RLJ Lodging Trust Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

Q3 RevPAR increased 2.0% compared to 2023

Redeployed disposition proceeds to repurchase $20.7 million of common shares

Entered into a new $500.0 million term loan

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 2024-- RLJ Lodging Trust (the “Company”) (NYSE: RLJ) today reported results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Third Quarter Highlights

• Portfolio Comparable RevPAR of $145.23; an increase of 2.0% from last year
• Comparable Hotel Revenue of $344.7 million; an increase of 3.0% from last year
• Net Income of $20.6 million
• Comparable Hotel EBITDA of $100.7 million, an increase of 2.6% from last year
• Adjusted EBITDA of $91.9 million; an increase of 3.6% from last year
• Adjusted FFO per diluted common share and unit of $0.40
• Repurchased 1.6 million shares during the third quarter for approximately $14.8 million at an average price of $9.21
• Entered into a new $500.0 million term loan, using the proceeds to refinance a $400.0 million term loan due in 2025 and repay $100.0 million of outstanding borrowings on our revolver
• Increased quarterly common share dividend by 50%

“We are pleased with our third quarter results which were ahead of our expectations. We achieved RevPAR growth that was two times the industry and demonstrated the resiliency of our urban centric portfolio,” commented Leslie D. Hale, President and Chief Executive Officer. “In addition to achieving solid operating results, we executed on multiple key initiatives during the quarter including addressing all of our near-term maturities, completing two valuable conversions, accretively recycling non-core disposition proceeds to repurchase stock, raising our quarterly dividend by 50%, and reaffirming our outlook. All of these demonstrate our commitment to unlocking value while enhancing shareholder returns.”

The prefix “comparable” as defined by the Company, denotes operating results which include results for periods prior to its ownership and excludes sold hotels. Explanations of EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDA, Hotel EBITDA, Hotel EBITDA Margin, FFO, and Adjusted FFO, as well as reconciliations of those measures to net income or loss, if applicable, are included within this release.

Disposition

During the third quarter of 2024, the Company sold one non-core hotel in Denver, Colorado for $12.7 million and recorded a gain-on-sale of $4.8 million.

Share Repurchases

During the third quarter, the Company repurchased 1.6 million common shares for approximately $14.8 million at an average price of $9.21. Year-to-date, the Company has repurchased 2.2 million common shares for approximately $20.7 million at an average price of $9.28 recycling proceeds from the sale of non-core assets this year. As of November 6, 2024, the Company's 2024 share repurchase program has a remaining capacity of $229.3 million.

Balance Sheet

As of September 30, 2024, the Company had approximately $885.4 million of total liquidity, comprised of approximately $385.4 million of unrestricted cash and $500.0 million available under its revolving credit facility (the "Revolver"), and $2.2 billion of debt outstanding.

In September 2024, the Company entered into a new $500.0 million unsecured term loan maturing in September 2027, with two one-year extension options. The proceeds from the new loan were used to repay the existing $400.0 million term loan due to mature in May 2025 and $100.0 million of the outstanding borrowings under the Revolver. During the third quarter, the Company also executed several interest rate swaps below current prevailing rates.

Dividends

The Company’s Board of Trustees had previously declared a third quarter cash dividend of $0.15 per common share of beneficial interest of the Company, representing a 50% increase from the prior quarter. The dividend was paid on October 15, 2024 to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2024.

The Company's Board of Trustees declared a third quarter cash dividend of $0.4875 on the Company’s Series A Preferred Shares. The dividend was paid on October 31, 2024 to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2024.

Outlook Update

The Company is reaffirming its prior full-year outlook for all assets owned as of November 6, 2024.

Additionally, the Company's full year 2024 outlook includes:

• Net interest expense of $92.0 million to $94.0 million
• Capital expenditures related to renovations in the range of $100.0 million to $120.0 million
• Diluted weighted average common shares and units of 154.5 million

Earnings Call

The Company will conduct its quarterly analyst and investor conference call on November 7, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The conference call can be accessed by dialing (877) 407-3982 or (201) 493-6780 for international participants and requesting RLJ Lodging Trust’s third quarter earnings conference call. Additionally, a live webcast of the conference call will be available through the Company’s website at http://www.rljlodgingtrust.com. A replay of the conference call webcast will be archived and available through the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website for two weeks.

Supplemental Information

Please refer to the presentation of supplemental information for additional detail and comparable operating statistics, which will be available through the Investor Relations section of the Company's website.

About Us

RLJ Lodging Trust ("RLJ") is a self-advised, publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns 95 premium-branded, rooms-oriented, high-margin, urban-centric hotels located within the heart of demand locations. Our hotels are geographically diverse and concentrated in major urban markets that provide multiple demand generators from business, leisure, and other travelers.

Forward-Looking Statements

This information contains certain statements, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to the Company’s business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, that are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the use of the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “will continue,” “intend,” “should,” “may,” or similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, beliefs and expectations, such forward-looking statements are not predictions of future events or guarantees of future performance and our actual results could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and urges investors to carefully review the disclosures the Company makes concerning risks and uncertainties in the sections entitled “Risk Factors,” “Forward-Looking Statements,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, which will be filed on November 7, 2024, as well as risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in other documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For additional information or to receive press releases via email, please visit our website: 
https://www.rljlodgingtrust.com

RLJ Lodging Trust 
Non-GAAP and Accounting Commentary

Non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“Non-GAAP”) Financial Measures

The Company considers the following non-GAAP financial measures useful to investors as key supplemental measures of its performance: (1) FFO, (2) Adjusted FFO, (3) EBITDA, (4) EBITDAre, (5) Adjusted EBITDA, (6) Hotel EBITDA, and (7) Hotel EBITDA Margin. These Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered along with, but not as alternatives to, net income or loss as a measure of its operating performance. FFO, Adjusted FFO, EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDA, Hotel EBITDA, and Hotel EBITDA Margin, as calculated by the Company, may not be comparable to other companies that do not define such terms exactly as the Company defines such terms.

Funds From Operations (“FFO”)

The Company calculates Funds from Operations (“FFO”) in accordance with standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or NAREIT, which defines FFO as net income or loss (calculated in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains or losses from sales of real estate, impairment, the cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles, plus depreciation and amortization, and adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Historical cost accounting for real estate assets implicitly assumes that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably over time. Since real estate values have instead historically risen or fallen with market conditions, most real estate industry investors consider FFO to be helpful in evaluating a real estate company’s operations. The Company believes that the presentation of FFO provides useful information to investors regarding the Company’s operating performance and can facilitate comparisons of operating performance between periods and between real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), even though FFO does not represent an amount that accrues directly to common shareholders.

The Company’s calculation of FFO may not be comparable to measures calculated by other companies who do not use the NAREIT definition of FFO or do not calculate FFO per diluted share in accordance with NAREIT guidance. Additionally, FFO may not be helpful when comparing the Company to non-REITs. The Company presents FFO attributable to common shareholders, which includes unitholders of limited partnership interest (“OP units”) in RLJ Lodging Trust, L.P., the Company’s operating partnership, because the OP units may be redeemed for common shares of the Company. The Company believes it is meaningful for the investor to understand FFO attributable to all common shares and OP units.

EBITDA and EBITDAre

Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (“EBITDA”) is defined as net income or loss excluding: (1) interest expense; (2) income tax expense; and (3) depreciation and amortization expense. The Company considers EBITDA useful to an investor in evaluating and facilitating comparisons of its operating performance between periods and between REITs by removing the impact of its capital structure (primarily interest expense) and asset base (primarily depreciation and amortization expense) from its operating results. In addition, EBITDA is used as one measure in determining the value of hotel acquisitions and dispositions.

In addition to EBITDA, the Company presents EBITDAre in accordance with NAREIT guidelines, which defines EBITDAre as net income or loss (calculated in accordance with GAAP) excluding interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization expense, gains or losses from sales of real estate, impairment, and adjustments for unconsolidated joint ventures. The Company believes that the presentation of EBITDAre provides useful information to investors regarding the Company's operating performance and can facilitate comparisons of operating performance between periods and between REITs.

Adjustments to FFO and EBITDA

The Company adjusts FFO, EBITDA, and EBITDAre for certain items that the Company considers outside the normal course of operations. The Company believes that Adjusted FFO, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDAre provide useful supplemental information to investors regarding its ongoing operating performance that, when considered with net income or loss, FFO, EBITDA, and EBITDAre, are beneficial to an investor’s understanding of the Company's operating performance. The Company adjusts FFO, EBITDA, and EBITDAre for the following items:

• Transaction Costs: The Company excludes transaction costs expensed during the period
• Pre-Opening Costs: The Company excludes certain costs related to pre-opening of hotels
• Non-Cash Expenses: The Company excludes the effect of certain non-cash items such as the amortization of share-based compensation, non-cash income tax expense or benefit, and non-cash interest expense related to discontinued interest rate hedges
• Other Non-Operational Expenses: The Company excludes the effect of certain non-operational expenses representing income and expenses outside the normal course of operations

Hotel EBITDA and Hotel EBITDA Margin

With respect to Consolidated Hotel EBITDA, the Company believes that excluding the effect of corporate-level expenses and certain non-cash items provides a more complete understanding of the operating results over which individual hotels and operators have direct control. The Company believes property-level results provide investors with supplemental information about the ongoing operational performance of the Company’s hotels and the effectiveness of third-party management companies.

Comparable Hotel EBITDA and Comparable Hotel EBITDA margin include prior ownership information provided by the sellers of the hotels for periods prior to our acquisition of the hotels and excludes results from sold hotels as applicable.

Comparable adjustments: Acquired hotel

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, Comparable adjustments included the following acquired hotel:

• Hotel Teatro acquired in June 2024

Comparable adjustments: Sold hotels

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, Comparable adjustments included the following sold hotels:

• Residence Inn Merrillville sold in May 2024
• Fairfield Inn & Suites Denver Cherry Creek sold in September 2024

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241106929414/en/

Sean M. Mahoney, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer – (301) 280-7774

Source: RLJ Lodging Trust