Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) Receives $111.00 Consensus PT from Analysts

Shares of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) have been assigned an average rating of “Reduce” from the fourteen brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, eight have issued a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $111.00.

CHH has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Choice Hotels International in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Choice Hotels International from $100.00 to $101.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Choice Hotels International from $87.00 to $86.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Robert W. Baird set a $128.00 price objective on shares of Choice Hotels International in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Choice Hotels International from $98.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th.

Choice Hotels International Price Performance

CHH stock opened at $111.73 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $110.84 and a 200 day moving average price of $108.29. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.58. The stock has a market cap of $5.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.06, a PEG ratio of 4.43 and a beta of 0.67. Choice Hotels International has a fifty-two week low of $84.04 and a fifty-two week high of $129.88.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.35 by ($0.28). Choice Hotels International had a net margin of 21.55% and a return on equity of 281.98%. The company had revenue of $340.57 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $333.48 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.34 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Choice Hotels International will post 7.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Choice Hotels International Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 1st were issued a $0.2875 dividend. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, July 1st. Choice Hotels International’s payout ratio is presently 15.50%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Scott E. Oaksmith sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.00, for a total transaction of $220,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 35,172 shares in the company, valued at $3,868,920. This trade represents a 5.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 23.87% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Choice Hotels International

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of CHH. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. purchased a new position in shares of Choice Hotels International during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Choice Hotels International in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in Choice Hotels International in the 3rd quarter valued at $38,000. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management acquired a new stake in Choice Hotels International during the 1st quarter worth $39,000. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. boosted its stake in Choice Hotels International by 6,416.7% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 391 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 385 shares during the period. 65.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Choice Hotels International

Choice Hotels International, Inc is a hospitality franchisor specializing in the development and support of lodging brands across the economy, midscale and upscale segments. Through a network of franchisees, Choice Hotels supplies proprietary reservation and distribution systems, comprehensive marketing programs, and operational support services. The company’s core activities include brand management, franchise development, and technology-driven revenue optimization tools designed to enhance guest acquisition and retention for its partners.

Founded in 1939 as Quality Courts United, the company rebranded to Choice Hotels International in 1982 to reflect its expanding brand portfolio and global ambitions.