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Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 1 lowered, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net revenues up 3%: Net revenues rose 3% to $327 million, reflecting ancillary revenue growth and 4% net room growth, partly offset by lower other franchise fees and Revo fee deferrals. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS up 12%: Adjusted diluted EPS rose to $0.96 from $0.86, including a $0.13 marketing fund benefit. On a comparable basis, adjusted diluted EPS fell about 3%. Source
  • Pipeline at record 259,000 rooms: Development pipeline grew 3% to a record of over 259,000 rooms and over 2,200 hotels. U.S. pipeline grew 3% and international pipeline grew 2%. Source
  • Ancillary revenue up 21%: Ancillary revenues rose 21% year-over-year. Ancillary revenue is the license and other fees line plus other revenues. Source
  • Royalties and franchise fees fell: Royalties and franchise fees fell to $114 million from $126 million. Management cites lower royalties and the absence of 2025 one-time cost reductions. Source
  • Two European hotels foreclosed: Company exercised rights to foreclose on and take ownership of two European hotels, as part of efforts to optimize recoverability for shareholders. Source
  • Operating cash flow $42 million: Operating cash flow was $42 million and free cash flow $64 million, against $59 million and $80 million a year earlier. Source

“As U.S. RevPAR in our economy and midscale segments continues to recover ahead of expectations, we approach the peak leisure summer season with increasing optimism.”

Geoff Ballotti, president and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Room count growth SourceFull-year 20264.0% - 4.5%Kept
Global RevPAR growth, constant currency SourceFull-year 2026(1.0%) - 1.0%Raised from (1.5%) - 0.5%
Net revenues SourceFull-year 2026$1.47 - $1.50 billionRaised from $1.46 - $1.49 billion
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull-year 2026$730 - $745 millionKept
Adjusted EBITDA growth, comparable basis SourceFull-year 20265% - 7%Kept
Adjusted net income SourceFull-year 2026$351 - $365 millionLowered from $354 - $368 million
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull-year 2026$4.62 - $4.80Kept
Free cash flow conversion rate SourceFull-year 202655% - 60%Kept
Interest expense, net SourceFull-year 2026144 - 146Raised from 139 - 141
Capital expenditures and development advance notes SourceFull-year 2026$40 - 45Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Net revenues range raised by $10 million at each end, from $1.46 - 1.49 billion to $1.47 - 1.50 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Constant-currency global RevPAR range moved from (1.5%) - 0.5% to (1.0%) - 1.0%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Interest expense, net range raised to 144 - 146 from 139 - 141. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted net income range lowered by $3 million at each end. Source
  • Guidance kept: Adjusted EBITDA range kept at $730 - 745 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: Adjusted diluted EPS range kept at $4.62 - 4.80. Source
  • New: Company issued $650 million of 5.625% senior notes due 2033 in February 2026. Net proceeds repaid the revolver and term loan A. Source
  • New: Company took ownership of two European hotels through Revo's insolvency proceedings, after the prior release. Source
  • New: Quarterly dividend paid at $0.43 per share, the 5% increase the board authorized before the prior release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net revenues up 3%: Net revenues rose 3% to $327 million, reflecting ancillary revenue growth and 4% net room growth, partly offset by lower other franchise fees and Revo fee deferrals. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS up 12%: Adjusted diluted EPS rose to $0.96 from $0.86, including a $0.13 marketing fund benefit. On a comparable basis, adjusted diluted EPS fell about 3%. Source
  • Net income flat at $61 million: Net income held at $61 million. Adjusted EBITDA rose 8% to $156 million, or 1% lower on a comparable basis, with restructuring and transaction costs in the quarter. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. RevPAR flat year-over-year: U.S. RevPAR was flat, against about 40 basis points of hurricane impact in the prior-year quarter. Midwest and Texas grew while Florida and California declined. Source
  • Canada and Asia Pacific rose: Constant-currency RevPAR rose 8% in Canada, 5% in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim, and 1% in EMEA, which management attributes to pricing power and improved demand. Source
  • China and Latin America declined: China RevPAR fell 5% year-over-year despite a sequential gain of over 500 basis points. Latin America fell 4%, mainly on lower U.S. cross-border demand. Source

“We’ve never been more confident in our ability to drive sustained long-term value creation for franchisees, guests and shareholders”

Geoff Ballotti, president and chief executive officer

Pipeline and room growth

  • Pipeline at record 259,000 rooms: Development pipeline grew 3% to a record of over 259,000 rooms and over 2,200 hotels. U.S. pipeline grew 3% and international pipeline grew 2%. Source
  • U.S. awarded contracts up 8%: Awarded U.S. development contracts rose 8% year-over-year, according to the highlights. Source
  • Global rooms up 4%: Global rooms rose 4% to 869,300. U.S. rooms were flat at 500,700 after legacy affiliated room losses. International rooms grew 9% to 368,600. Source

Products, customers and technology

  • Ancillary revenue up 21%: Ancillary revenues rose 21% year-over-year. Ancillary revenue is the license and other fees line plus other revenues. Source
  • Pipeline skews to midscale: About 70% of the pipeline is in midscale and above segments, 17% in extended stay, and 43% in the U.S. About 77% is new construction. Source
  • Economy rooms fell 2%: U.S. economy segment rooms fell 2% to 219,100 at March 31. Midscale and above rooms rose 1% to 281,600. Source
  • Scaling AI on technology platform: Management lists scaling AI alongside ancillary revenue growth and adding FeePAR-accretive hotels as the company's priorities. Source

Costs and margins

  • Royalties and franchise fees fell: Royalties and franchise fees fell to $114 million from $126 million. Management cites lower royalties and the absence of 2025 one-time cost reductions. Source
  • Operating and G&A costs rose: Operating expense rose to $25 million from $19 million. General and administrative expense rose to $34 million from $30 million. Source
  • Royalty rate eased on Revo deferral: Global average royalty rate was 3.9% against 4.0%. The Revo revenue deferral lowered the international rate by 33 bps and the global rate by 11 bps. Source
  • Restructuring costs of $5 million: Restructuring and other-related costs were $5 million, mainly employee-related under a restructuring plan. The prior-year quarter recorded none. Source

Revo insolvency and foreclosure

  • Two European hotels foreclosed: Company exercised rights to foreclose on and take ownership of two European hotels, as part of efforts to optimize recoverability for shareholders. Source
  • Revo fee deferral of $12 million: Revo royalties and franchise fees are deferred. The adjusted EBITDA range includes the $12 million effect of that deferral. Source
  • Mortgage debt on two hotels: Other debt of $15 million represents mortgages on the two foreclosed hotels, at a 2.2% weighted average interest rate. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow $42 million: Operating cash flow was $42 million and free cash flow $64 million, against $59 million and $80 million a year earlier. Source
  • Notes refinance revolver and term loan A: Long-term debt proceeds were $702 million and repayments were $617 million. The $650 million notes repaid the revolver and term loan A borrowings. Source
  • $85 million returned to shareholders: Repurchases were $51 million for about 656,000 shares. Dividends were $34 million, or $0.43 per share, for the quarter. Source
  • Leverage 3.5 times, liquidity $1.1 billion: Net debt leverage was 3.5 times, at the midpoint of the 3 to 4 times target range. Cash was $79 million and total liquidity $1.1 billion. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Global system rooms, March 31, 2026 Source869,300 rooms
Development pipeline Sourceover 259,000 rooms; over 2,200 hotels
Global RevPAR, first quarter Source$38.53, down 1% constant currency
U.S. RevPAR, first quarter Source$42.25, flat year-over-year

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management says actual results could fall below estimates if demand pulls back beyond current assumptions. Each 1% RevPAR change equals about $10 million of net revenues. Source
  • Demand: Latin America RevPAR fell 4% year-over-year, mainly on lower U.S. cross-border demand in Mexico. Source
  • Demand: Florida and California RevPAR improved sequentially but declined year-over-year, offsetting strength in the Midwest and Texas. Source
  • Financial: Comparable adjusted diluted EPS declined, with a higher effective tax rate and increased interest expense cited as contributors. Source
  • Financial: Net revenues were partly offset by lower other franchise fees and the deferral of Revo fees. Source
  • Operational: Management is working to stabilize the two foreclosed Revo hotels and implement an asset management plan. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: U.S. RevPAR was flat year-over-year, which management describes as 250 basis points ahead of the midpoint of its expectations. Source
  • On track: Net debt leverage was 3.5 times, at the midpoint of the 3 to 4 times target range, in line with expectations. 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.