greeksoup/ stock research

Chatham Lodging Trust: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 25 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 15 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Portfolio RevPAR fell 1.8 percent: RevPAR for the 33 comparable hotels was $131 against $133. ADR decreased 0.9 percent to $179, and occupancy slipped 70 basis points to 73 percent. Source
  • Washington and convention markets fell 11%: RevPAR fell 11 percent at the three Washington, D.C. hotels and 11 percent across the convention-dependent markets named. Source
  • Shutdowns continued a trend: Management said government shutdowns continued a pattern visible through the first three quarters of 2025, weighing on fourth quarter demand. Source
  • GOP margin 40.2 percent: GOP margin declined 30 basis points to 40.2 percent. Hotel EBITDA margin rose 70 basis points to 33.2 percent, as management reported. Source
  • Net debt down $70 million: Net debt fell to $319 million from $389 million. Leverage was about 20 percent, against 23 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Buybacks reached $12.6 million since inception: Fourth-quarter repurchases were about 1.0 million shares for $7.0 million at $6.73 on average. Total buybacks since inception are about 4 percent of shares outstanding. Source
  • Four older hotels sold in 2025: Four hotels with an average age of 23 years were sold at an approximate 6 percent capitalization rate. Proceeds were partly used to lower debt and to buy back shares. Source

“Operationally, we produced solid results despite very volatile conditions, and our intense asset management enabled us to hold margins essentially flat year-over-year.”

Jeffrey H. Fisher, Chatham’s president and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
RevPAR Source2026$142 - $145New
RevPAR growth Source2026-0.5% to 1.5%New
Total hotel revenue Source2026$284 - $290 MNew
Net income (loss) to common shares Source2026$(13.0) - $(8.0) MNew
Net income (loss) per diluted share Source2026$(0.27) - $(0.16)New
Adjusted EBITDA Source2026$84 - $89 MNew
Adjusted FFO Source2026$53 - $58 MNew
Adjusted FFO per diluted share Source2026$1.04 - $1.14New
Hotel EBITDA margin Source202633.5% - 34.5%New
Corporate cash administrative expenses Source2026$11.1 MNew
Corporate non-cash administrative expenses Source2026$6.1 MNew
Interest expense (excluding fee amortization) Source2026$21.4 MNew
Non-cash amortization of deferred fees Source2026$2.0 MNew
Weighted average shares/units outstanding Source202650.9 MNew
Capital expenditure budget Source2026approximately $26 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: 2026 guidance was issued for RevPAR, revenue, net income, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted FFO and margins. The previous release gave guidance for 2025 only. Source
  • New: From January 1, 2026, Adjusted FFO excludes non-cash share-based compensation, matching most other public lodging REITs. The previous release said Chatham did not add it back. Source
  • Ended: The sale of a 26-year-old hotel, under contract at $17.4 million in the previous quarter, closed in the fourth quarter at $17 million. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Portfolio RevPAR fell 1.8 percent: RevPAR for the 33 comparable hotels was $131 against $133. ADR decreased 0.9 percent to $179, and occupancy slipped 70 basis points to 73 percent. Source
  • Net income to common shareholders rose: Net income applicable to common shareholders was $3 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared with a $4 million loss, or $(0.08) per share, a year earlier. Source
  • AFFO per share rose in the quarter: AFFO was $10 million in both the fourth quarter of 2025 and 2024. AFFO per diluted share was $0.21 against $0.20. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA excluding sold hotels grew: Total Adjusted EBITDA declined $1 million. Excluding hotels sold, Adjusted EBITDA rose 4 percent, from $19 million to $20 million. Source
  • Full-year RevPAR and AFFO per share: The highlights describe RevPAR as maintained at $142 against 2024; the results table shows $143 for 2025 and $142 for 2024. Full-year AFFO per diluted share was $1.02, against $1.08. Source

Markets and brands

  • Washington and convention markets fell 11%: RevPAR fell 11 percent at the three Washington, D.C. hotels and 11 percent across the convention-dependent markets named. Source
  • Silicon Valley decline narrowed: Silicon Valley RevPAR fell 1 percent in the fourth quarter after a 4 percent decline in the third. Sunnyvale replaced most of the business lost when a group was turned away over reduced pricing. Source
  • Greater New York and Seattle grew: RevPAR rose 5 percent in Greater New York and 14 percent in Seattle. Management attributed the growth to corporate demand strengthening at each hotel in those markets. Source
  • Coastal Northeast leisure softness: Coastal Northeast RevPAR fell 6 percent, with occupancy 8 percent lower, in November and December, which management linked to holiday timing and weather. Source
  • Los Angeles hotels diverged: The Anaheim Residence Inn gained, while Marina Del Rey and Woodland Hills declined as unrest in the area affected corporate and leisure demand. Source
  • San Diego RevPAR down 16 percent: San Diego RevPAR fell 16 percent, which management attributed to a softer convention calendar and to lower border patrol group demand than in 2024. Source
  • Residence Inn is the largest brand: Embassy Suites, one hotel, is 5 percent of trailing EBITDA and its RevPAR fell 18 percent. Residence Inn, 16 hotels, is 53 percent of trailing EBITDA and its RevPAR fell 2 percent. Source
  • Extended-stay hotels generate most EBITDA: Extended-stay hotels hold 59 percent of rooms, the highest share among public lodging REITs, and produce about 66 percent of trailing hotel EBITDA. Source

“Our 2026 guidance reflects a conservative short-term outlook given recent industry volatility, but we are quite positive on the industry long-term.”

Jeffrey H. Fisher, Chatham’s president and chief executive officer

Demand trends and shutdowns

  • RevPAR down each month of quarter: Monthly RevPAR changes versus the prior year were down 2 percent in October, down 2 percent in November and down 1 percent in December. Occupancy was 81, 72 and 68 percent across the three months. Source
  • Shutdowns continued a trend: Management said government shutdowns continued a pattern visible through the first three quarters of 2025, weighing on fourth quarter demand. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • GOP margin 40.2 percent: GOP margin declined 30 basis points to 40.2 percent. Hotel EBITDA margin rose 70 basis points to 33.2 percent, as management reported. Source
  • Labor costs rose less than 3 percent: Labor and benefit cost per occupied room rose by less than 3 percent. Lower property taxes of $0.8 million added 100 basis points to margins. Source
  • Labor expenses fell across departments in 2025: For 2025, management said labor and benefit expenses fell in all departments per occupied room, and other department profits rose 1 percent. Source
  • Full-year GOP margin 42 percent: The full-year GOP margin was 42 percent. RevPAR index grew 1 percent, adding about $3 million of room revenue. Source

“We have flexibility and significant capacity to make acquisitions, repurchase shares, grow FFO and increase distributable cash flow,”

Jeffrey H. Fisher, Chatham’s president and chief executive officer

Capital, cash and returns

  • Net debt down $70 million: Net debt fell to $319 million from $389 million. Leverage was about 20 percent, against 23 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Debt carries 6.2 percent average rate: The $143 million of fixed-rate mortgage debt averages 7.2 percent and the $200 million term loan 5.5 percent. The $300 million revolving facility had nothing outstanding. Source
  • Largest financing in company history: Management described the $500 million financing as the largest in Chatham's history, with overall borrowing costs lower. Source
  • Buybacks reached $12.6 million since inception: Fourth-quarter repurchases were about 1.0 million shares for $7.0 million at $6.73 on average. Total buybacks since inception are about 4 percent of shares outstanding. Source
  • Common dividend steady at $0.09: The fourth-quarter common dividend was $0.09, against $0.07 a year earlier. The 2025 common dividend rose about 28 percent. Source

Hotel portfolio and investments

  • Four older hotels sold in 2025: Four hotels with an average age of 23 years were sold at an approximate 6 percent capitalization rate. Proceeds were partly used to lower debt and to buy back shares. Source
  • 26-year-old hotel priced near 4 percent: The sale price, including a $6 million pending renovation, equates to an approximate 4 percent capitalization rate. Source
  • 2025 capital spend below budget: Fourth-quarter capital expenditures were about $4 million. Total 2025 spend is now expected at about $25 million. Source
  • Rooms added through conversion: The company added 10 rooms by converting available space. The portfolio now comprises 33 hotels with 5,021 rooms in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Source

2026 guidance basis

  • Renovations and SOFR assumptions: The guidance assumes renovations at the hotels named in the release, and floating rate debt based on the SOFR forward curve. Source
  • No new deals assumed: The guidance assumes no further acquisitions, dispositions, debt or equity issuance. Source
  • Guidance not updated for developments: Management said it provides guidance but does not undertake to update it for developments in its business. Source

Industry view and sustainability

  • Long-term industry view positive: Management pointed to projected 2026 GDP growth and to reshoring and corporate expansion investment as supports for hotel demand. Source
  • GRESB score 81 percent: The company scored 81 percent, 8 percent above the peer average. It ranked 29 of 95 listed companies in the Americas and fourth in its peer group. Source
  • Highest operating margins in industry: Management said the company regained the top industry operating-margin ranking for the first time since the pandemic, a position it held roughly from 2010 to 2019. Source

Coming up, as management said on 25 February 2026

  • Q1 2026 dividend announcement: Management said it will announce the first quarter 2026 dividend the following week. Source
  • Two Residence Inn renovations finish Q1: Renovations at the Residence Inn Austin and the Residence Inn Mountain View began in the fourth quarter and are expected to finish in the first quarter of 2026. Source
  • Three 2026 renovations start fourth quarter: Renovations are scheduled at three hotels in 2026, with all of them starting in the fourth quarter. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
AFFO per diluted share Source$0.21 (Q4 2025); $1.02 (full year 2025)
AFFO Source$10.4 million (Q4 2025); $52.7 million (full year 2025)
Occupancy Source73 percent (Q4 2025) vs 74 percent (Q4 2024)
Leverage Sourceapproximately 20 percent (down from 23 percent)
Dispositions Sourcefour hotels sold in 2025 for $71 million

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Convention-related business declined in four markets, two of which have convention centers closed for renovation. Source
  • Regulatory: Management said the shutdown and convention-driven business reduced fourth quarter RevPAR by roughly 300 basis points. Source
  • External: Management said industry volatility is the reason its 2026 guidance takes a conservative short-term view. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The previous release said these renovations would commence in the fourth quarter. This release says they commenced. Source
  • Not stated: Management said the buybacks since the plan was announced represent just over half of the $25 million plan. 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.