Chatham Lodging Trust Announces First Quarter 2021 Results

Cash Burn Erased with April RevPAR

Chatham Lodging Trust (NYSE: CLDT), a lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in upscale, extended-stay hotels and premium-branded, select-service hotels, today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021.

First Quarter 2021 Operating Results

• Portfolio Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) – Declined 42 percent to $55, compared to the 2020 first quarter. Average daily rate (ADR) decreased 31 percent to $107, and occupancy dropped 17 percent to 52 percent for the 39 comparable hotels owned as of March 31, 2021. All Chatham hotels have remained open throughout the pandemic.
  • April RevPAR was $75 on occupancy of 65 percent and ADR of $117
• Net Income – Improved $30.8 million to net income of $2.7 million from a net loss of $28.1 million in the 2020 first quarter. Net income per diluted share was $0.06 versus net loss per diluted share of $(0.59) for the same period last year. During the 2021 first quarter, Chatham recognized a gain of $23.8 million related to the sale of the Innkeepers joint venture.
• GOP Margin – Generated positive GOP margins of 30 percent compared to 25 percent in the 2020 fourth quarter and 38 percent in the 2020 first quarter.
• Adjusted EBITDA – Produced positive Adjusted EBITDA for the third consecutive quarter, generating Adjusted EBITDA of $1.2 million versus $0.2 million in the 2020 fourth quarter and $16.5 million in the 2020 first quarter.
• Adjusted FFO – Declined $13.4 million to $(7.1) million. Adjusted FFO per diluted share was $(0.15), compared to $0.13 in the 2020 first quarter.
• Cash Burn Before Capital Expenditures – First quarter 2021 cash burn was $7.6 million versus $9.5 million in the 2020 fourth quarter, $5.1 million in the 2020 third quarter and $12.8 million in the 2020 second quarter. Cash burn includes $2.3 million of principal amortization per quarter.
• Cash Flow Positive – Produced positive cash flow after interest expense and corporate overhead in March for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. In April, Chatham is expected to produce positive cash flow after all debt service and overhead, reaching that mark the second fastest of all lodging REITs.

The following chart summarizes the consolidated financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 based on all properties owned during those periods ($ in millions, except margin percentages and per share data):

Hotel RevPAR Performance

The below chart summarizes key hotel financial statistics for the 39 comparable hotels owned as of March 31, 2021 compared to the 2020 fourth quarter (does not include one hotel sold in 2020):

The below chart summarizes RevPAR statistics by month for the company’s 39 comparable hotels:

“Since RevPAR dipped to $40 in December, we have produced healthy sequential gains in occupancy, ADR and RevPAR through the first four months of 2021,” highlighted Jeffrey H. Fisher, Chatham’s president and chief executive officer. “Leisure travel continues to lead the lodging recovery. Demand remains strongest on the weekend, and we expect leisure demand to remain strong through the summer. Also, there is a bit of business travel coming back into our hotels which is very encouraging at this point.”

RevPAR performance for Chatham’s six largest markets based on hotel EBITDA contribution over the last twelve months is presented below:

“Our meaningful RevPAR gains have been accomplished with very little contribution from our most important market, Silicon Valley, and as business travel comes back in that market, our portfolio will continue to produce meaningful RevPAR gains,” Fisher stated. “Additionally, we expect our coastal Maine and New Hampshire hotels to have huge summers, and since those markets were essentially shut down to inbound travel through mid-July, RevPAR gains should be meaningful. In Los Angeles, specifically Anaheim, Disneyland just opened up on April 30th, and although our Residence Inn has done well through the pandemic with a lot of medical guests, we expect that market and our performance to heat up.”

Approximately 84 percent of Chatham’s hotel EBITDA over the last twelve months was generated from its Residence Inn and Homewood Suites hotels. Chatham has the highest concentration of extended-stay rooms of any public lodging REIT at 58 percent. First quarter 2021 occupancy, ADR and RevPAR for each of the company’s major brands is presented below (number of hotels in parentheses):

“Our strong performance is a testament to great portfolio attributes, high-quality, extended-stay hotels and premium-branded, select-service hotels in locations that generate room revenue from diverse demand sources,” Fisher added. “For years, we have touted the benefits of a portfolio such as ours through all phases of a lodging cycle, and our performance certainly proves that. We believed we would reach cash flow breakeven sooner than most other lodging REITs, and with April RevPAR of $75, we expect that we will be positive cash flow after debt service for the month which is incredible news to deliver to our shareholders.

“Chatham will emerge from the pandemic healthier than many of our lodging REIT peers who have burned significant amounts of cash and equity value, and we will be better positioned to be acquisitive and grow FFO in addition to the FFO that will be added with the opening of our Los Angeles development,” Fisher concluded.

Hotel Operations Performance

The below chart summarizes key hotel operating performance measures per month during the 2021 first quarter and for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. RevPAR, GOP margin and Hotel EBITDA margin is for the 39 comparable hotels. Gross operating profit is calculated as Hotel EBITDA plus property taxes, ground rent and insurance (in millions, except for RevPAR):

“Operationally, our platform working alongside Island Hospitality allows us to adjust top- and bottom-line driven operating strategies faster than our peers and generate high operating margins which ultimately translates to better cash flow,” commented Dennis Craven, Chatham’s chief operating officer. “Compared to the 2020 fourth quarter, we have produced strong flow-through of incremental dollars in the 2021 first quarter. On a $2.6 million increase in hotel revenue, we generated an approximate 84 percent flow-through, driving our gross operating profit higher by approximately $2.2 million.”

Corporate Update

The below chart summarizes key financial performance measures for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Corporate EBITDA is calculated as hotel EBITDA minus cash corporate general and administrative expenses and is before debt service and capital expenditures. Debt service includes interest expense and principal amortization on its secured debt (approximately $2.3 million per quarter). Cash used before CAPEX is calculated as Corporate EBITDA less debt service. Amounts are in millions, except RevPAR.

Chatham has estimated liquidity of $145 million, including cash of approximately of $15 million, as of March 31, 2021, and remaining borrowing capacity on the credit facility of $130 million.

Hotel Investments

During the 2021 first quarter, the company incurred capital expenditures of $1.1 million. During 2021, Chatham expects remaining capital expenditures of $5.2 million, excluding any spending related to the Warner Center development since it is fully funded by a construction loan. Chatham does not intend to complete any renovations in 2021.

Hotel Under Development

Chatham is developing a hotel in the Warner Center submarket of Los Angeles, Calif., on a parcel of land owned by the company. The company expects the total development costs to be approximately $70 million, inclusive of land of $6.6 million. Including land, the company has incurred costs to date of approximately $52.5 million. Construction is ahead of the previously announced schedule, and the hotel is expected to open during the 2021 fourth quarter.

Joint Venture Investment

During the quarter, Chatham sold its 10.3 percent interest in the Innkeepers joint venture with Colony Capital for $2.8 million.

“This sale culminates a very successful joint venture investment for Chatham since we bought the Innkeepers portfolio out of bankruptcy in 2011,” Craven stated. “With this final payment, we generated total proceeds of more than $100 million out of our $37 million Innkeepers joint venture investment, just a fantastic result.”

Capital Markets & Capital Structure

As of March 31, 2021, the company had net debt of $585.9 million (total consolidated debt less unrestricted cash), down $2.7 million from December 31, 2020 and down $23.7 million from March 31, 2020. Excluding the Warner Center loan, net debt is down $11.1 million from December 31, 2020 and down $45.4 million from March 31, 2020. Total debt outstanding as of March 31, 2021 was $600.6 million at an average interest rate of 4.5 percent, comprised of $458.8 million of fixed-rate mortgage debt at an average interest rate of 4.7 percent, $120.0 million outstanding on the company’s $250 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility, which currently carries a 3.1 percent interest rate and $21.8 million outstanding on the Warner Center construction loan, which carries a 7.75 percent interest rate.

Chatham’s leverage ratio was approximately 35.9 percent on March 31, 2021, based on the ratio of the company’s net debt to hotel investments at cost. The weighted average maturity date for Chatham’s fixed-rate debt is March 2024.

On April 30, 2021, Chatham repaid in full the $12.5 million mortgage secured by the Residence Inn New Rochelle, N.Y., that carried a 5.75 percent interest rate and was set to mature later this year.

During the first quarter, Chatham issued 1.5 million common shares at an average price of $14.15 per share, generating proceeds of $21.3 million. Proceeds were used to pay down borrowings on the credit facility and repay the $12.5 million New Rochelle mortgage.

“We deeply understand our responsibility to protect long-term value for our equity holders,” commented Jeremy Wegner, Chatham’s chief financial officer. “With the sale of the hotel in late 2020, as well as proceeds from the sale of the joint venture and share issuance, we have further solidified our financial position.”

Dividend

Although not expected, any dividend required for Chatham to maintain its REIT status for 2021 will be declared in the 2021 fourth quarter and paid in January 2022. Pursuant to its amended credit facility, any dividends paid would include a cash component no greater than the minimum percentage allowed under the Internal Revenue Code.

2021 Guidance

Due to uncertainty surrounding the impact of the pandemic on the hotel industry, the company is not providing guidance at this time.

About Chatham Lodging Trust

Chatham Lodging Trust is a self-advised, publicly traded real estate investment trust focused primarily on investing in upscale, extended-stay hotels and premium-branded, select-service hotels. As of March 31, 2021, the company owns 39 hotels totaling 5,900 rooms/suites in 15 states and the District of Columbia.