Hyatt reports Q1 2015 results

CHICAGO, IL – Hyatt Hotels Corporation today reported first quarter 2015 financial results as follows:

“Comparable owned and leased margins in the Americas increased 110 basis points while margins at hotels outside the Americas continue to be negatively impacted by market-specific factors. Total fee revenue increased 18% in the quarter, driven by strong performance at existing hotels and new hotel openings.”

• Adjusted EBITDA was $169 million in the first quarter of 2015 compared to $172 million in the first quarter of 2014, a decrease of 1.7%.

• Adjusted for special items, net income attributable to Hyatt was $17 million, or $0.11 per share, during the first quarter of 2015 compared to net income attributable to Hyatt of $20 million, or $0.13 per share, during the first quarter of 2014.

• Net income attributable to Hyatt was $22 million, or $0.15 per share, during the first quarter of 2015 compared to net income attributable to Hyatt of $56 million, or $0.36 per share, in the first quarter of 2014.

• Comparable owned and leased hotels RevPAR increased 3.8% (6.5% excluding the effect of currency) in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the first quarter of 2014.

• Comparable owned and leased hotels operating margins increased 50 basis points in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the first quarter of 2014. Owned and leased hotels operating margins increased 30 basis points in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the first quarter of 2014.

• Comparable systemwide RevPAR increased 4.6% (7.4% excluding the effect of currency) in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the first quarter of 2014.

• Comparable U.S. full service hotel RevPAR increased 8.4% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the first quarter of 2014. Comparable U.S. select service hotel RevPAR increased 10.1% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the first quarter of 2014.

• Nine hotels were opened during the first quarter of 2015. As of March 31, 2015, the Company’s executed contract base consisted of approximately 250 hotels or approximately 55,000 rooms.

• The Company repurchased 3,192,629 shares of common stock at a weighted average price of $58.67 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $187 million.

Mark S. Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, said, “The year is off to a strong start with first quarter comparable systemwide RevPAR increasing 7.4% in constant dollars. We saw robust performance in our largest market, with U.S. full service RevPAR increasing 8.4% and U.S. select service RevPAR increasing 10.1%, with the majority of both increases coming from average daily rate.

“Comparable owned and leased margins in the Americas increased 110 basis points while margins at hotels outside the Americas continue to be negatively impacted by market-specific factors. Total fee revenue increased 18% in the quarter, driven by strong performance at existing hotels and new hotel openings.

“We continued our innovation around brands and guest experience in 2015. Our newest brand, Hyatt Centric, saw its first opening in Chicago last month and we expect this brand to position us well in the rapidly growing lifestyle segment. The initial response from our guests and our owners has been very positive and we expect approximately 15 Hyatt Centric hotels to be open by the end of 2015. In the first quarter, we also launched industry-leading free Wi-Fi access and we are working to expand engagement with our guests through a number of new digital initiatives.

“During the quarter, we continued our balanced approach to capital allocation which includes return of capital to shareholders. We have repurchased $234 million of common stock year-to-date through May 1, 2015. Over the course of 2015, we expect to spend approximately $350 million on capital expenditures as well as maintain a significant level of investment spending to support growth. We continue to seek opportunities to deploy our capital in markets in which we are underrepresented, while maintaining a strong balance sheet.

“Looking ahead, we believe the U.S. will continue to outperform as we see continued strength in both group and transient demand in most markets. We expect to continue our strong pace of new openings. We opened nine new hotels in the first quarter and expect to open approximately 50 hotels in 2015 across all regions and brands. Our executed contract base remains robust at 250 hotels, which we believe demonstrates strong owner preference for our brands around the world.”

Owned and Leased Hotels Segment

Total segment Adjusted EBITDA decreased 0.8% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

Owned and leased hotels Adjusted EBITDA decreased 3.8% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. See the table on page 15 of the accompanying schedules for a detailed list of portfolio changes and the year-over-year net impact to first quarter owned and leased hotels Adjusted EBITDA.

Pro rata share of unconsolidated hospitality ventures Adjusted EBITDA increased 15.0% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

Revenue decreased 7.1% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Owned and leased hotels expenses decreased 7.5% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

RevPAR for comparable owned and leased hotels increased 3.8% (6.5% excluding the effect of currency) in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Occupancy increased 150 basis points and ADR increased 1.7% (4.4% excluding the effect of currency) compared to the same period in 2014.

Comparable owned and leased hotels revenue increased 3.9% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Excluding expenses related to benefit programs funded through rabbi trusts and non-comparable hotel expenses, expenses increased 3.2% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. See the table on page 9 of the accompanying schedules for a reconciliation of comparable owned and leased hotels expenses to owned and leased hotels expenses.

The following hotel was removed from the owned and leased hotels portfolio as it was sold during the first quarter:

• Hyatt Regency Indianapolis (499 rooms)

The Company entered into a franchise agreement for the hotel listed above and therefore the hotel remains included in the Hyatt system.

Management and Franchise Fees

Total fee revenue increased 18.0% to $105 million in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Base management fees increased 7.3% to $44 million in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Incentive management fees increased 11.1% to $30 million in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Franchise fees increased 50.0% to $21 million in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, primarily due to hotels recently converted from managed to franchised, new hotels and improved performance at existing hotels. Other fee revenues increased 42.9% to $10 million in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, due to the amortization of deferred gains resulting from the sales of hotels subject to long-term management agreements.

Americas Management and Franchising Segment

Adjusted EBITDA increased 23.2% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

RevPAR for comparable Americas full service hotels increased 7.5% (8.3% excluding the effect of currency) in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Occupancy increased 160 basis points and ADR increased 5.3% (6.0% excluding the effect of currency) compared to the same period in 2014.

Group rooms revenue at comparable U.S. full service hotels increased 10.0% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Group room nights increased 3.8% and group ADR increased 5.9% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

Transient rooms revenue at comparable U.S. full service hotels increased 6.7% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Transient room nights decreased 0.1% and transient ADR increased 6.7% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

RevPAR for comparable Americas select service hotels increased 10.1% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Occupancy increased 100 basis points and ADR increased 8.7% compared to the same period in 2014.

Revenue from management, franchise and other fees increased 17.3% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

The following four hotels were added to the portfolio during the first quarter:

• Hyatt House Salt Lake City / Downtown (franchised, 159 rooms)
• Hyatt Place Canton (franchised, 105 rooms)
• Hyatt Place Columbia / Downtown / The Vista (franchised, 132 rooms)
• Hyatt Place Tijuana, Mexico (managed, 145 rooms)

One hotel was removed from the portfolio during the first quarter.

Southeast Asia, China, Australia, South Korea and Japan (ASPAC) Management and Franchising Segment

Adjusted EBITDA was flat in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

RevPAR for comparable ASPAC hotels was flat (increased 5.8% excluding the effect of currency) in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Occupancy increased 260 basis points and ADR decreased 3.9% (increased 1.6% excluding the effect of currency) compared to the same period in 2014.

Revenue from management, franchise and other fees was flat in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

The following hotel was added to the portfolio during the first quarter:

• Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort, China (managed, 207 rooms)

One hotel was removed from the portfolio during the first quarter.

Europe, Africa, Middle East and Southwest Asia (EAME/SW Asia) Management Segment

Adjusted EBITDA decreased 45.5% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

RevPAR for comparable EAME/SW Asia full service hotels decreased 8.1% (increased 1.4% excluding the effect of currency) in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Occupancy increased 90 basis points and ADR decreased 9.4% (0.1% excluding the effect of currency) compared to the same period in 2014.

Revenue from management and other fees decreased 11.1% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, primarily due to the impact from the stronger U.S. dollar.

The following four hotels were added to the portfolio during the first quarter:

• Park Hyatt Zanzibar, Tanzania (managed, 67 rooms)
• Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights, United Arab Emirates (managed, 464 rooms)
• Hyatt Regency Istanbul Ataköy, Turkey (managed, 284 rooms)
• Hyatt Place Pune / Hinjewadi, India (managed, 117 rooms)

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased 8.0% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses increased 3.5% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. Refer to the table on page 8 of the accompanying schedules for a reconciliation of adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses to selling, general, and administrative expenses.

OPENINGS AND FUTURE EXPANSION

Nine hotels were added in the first quarter of 2015, each of which is listed above.

The Company expects that a significant number of new hotels will be opened under all of the Company’s brands in the future. As of March 31, 2015, the Company had executed management or franchise contracts for approximately 250 hotels (or approximately 55,000 rooms) across all brands. The executed contracts represent potential entry into several new countries and expansion into new markets or markets in which the Company is under-represented.

SHARE REPURCHASE

During the first quarter of 2015, the Company repurchased 3,192,629 shares of common stock at a weighted average price of $58.67 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $187 million. From April 1 through May 1, 2015, the Company repurchased 798,180 shares of common stock at a weighted average price of $58.79 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $47 million. As of May 1, 2015, the Company had approximately $210 million remaining under its share repurchase authorization.

CORPORATE FINANCE / ASSET RECYCLING

During the first quarter, the Company completed the following transactions:

• Sold Hyatt Regency Indianapolis (499 rooms) for approximately $71 million and entered into a franchise agreement for the hotel.

BALANCE SHEET / OTHER ITEMS

As of March 31, 2015, the Company reported the following:

• Total debt of approximately $1.4 billion.
• Pro rata share of non-recourse unconsolidated hospitality venture debt of approximately $655 million compared with approximately $638 million as of December 31, 2014.
• Cash and cash equivalents, including investments in highly-rated money market funds and similar investments, of approximately $563 million, short-term investments of approximately $80 million and restricted cash of approximately $341 million.
• Undrawn borrowing availability of approximately $1.5 billion under its revolving credit facility.

2015 INFORMATION

The Company is providing the following information for the 2015 fiscal year:

• Adjusted SG&A expense is expected to be approximately $315 million.
• Capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $350 million, including approximately $180 million for investment in new properties.
• In addition to the capital expenditures described above, the Company intends to continue a strong level of investment spending. Investment spending includes acquisitions, equity investments in joint ventures, debt investments, contract acquisition costs or other investments.
• Depreciation and amortization expense is expected to be approximately $310 million.
• Interest expense is expected to be approximately $70 million.
• The Company expects to open approximately 50 hotels in 2015.