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RLJ Lodging Trust: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • RevPAR rose 9.7% on rate and occupancy: Comparable RevPAR was $153.36, up 9.7%, from ADR growth of 6.4% and occupancy up 230 basis points to 75.4%. Source
  • Adjusted FFO per share rose 25.9%: Adjusted FFO per diluted common share and unit was $0.34, up from $0.27. Adjusted EBITDA was $85.2 million, up 17.3%. Source
  • Business travel led, urban markets gained: Management said business travel led the way, with sustained leisure and group demand that disproportionately benefited urban markets. Source
  • Hotel margin up 190 basis points: Comparable Hotel EBITDA was $93.9 million, up 17.5%, with margin of 26.5%. Nine-month comparable Hotel EBITDA margin was 28.2%. Source
  • Full-year guidance raised again: Management raised full-year guidance on third quarter results and preliminary October results, with Midway assets excluded from RevPAR and Hotel EBITDA. Source
  • Liquidity above $1.0 billion: Total liquidity exceeded $1.0 billion at September 30, 2026, including $600.0 million available under the revolver. Debt outstanding was $2.2 billion. Source
  • Seven Midway hotels sold for $110.0M: Seven hotels near Chicago Midway Airport sold in October for $110.0 million, a multiple of 13.8x forecasted 2026 Hotel EBITDA. Source

“Operating fundamentals accelerated during the quarter, with business travel leading the way”

Leslie D. Hale, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Comparable Hotel EBITDA SourceFY 2026$377M to $383M
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFY 2026$352M to $358MRaised from $336M to $356M
Adjusted FFO per diluted share SourceFY 2026$1.47 to $1.51Raised from $1.37 to $1.50
Net interest expense SourceFY 2026$101.0 million to $103.0 millionKept
Cash corporate G&A SourceFY 2026$34.5 million to $35.5 millionRaised from $33.5 million to $34.5 million
Renovation capital expenditures SourceFY 2026$80.0 million to $90.0 millionKept
Diluted weighted average common shares and units SourceFY 2026151.7 millionRaised from 151.5 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 guidance raised for comparable RevPAR growth, Hotel EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted FFO per diluted share, citing third quarter results and expected positive trends. Source
  • New: Sale of seven hotels near Chicago Midway Airport completed in October 2026 for $110.0 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: Net interest expense and renovation capital expenditure ranges kept at the levels given in the prior release. Source

Third quarter results

  • RevPAR rose 9.7% on rate and occupancy: Comparable RevPAR was $153.36, up 9.7%, from ADR growth of 6.4% and occupancy up 230 basis points to 75.4%. Source
  • Adjusted FFO per share rose 25.9%: Adjusted FFO per diluted common share and unit was $0.34, up from $0.27. Adjusted EBITDA was $85.2 million, up 17.3%. Source
  • Nine-month RevPAR rose 7.0%: Nine-month comparable RevPAR was $156.51, up 7.0%, with ADR up 4.5% and occupancy up 2.4%. Nine-month net income was $35.6 million. Source

Demand and business travel

  • Business travel led, urban markets gained: Management said business travel led the way, with sustained leisure and group demand that disproportionately benefited urban markets. Source
  • Growth outpaced industry on demand and rate: Management said RevPAR growth outpaced the industry, driven by higher demand and higher rate. Source
  • Management cited muted supply and macro backdrop: Management cited muted supply, healthy corporate earnings and elevated business investment as support for demand. Source

“we believe our urban-centric portfolio is well positioned to capture these trends.”

Leslie D. Hale, President and Chief Executive Officer

Non-room revenue and conversions

  • Non-room revenue rose 6.5%: Non-room revenues rose 6.5%, which management linked to corporate transient and group demand and to return-on-investment initiatives. Source
  • Conversions and renovations added momentum: Management said the ramp of conversions and renovations added momentum and contributed to continued growth in non-room revenue. Source

Costs and hotel margins

  • Hotel margin up 190 basis points: Comparable Hotel EBITDA was $93.9 million, up 17.5%, with margin of 26.5%. Nine-month comparable Hotel EBITDA margin was 28.2%. Source
  • Hotel EBITDA grew twice revenue pace: Management said disciplined cost control allowed Hotel EBITDA to grow at nearly twice the pace of revenues. Source
  • Property operating expenses rose: Total property operating expenses were $238.4 million in the quarter, compared with $223.4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Cash corporate G&A range raised: Full-year cash corporate G&A range is $34.5 million to $35.5 million, up from $33.5 million to $34.5 million. Source

Full-year guidance update

  • Full-year guidance raised again: Management raised full-year guidance on third quarter results and preliminary October results, with Midway assets excluded from RevPAR and Hotel EBITDA. Source
  • Comparable RevPAR growth range raised: Full-year comparable RevPAR growth range is +5.75% to +6.25%, compared with +3.5% to +4.5% in the prior release. Source

Liquidity, debt and dividends

  • Liquidity above $1.0 billion: Total liquidity exceeded $1.0 billion at September 30, 2026, including $600.0 million available under the revolver. Debt outstanding was $2.2 billion. Source
  • Floating-rate debt partly hedged: Floating-rate debt is hedged or partially hedged with swaps or caps. Gross debt weighted-average interest rate was 5.05% at September 30, 2026. Source
  • Common and preferred dividends paid October: Board declared $0.15 per common share for the third quarter, paid October 15, 2026. Series A preferred dividend of $0.4875 was paid October 30. Source

Chicago Midway disposition

  • Seven Midway hotels sold for $110.0M: Seven hotels near Chicago Midway Airport sold in October for $110.0 million, a multiple of 13.8x forecasted 2026 Hotel EBITDA. Source
  • Seller financing provided on sale: RLJ provided $20.0 million of seller financing. The sale was 16.1x Hotel EBITDA including required capital expenditures. Source
  • Portfolio now described as 84 hotels: The company now describes its portfolio as 84 hotels, compared with 91 hotels in the prior release. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Adjusted FFO per share Source$0.34 for third quarter 2026, up 25.9%
Occupancy Source75.4% for third quarter 2026, up 230 basis points
Acquisitions and dispositions SourceSeven hotels sold for $110.0 million in October 2026
Leverage Source$2.2 billion of debt; 5.05% gross weighted-average rate

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management noted that future acquisitions, dispositions, financings or share repurchases are not included in guidance and could change it materially. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said results exceeded its expectations across all metrics in the quarter. Source
  • Not stated: Second quarter release said management expected positive trends to continue through the second half of the year. The third quarter release does not state whether this held.

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.