first quarter of 2022.
Full-Year 2022 Outlook
The Company is updating its outlook as follows:
(a) Reflects the removal of post-sale revenues related to the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek and Wyndham Grand Rio Mar from prior projections.
(b) Reflects the removal from prior projections of depreciation related to the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek and Wyndham Grand Rio Mar.
(c) Represents the percentage of adjusted EBITDA that is expected to produce free cash flow.
More detailed projections are available in Table 8 of this press release. The Company is providing certain financial metrics only on a non-GAAP basis because, without unreasonable efforts, it is unable to predict with reasonable certainty the occurrence or amount of all of the adjustments or other potential adjustments that may arise in the future during the forward-looking period, which can be dependent on future events that may not be reliably predicted. Based on past reported results, where one or more of these items have been applicable, such excluded items could be material, individually or in the aggregate, to the reported results.
Conference Call Information Wyndham Hotels will hold a conference call with investors to discuss the Company’s results and outlook on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 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 866 831-8713 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 beginning at noon ET on April 27, 2022. A telephone replay will be available for approximately ten days beginning at noon ET on April 27, 2022 at 800 839-4992.
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 over 8,900 hotels across over 95 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 813,000 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 22 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 94 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 the federal securities laws, including statements related to the Company’s 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 coronavirus pandemic (“COVID-19”). Forward-looking statements include those that convey management’s expectations as to the future based on plans, estimates and projections at the time the Company makes the statements and may be identified by words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “goal,” “future,” “outlook,” “guidance,” “target,” “objective,” “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 the Company 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 COVID-19, its scope, duration, resurgence 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 COVID-19; the Company’s performance during the recovery from COVID-19 and any resurgence or mutations of the virus; various actions governments, businesses and individuals continue to take in response to the pandemic, including stay-in-place directives (including, for instance, quarantine and isolation guidelines and mandates), safety mitigation guidance, as well as the timing, availability and adoption rates of vaccinations, booster shots and other treatments for COVID-19; concerns with or threats of other pandemics, contagious diseases or health epidemics, including the effects of COVID-19; the performance of the 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, political instability or political strife; risks related to restructuring or strategic initiatives; the Company’s ability to satisfy obligations and agreements under its outstanding indebtedness, including the payment of principal and interest and compliance with the covenants thereunder; risks related to the Company’s ability to obtain financing and the terms of such financing, including access to liquidity and capital; and the Company’s ability to make or pay, plans for, and the timing and amount of any future share repurchases and/or 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.
