Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) Receives Average Recommendation of “Reduce” from Analysts

Shares of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) have earned an average rating of “Reduce” from the fourteen brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $109.1538.

CHH has been the subject of several analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of Choice Hotels International from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on shares of Choice Hotels International from $122.00 to $110.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on Choice Hotels International from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Barclays reduced their price target on Choice Hotels International from $99.00 to $98.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Choice Hotels International from $95.00 to $102.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, SVP Simone Wu sold 8,080 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.56, for a total transaction of $820,604.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 48,803 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,956,432.68. The trade was a 14.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 24.02% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Choice Hotels International

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bamco Inc. NY raised its stake in Choice Hotels International by 7.4% during the 3rd quarter. Bamco Inc. NY now owns 5,359,896 shares of the company’s stock worth $573,026,000 after buying an additional 369,244 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Choice Hotels International by 151.5% during the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 512,628 shares of the company’s stock worth $48,833,000 after purchasing an additional 308,771 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Choice Hotels International during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,910,000. Rock Creek Group LP grew its position in shares of Choice Hotels International by 52.3% in the 2nd quarter. Rock Creek Group LP now owns 811,579 shares of the company’s stock valued at $102,973,000 after purchasing an additional 278,715 shares during the period. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in Choice Hotels International by 194.8% during the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 237,097 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,083,000 after purchasing an additional 156,666 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.57% of the company’s stock.

Choice Hotels International Trading Up 1.9%

Shares of CHH opened at $109.77 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $99.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $104.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.08 billion, a PE ratio of 13.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.50 and a beta of 0.76. Choice Hotels International has a 12-month low of $84.04 and a 12-month high of $157.86. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.81.

Choice Hotels International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Investors of record on Friday, January 2nd were given a $0.2875 dividend. This represents a $1.15 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. Choice Hotels International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 14.13%.

Choice Hotels International Company Profile

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.