Apple Hospitality REIT Reports Results of Operations for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022

RICHMOND, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (NYSE: APLE) (the “Company” or “Apple Hospitality”) today announced results of operations for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2022.

Comparable Hotels is defined as the 220 hotels owned by the Company as of December 31, 2022. For hotels acquired during the periods noted, the Company has included, as applicable, results of those hotels for periods prior to the Company’s ownership, and for dispositions, results have been excluded for the Company’s period of ownership. Results for periods prior to the Company’s ownership have not been included in the Company’s actual Consolidated Financial Statements and are included only for comparison purposes. Results included for periods prior to the Company’s ownership are based on information from the prior owner of each hotel and have not been audited or adjusted.

Justin Knight, Chief Executive Officer of Apple Hospitality, commented, “Strong business and leisure demand during the fourth quarter 2022 enabled us to achieve RevPAR growth of approximately 7% as compared to the fourth quarter 2019. Consistent with earlier quarters, RevPAR growth was driven by meaningful improvement in rate. ADR for the fourth quarter 2022 was $147, approximately 12% ahead of fourth quarter 2019 ADR. We continue to work with the management teams at our hotels to maximize profitability while maintaining strong guest satisfaction necessary for sustained rate improvement. Bottom-line performance for the fourth quarter 2022 surpassed fourth quarter 2019 levels, and we believe there is additional upside for our business as corporate demand continues to improve, leisure travel remains strong and additional markets fully recover.”

Mr. Knight continued, “We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments this past year. During 2022, we bolstered the strength and flexibility of our balance sheet, we invested in staff and training, we reinstated monthly distributions, we reinvested in our hotels, and we further optimized our portfolio through the strategic acquisition of two high-quality hotels and the disposition of one non-core asset. While we remain mindful of potential macroeconomic headwinds, given the broad consumer appeal, geographic diversification and quality of our hotels, the strength and financial flexibility of our balance sheet, and the depth and experience of our team, we are confident we are well positioned for continued outperformance.”

Hotel Portfolio Overview

As of December 31, 2022, Apple Hospitality owned 220 hotels with an aggregate of 28,983 guest rooms located in 87 markets throughout 37 states.

Highlights

• Strong operating performance: For the fourth quarter and full year 2022, as compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2019, the Company’s portfolio achieved an improvement in RevPAR of approximately 7% and 3%, respectively, with ADR growth of approximately 12% and 9%, respectively. Occupancy was down approximately 4% and 6% for the fourth quarter and full year 2022 as compared to the same periods of 2019, respectively. Occupancy and RevPAR for the Company’s portfolio for the fourth quarter 2022 and Occupancy, ADR and RevPAR for the Company’s portfolio for the full year 2022 exceeded industry averages for the respective periods as reported by STR. Based on preliminary results for the Company’s portfolio for the month of January 2023, occupancy was approximately 64%, up 13% as compared to January 2022, driven in part by the impact of the Omicron variant in 2022, and down 4% as compared to January 2019, with ADR growth of approximately 10% compared to January 2022 and 7% compared to January 2019.
• Strong bottom-line performance: The Company achieved Comparable Hotels Adjusted Hotel EBITDA of approximately $102 million for the fourth quarter 2022 and $461 million for the full year 2022, improvements of approximately 18% and 42% as compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2021, respectively, and improvements of approximately 7% and 0.5% as compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2019, respectively. The Company achieved Comparable Hotels Adjusted Hotel EBITDA Margin of approximately 34% for the fourth quarter 2022 and 37% for the full year 2022, improvements of 20 bps and 230 bps as compared to the fourth quarter and the full year 2021, respectively, and declines of only 10 bps and 80 bps as compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2019, respectively. Actual Adjusted Hotel EBITDA Margin was 34% for the fourth quarter 2022 and 37% for the full year 2022, improvements of 30 bps and 250 bps as compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2021, respectively, and improvements of 70 bps and 10 bps as compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2019, respectively.
• Transactional activity: During the fourth quarter 2022, the Company acquired the AC Hotel by Marriott Louisville Downtown and the AC Hotel by Marriott Pittsburgh Downtown for a total combined purchase price of $85 million.
• Balance sheet: The Company has maintained the strength and flexibility of its balance sheet. At December 31, 2022, the Company’s total debt to total capitalization, net of cash and cash equivalents, was approximately 28%.
• Monthly distributions: During 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors reinstated its policy of distributions on a monthly basis, beginning with a monthly cash distribution of $0.05 per common share paid in March 2022. In August and October 2022, the Board of Directors approved subsequent increases to the monthly cash distribution to $0.07 and $0.08 per common share, respectively.
• Corporate Responsibility Report: In December 2022, the Company published its inaugural Corporate Responsibility Report which details the Company’s environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) performance, strategy and initiatives and features its commitment to environmental sustainability, corporate employees, hotel associates and guests, communities, and other stakeholders. The Company’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report and other ESG-related materials can be found on the Company’s website at https://applehospitalityreit.com/corporate-responsibility/.

The following tables highlight the Company’s monthly performance during the fourth quarter of 2022, as compared to the fourth quarters of 2021 and 2019 (in thousands, except statistical data):

Portfolio Activity

Acquisitions

During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company acquired two hotels, the existing 156-room AC Hotel Louisville Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky, for $51 million, or approximately $327,000 per key, and the existing 134-room AC Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for $34 million, or approximately $254,000 per key.

Disposition

During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company sold one hotel, a 55-room independent boutique hotel in Richmond, Virginia, for a gross sales price of approximately $8.5 million, resulting in a gain on sale of approximately $1.8 million, which is included in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Contract for Potential Acquisition

As previously announced, the Company has an outstanding contract for the purchase of an Embassy Suites by Hilton in Madison, Wisconsin, for an anticipated total purchase price of approximately $79 million. The hotel is currently under development and expected to include 260 rooms. There are many conditions to closing that have not yet been satisfied, and there can be no assurance that a closing on this hotel will occur under the outstanding purchase contract. Assuming all conditions to closing are met, the Company anticipates acquiring the hotel following completion of construction, which is expected to occur in early 2024.

Capital Improvements

Apple Hospitality consistently reinvests in its hotels to maintain and enhance each property’s relevance and competitive position within its respective market. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company invested approximately $62 million in capital expenditures. The Company plans to continue to reinvest in its hotels and anticipates investing approximately $70 million to $80 million in capital improvements during 2023, which includes comprehensive renovation projects for approximately 20 to 25 hotels; however, inflationary pressures or supply chain shortages, among other issues, may result in increased costs and delays for anticipated projects.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

Summary

As of December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $1.4 billion of total outstanding debt with a current combined weighted-average interest rate of approximately 3.9%, cash on hand of approximately $4 million, availability under its revolving credit facility of $650 million and term loan availability of $50 million, of which the remaining $50 million was drawn in January 2023. Excluding unamortized debt issuance costs and fair value adjustments, the Company’s total outstanding debt as of December 31, 2022, was comprised of approximately $329 million in property-level debt secured by 19 hotels and approximately $1.0 billion outstanding under its unsecured credit facilities. The number of unencumbered hotels in the Company’s portfolio as of December 31, 2022, was 201. Subsequent to year end, the Company repaid in full three secured mortgage loans for a total of $24 million, increasing the number of unencumbered hotels in the Company’s portfolio to 204. The Company’s total debt to total capitalization, net of cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2022, was approximately 28%. The Company’s weighted-average debt maturities are 4.5 years.

Capital Markets

Share Repurchase Program

The Company has in place a Share Repurchase Program that provides for share repurchases in open market transactions. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company purchased, under its Share Repurchase Program, approximately 0.2 million of its common shares at a weighted-average market purchase price of approximately $14.21 per common share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $2.7 million. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $342.3 million remaining under its Share Repurchase Program for the repurchase of shares. Shares were repurchased under a written trading plan as part of the Share Repurchase Program that provides for share repurchases in open market transactions and that is intended to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

ATM Program

The Company also has in place an at-the-market offering program (the “ATM Program”). As of December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $224 million remaining under its ATM Program for the issuance of shares. No shares were sold under the ATM program during the year ended December 31, 2022.

Non-Cash Impairment Charges

During the fourth quarter 2022, the Company recognized non-cash impairment charges of approximately $26 million related to two of its hotels, the Company’s full-service Marriott in Houston, Texas, and Hilton Garden Inn in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, as a result of declines in the hotels’ current and projected cash flows.

Shareholder Distributions

During the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company paid distributions totaling $0.23 per common share. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company paid distributions of $0.61 per common share for a total of approximately $139.5 million. On January 17, 2023, the Company paid a regular monthly cash distribution of $0.08 per common share and a special cash distribution of $0.08 per common share, for a combined distribution of $0.16 per common share, to shareholders of record as of December 30, 2022.

Based on the Company’s common stock closing price of $17.01 on February 17, 2023, the current annualized monthly cash distribution of $0.96 per common share represents an annual yield of approximately 5.6%. While the Company currently expects monthly distributions to continue, each distribution is subject to approval by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company’s Board of Directors, in consultation with management, will continue to monitor the Company’s distribution rate and timing relative to the performance of its hotels, capital improvement needs, varying economic cycles, acquisitions, dispositions, other cash requirements and the Company’s REIT status for federal income tax purposes, and may make adjustments as it deems appropriate.

2023 Outlook

The Company is providing its operational and financial outlook for 2023. Given the current level of visibility into future performance as a result of short-term booking windows for the Company’s portfolio of rooms-focused hotels and meaningful macroeconomic uncertainty, this outlook reflects a broad range of Comparable Hotels RevPAR Change, which is the change in Comparable Hotels RevPAR in 2023 compared to 2022, and other key metrics for 2023. This outlook is based on management’s current view and does not take into account any unanticipated developments in its business or changes in its operating environment, nor does it take into account any unannounced hotel acquisitions or dispositions. Based on current trends, results for the first quarter 2023 are expected to benefit significantly from the easier comparison to the first quarter 2022 when the Omicron variant negatively impacted lodging demand. The high end of the full year range reflects relatively steady macroeconomic conditions throughout 2023, with continued strength in leisure demand and improvement in business transient. The low end of the range reflects a softening of the economy beginning in the second quarter with Comparable Hotels RevPAR Change roughly flat compared to 2022 in the second half of the year. Comparable Hotels RevPAR Change and Comparable Hotels Adjusted Hotel EBITDA Margin % guidance include properties acquired, as if the hotels were owned as of January 1, 2022, and exclude dispositions and assets held for sale since January 1, 2022. For the full year 2023, the Company anticipates its 2023 results will be in the following range:

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Earnings Conference Call

The Company will host a quarterly conference call for investors and interested parties at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, February 22, 2023. The conference call will be accessible by telephone and the internet. To access the call, participants from within the U.S. should dial 877-407-9039, and participants from outside the U.S. should dial 201-689-8470. Participants may also access the call via live webcast by visiting the Investor Information section of the Company’s website at ir.applehospitalityreit.com. A replay of the call will be available from approximately 2 p.m. Eastern Time on February 22, 2023, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 15, 2023. To access the replay, the domestic dial-in number is 844-512-2921, the international dial-in number is 412-317-6671, and the passcode is 13735270. The archive of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website for a limited time.

About Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (NYSE: APLE) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that owns one of the largest and most diverse portfolios of upscale, rooms-focused hotels in the United States. Apple Hospitality’s portfolio consists of 220 hotels with approximately 29,000 guest rooms located in 87 markets throughout 37 states. Concentrated with industry-leading brands, the Company’s portfolio consists of 96 Marriott-branded hotels, 119 Hilton-branded hotels, four Hyatt-branded hotels and one independent hotel. For more information, please visit www.applehospitalityreit.com.

Apple Hospitality REIT Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company considers the following non-GAAP financial measures useful to investors as key supplemental measures of its operating performance: Funds from Operations (“FFO”); Modified FFO (“MFFO”); Earnings Before Interest, Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBITDA”); Earnings Before Interest, Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization for Real Estate (“EBITDAre”); Adjusted EBITDAre; and Adjusted Hotel EBITDA. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered along with, but not as alternatives to, net income (loss), cash flow from operations or any other operating GAAP measure. FFO, MFFO, EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre and Adjusted Hotel EBITDA are not necessarily indicative of funds available to fund the Company’s cash needs, including its ability to make cash distributions. Although FFO, MFFO, EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre and Adjusted Hotel EBITDA, as calculated by the Company, may not be comparable to FFO, MFFO, EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre and Adjusted Hotel EBITDA, as reported by other companies that do not define such terms exactly as the Company defines such terms, the Company believes these supplemental measures are useful to investors when comparing the Company’s results between periods and with other REITs. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to net income (loss) are provided in the following pages.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by use of statements that include phrases such as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project,” “target,” “goal,” “plan,” “should,” “will,” “predict,” “potential,” “outlook,” “strategy,” and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Currently, one of the most significant factors that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from the Company’s forward-looking statements continues to be the adverse effect of COVID-19, including resurgences and variants, on the Company’s business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows, the real estate market and the hospitality industry specifically, and the global economy and financial markets generally. The significance, extent and duration of the continued impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence at this time, including the extent and effectiveness of the actions taken to mitigate its impact, the acceptance and availability of vaccines, the duration of associated immunity and efficacy of the vaccines against variants of COVID-19, the potential for hotel closures/consolidations that may be mandated or advisable, whether based on increased COVID-19 cases, new variants or other factors, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others.

Contacts

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

Kelly Clarke, Vice President, Investor Relations

804-727-6321

[email protected]

Read full story here