Simone Wu Sells 8,080 Shares of Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) Stock

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) SVP Simone Wu sold 8,080 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.56, for a total transaction of $820,604.80. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 48,803 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,956,432.68. This represents a 14.20% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website.

Choice Hotels International Trading Down 1.1%

CHH stock opened at $106.53 on Friday. Choice Hotels International, Inc. has a 1-year low of $84.04 and a 1-year high of $157.86. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.81. The business’s 50 day moving average is $98.49 and its 200-day moving average is $105.64. The firm has a market cap of $4.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.09, a P/E/G ratio of 8.67 and a beta of 0.76.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $2.10 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.18 by ($0.08). The company had revenue of $278.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $419.75 million. Choice Hotels International had a return on equity of 9,081.29% and a net margin of 23.93%.Choice Hotels International’s quarterly revenue was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.23 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Choice Hotels International, Inc. will post 7.07 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 Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd were paid a $0.2875 dividend. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. Choice Hotels International’s payout ratio is currently 14.13%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on CHH shares. Truist Financial set a $126.00 target price on shares of Choice Hotels International and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Choice Hotels International from $99.00 to $98.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Choice Hotels International in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued an “underweight” rating and a $84.00 target price for the company. Argus reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Choice Hotels International in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Choice Hotels International from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $109.15.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Choice Hotels International

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of CHH. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Choice Hotels International by 23.6% in the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 434 shares of the company’s stock valued at $55,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Teza Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Teza Capital Management LLC now owns 2,051 shares of the company’s stock valued at $260,000 after buying an additional 98 shares during the period. Malaga Cove Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Choice Hotels International by 5.4% during the second quarter. Malaga Cove Capital LLC now owns 1,955 shares of the company’s stock worth $248,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Claret Asset Management Corp lifted its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 6.6% during the second quarter. Claret Asset Management Corp now owns 1,817 shares of the company’s stock valued at $231,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares during the period. Finally, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp boosted its holdings in Choice Hotels International by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 9,174 shares of the company’s stock valued at $874,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. 65.57% of the stock is currently 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.