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Choice Hotels International Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 raised, 4 lowered, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income fell 21%: Net income was $64 million, or $1.41 per diluted share, down 21% from the same period of 2025. Management attributed the decline mainly to a higher net reimbursable deficit. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 6%: Adjusted EBITDA reached $175 million, up 6%, and adjusted diluted EPS was $2.02, up 5% from the same period of 2025. Source
  • Net income guidance lowered: Full-year net income range moved to $230 million to $241 million. The release cites higher reimbursable marketing and reservation expenses, interest expense and the tax rate. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA guidance raised: Adjusted EBITDA range moved up to $635 million to $650 million, citing U.S. RevPAR, global net rooms growth and the U.S. royalty rate. Source
  • U.S. RevPAR up 1.3%: U.S. RevPAR rose 1.3%, from a 0.7% rate increase and a 40-basis-point occupancy gain, led by the East North Central, Middle Atlantic and West South Central regions. Source
  • U.S. room openings up 27%: About 6,400 U.S. rooms opened, the highest second-quarter level since 2019, while exits reached their lowest second-quarter level since 2020. Source
  • Owned hotel capital recycling next phase: Management says the company will enter the next phase of its asset-light strategy by recycling capital from owned hotels, with first asset sales expected in the first half of 2027. Source

“Our second quarter results reflect encouraging progress across our key priorities, with U.S. net rooms growth improving for the second consecutive quarter”

Dom Dragisich, Interim Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net income SourceFull-year 2026$230 to $241 millionLowered from $265 to $275 million
Adjusted net income SourceFull-year 2026$312 to $323 millionLowered from $320 to $330 million
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull-year 2026$635 to $650 millionRaised from $632 to $647 million
Diluted EPS SourceFull-year 2026$5.07 to $5.31Lowered from $5.72 to $5.94
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull-year 2026$6.86 to $7.10Lowered from $6.92 to $7.14
Effective tax rate SourceFull-year 202626%Raised from 25%
Global RevPAR growth vs. 2025 SourceFull-year 20260% to 1%Raised from -2% to 1%
U.S. RevPAR growth vs. 2025 SourceFull-year 20260% to 1.25%Raised from -2% to 1%
U.S. royalty rate growth vs. 2025 SourceFull-year 20267 bps to 9 bps
Global net system rooms growth SourceFull-year 2026Approximately 1.5%Raised from Approximately 1%
Net capital outlays for hotel development SourceFull-year 2026$20 million to $45 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year net income range lowered to $230 million to $241 million from $265 million to $275 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year diluted EPS range lowered to $5.07 to $5.31 from $5.72 to $5.94. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year adjusted net income range lowered to $312 million to $323 million from $320 million to $330 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year adjusted diluted EPS range lowered at both ends, to $6.86 to $7.10 from $6.92 to $7.14. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted EBITDA range raised to $635 million to $650 million from $632 million to $647 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year global and U.S. RevPAR growth ranges raised; global now 0% to 1% and U.S. now 0% to 1.25%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year global net system rooms growth raised to about 1.5% from about 1%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year effective tax rate raised to 26% from 25%. Source
  • Guidance kept: Adjusted SG&A guidance remains at mid-single digits. Source
  • Guidance kept: Net capital outlays for hotel development remain expected at $20 million to $45 million for 2026. Source
  • New: New next phase of the asset-light strategy: recycling capital from the owned hotel portfolio. Source
  • New: The second-quarter release gives Dom Dragisich's title as Interim Chief Executive Officer; the first-quarter release gave Patrick Pacious's title as President and Chief Executive Officer. Source
  • New: Post-employment benefits announced May 20, 2026 with expense recorded in the second quarter. Source

Results and earnings drivers

  • Net income fell 21%: Net income was $64 million, or $1.41 per diluted share, down 21% from the same period of 2025. Management attributed the decline mainly to a higher net reimbursable deficit. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 6%: Adjusted EBITDA reached $175 million, up 6%, and adjusted diluted EPS was $2.02, up 5% from the same period of 2025. Source
  • Franchise fees rose 6%: Franchise and management fees rose 6% to $188 million on higher international royalty fees, franchisee programs and services revenue, and U.S. RevPAR and royalty rate gains. Source
  • Partnership fees rose on procurement: Partnership services and fees rose 6% to $29 million, mainly from growth in procurement services revenue. Source
  • Six-month earnings below prior year: For the six months, net income was $85 million and diluted EPS $1.84, against $126 million and $2.68 a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.09 against $3.25. Source

Full-year 2026 guidance changes

  • Net income guidance lowered: Full-year net income range moved to $230 million to $241 million. The release cites higher reimbursable marketing and reservation expenses, interest expense and the tax rate. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA guidance raised: Adjusted EBITDA range moved up to $635 million to $650 million, citing U.S. RevPAR, global net rooms growth and the U.S. royalty rate. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guidance trimmed: Adjusted diluted EPS range is $6.86 to $7.10, lower at both ends. Adjusted net income guidance moved to $312 million to $323 million. Source
  • Operating metrics guidance raised: Full-year global RevPAR growth is 0% to 1%, U.S. RevPAR growth is 0% to 1.25%, and global net system rooms growth is about 1.5%, each higher than in the prior release. Source
  • Effective tax rate raised to 26%: Full-year effective tax rate is 26%, compared with 25% in the prior release. The release cites it among the reasons for the adjusted net income revision. Source
  • Adjusted SG&A and capital outlays unchanged: Adjusted SG&A growth stays at mid-single digits. Net capital outlays for hotel development are still expected at $20 million to $45 million. Source

“While we still have work to do, this business has significantly more potential, and I'm confident we can realize it.”

Dom Dragisich, Interim Chief Executive Officer

U.S. and international performance

  • U.S. RevPAR up 1.3%: U.S. RevPAR rose 1.3%, from a 0.7% rate increase and a 40-basis-point occupancy gain, led by the East North Central, Middle Atlantic and West South Central regions. Source
  • International RevPAR up 2.1%: International RevPAR rose 2.1% on a currency-neutral basis, led by the Caribbean and Latin America and supported by Canada and Asia Pacific. Source
  • Extended stay net rooms up 13%: U.S. extended stay net rooms grew 13.0%, the 12th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Extended stay RevPAR rose 3.7% in the quarter. Source
  • Economy RevPAR declined: Economy brands' RevPAR fell 0.7% with occupancy down 20 basis points, while upscale and above RevPAR rose 1.3% and midscale RevPAR rose 1.1%. Source
  • Global net rooms up 2.6%: Global system rooms reached 661,089, up 2.6%. U.S. rooms fell 0.3% to 499,226, while international rooms rose 12.5% to 161,863. Source
  • U.S. royalty rate rose 11 bps: The U.S. royalty rate was 5.23% for the quarter, up from 5.12% a year earlier. Source

Development, openings and pipeline

  • U.S. room openings up 27%: About 6,400 U.S. rooms opened, the highest second-quarter level since 2019, while exits reached their lowest second-quarter level since 2020. Source
  • U.S. franchise awards up 30%: U.S. franchise agreements awarded rose 30%, representing about 9,400 new rooms for development. Global awards rose 20% to 11,200 rooms. Source
  • Global pipeline about 77,300 rooms: The global pipeline was about 77,300 rooms, with 96% in extended stay, midscale and upscale brands and 26,400 conversion rooms. It was above 77,700 at March 31, 2026. Source
  • U.S. conversion pipeline up 24%: The U.S. conversion rooms pipeline reached 24,100 rooms, up 24% from a year earlier and 6% from March 31, 2026. Source
  • Global openings up 16%: Global room openings rose 16% to about 8,300 rooms. International net rooms grew 12.5%, led by double-digit growth in Asia Pacific and EMEA. Source

“leveraging those capabilities to further enhance franchisee economics by increasing the number and quality of the guests we deliver while lowering operating costs”

Dom Dragisich, Interim Chief Executive Officer

Costs and reimbursable deficit

  • Reimbursable expenses exceeded revenue: Reimbursable expenses were $197.7 million against $163.3 million of reimbursable revenue, a deficit the company tied to franchisee tools and guest delivery spending. Source
  • SG&A rose on timing: SG&A rose to $96.2 million from $89.3 million. Management cited timing of SG&A expenses; adjusted SG&A rose to $83.2 million from $77.6 million. Source
  • Depreciation and amortization higher: Depreciation and amortization rose to $16.8 million from $13.4 million, tied to owned hotels and the prior-year acquisition of Choice Hotels Canada. Source
  • Restructuring and severance charges rose: Non-recurring restructuring and executive severance charges were $2.1 million in the quarter, against $0.4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Owned hotel revenue and costs rose: Owned hotel revenue rose to $34.9 million from $30.2 million, and owned hotel expenses rose to $25.5 million from $22.4 million. Source

Cash flow and liquidity

  • Operating cash flow fell: Operating cash flow for the six months was $67 million, against $116 million a year earlier, mainly on franchise agreement acquisition costs and reimbursable spending. Source
  • Net leverage at 3.1x: Net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA was 3.1x for the trailing twelve months, within the 3.0x to 4.0x target range. Total available liquidity was $475 million. Source
  • Net capital outlays down 80%: Net capital outlays for hotel development and lending fell 80% to $15 million in the six months, from $76 million a year earlier. Source
  • Long-term debt rose: Long-term debt was $2.00 billion at June 30, 2026, up from $1.91 billion at December 31, 2025. Source

Shareholder returns

  • $139 million returned year to date: For the six months, the company returned $26 million through dividends and $113 million through share repurchases. Source
  • Authorization down to 1.8 million shares: The remaining authorization stood at 1.8 million shares at June 30, 2026, down from 2.3 million shares at March 31, 2026. Source

Capital recycling and strategy

  • Owned hotel capital recycling next phase: Management says the company will enter the next phase of its asset-light strategy by recycling capital from owned hotels, with first asset sales expected in the first half of 2027. Source
  • 19 owned hotels, one under construction: As of August 5, 2026, the company owned 19 operating hotels, with one additional hotel under construction. Source
  • Franchisee tools and guest delivery spend: Increased investment in franchisee-facing tools and guest delivery capabilities is driving higher expected marketing and reservation reimbursable expenses. Source
  • Franchisee economics as stated priority: Management described using its commercial engine and technology to raise franchisee economics through more and better guests and lower operating costs. Source

People and leadership

  • Interim CEO named in release: The second-quarter release gives Dom Dragisich's title as Interim Chief Executive Officer. The first-quarter release named Patrick Pacious as President and Chief Executive Officer. Source
  • Post-employment benefits announced May 20: Post-employment benefits announced on May 20, 2026 carried $0.2 million of SG&A expense in the quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • First owned hotel sales expected 2027: Management expects the first asset sales from owned hotels in the first half of 2027, subject to market conditions. Source
  • Remaining post-employment benefit expense: The company expects to recognize about $2.7 million of total post-employment benefits through August 31, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Global system rooms Source661,089 rooms at June 30, 2026
U.S. room openings, second quarter Sourceapproximately 6,400 rooms, up 27%
U.S. franchise agreements awarded, second quarter Sourceapproximately 9,400 new rooms, up 30%
Global pipeline Sourceapproximately 77,300 rooms at June 30, 2026
U.S. conversion rooms pipeline Source24,100 rooms, up 24%
U.S. hotels in system Source6,195 hotels
U.S. average royalty rate, second quarter Source5.23%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: A higher reimbursable deficit tied to investment in franchisee tools and guest delivery capabilities weighed on net income. Source
  • Financial: Higher interest expense and a higher effective tax rate reduced the net income and adjusted net income ranges. Source
  • Financial: Franchise agreement acquisition costs increased with U.S. room openings, reducing operating cash flow. Source
  • External: Timing of the first owned hotel asset sales is subject to market conditions. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The company says it is updating certain aspects of the full-year 2026 guidance it set in its prior release. Source
  • Not stated: The company repeats its expected net capital outlay range for hotel development in 2026. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.