The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Chatham Lodging, Host Hotels & Resorts, Park Hotels & Resorts and DiamondRock Hospitality
📅 Zacks Analyst Blog highlighted four hotel REITs: Chatham Lodging Trust (CLDT), Host Hotels & Resorts (HST), Park Hotels & Resorts (PK), and DiamondRock Hospitality (DRH) on April 30, 2026.
📈 The broader hotel industry showed resilient growth in Q1 2026 with occupancy up 0.8% year-over-year and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) rising 3.8%.
🏙️ Regional performance diverged significantly, with San Francisco RevPAR surging 31% due to AI-sector corporate travel while New Orleans declined 20% post-Super Bowl demand.
⚠️ Hotels face upward pressure from rising labor costs, as wage growth of 4.2% in the quarter outpaced the national average of 3.6%.
📊 Zacks methodology combines a Rank #1-3 with positive Earnings ESP to identify stocks with high (up to 70%) chances of earnings surprises.
💰 Chatham Lodging Trust carries a Zacks Rank of #1 and an Earnings ESP of +3.23%, having beaten estimates on three of the last four quarters.
🏨 CLDT benefits from its upscale extended-stay portfolio, recent 11% dividend hike, strong balance sheet, and is expected to report Q1 results on May 7 before market open.
📉 Chatham's consensus revenue estimate is $65.17 million (-5.06% YoY), while FFO per share is pegged at 16 cents (+14.29% YoY).
🏛 Host Hotels & Resorts holds a Zacks Rank of #3 with an Earnings ESP of +2.41%, having beaten estimates on all four of its trailing quarters.
✈️ HST is expected to benefit from improved group and transient demand in luxury markets but faces headwinds from high interest expenses.
📅 Host Hotels plans to release Q1 earnings on May 6 after market close, with revenue estimated at $1.63 billion (+2.02% YoY).
💸 HST's consensus AFFO per share is pegged at 62 cents, implying a 3.13% decrease year-over-year.
🏙 Park Hotels & Resorts carries a Zacks Rank of #3 with an Earnings ESP of +2.27%, having beaten FFO estimates three times in the last four quarters.
🌴 PK is expected to report RevPAR growth driven by its diverse portfolio of hotels and resorts.
📊 Investors are urged to target companies positioned for positive surprises rather than chasing stocks that have already surged on solid reports.
- The hotel industry demonstrated resilient growth in Q1 2026 with overall occupancy increasing 0.8% year over year as demand growth of 2% surpassed supply growth.
- Revenue per available room (RevPAR) climbed 3.8% year over year, driven by a 2.2% increase in the average daily rate (ADR).
- San Francisco experienced a notable 31% surge in RevPAR fueled by AI-sector corporate travel demand.
- Chatham Lodging Trust currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.23% and carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), indicating a strong probability of positive earnings surprise.
- Over the trailing four quarters, Chatham Lodging's FFO per share surpassed consensus estimates on three occasions with an average beat of 11.21%.
- The recent 11% dividend hike from Chatham Lodging reinforces its income appeal and signals management's optimism about sustainable earnings power.
- Host Hotels & Resorts carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) with an Earnings ESP of +2.41%, showing consistent outperformance in adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) across the trailing four quarters.
- Host Hotels' portfolio of luxury and upper-scale hotels in top U.S. markets and the Sunbelt region is expected to aid hotel RevPAR growth through improving group and transient demand.
- Host Hotels' strategic capital allocations have improved portfolio quality and strengthened its position, likely driving margin expansion.
- Park Hotels & Resorts has an Earnings ESP of +2.27% and a Zacks Rank #3, with FFO per share surpassing consensus estimates three times in the trailing four quarters.
- Park Hotels is expected to report RevPAR growth driven by its diverse portfolio of hotels and resorts.
- Host Hotels & Resorts faces high interest expenses that are identified as a potential 'spoilsport' during the upcoming first-quarter earnings report.
- The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Host Hotels & Resorts first-quarter 2026 AFFO per share indicates a projected decrease of 3.13% year over year at 62 cents.
- Park Hotels & Resorts is currently assigned a Zacks Rank #3, which represents a 'Hold' rating rather than a 'Strong Buy' or 'Buy'.
- Park Hotels & Resorts has a mixed recent track record with Funds From Operations (FFO) per share surpassing estimates only three out of four times in the trailing quarters.
- New Orleans experienced a notable 20% decline in RevPAR, indicating significant regional weakness that could impact overall sector performance.
- Hotel wages grew by 4.2% in the first quarter of 2026, outpacing the broader national wage growth of 3.6% and creating upward pressure on operational costs.
- Chatham Lodging Trust's revenue is pegged at a 5.06% year-over-year decrease, with consensus estimates for quarterly revenues currently at $65.17 million.