Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:HST) , the nation's largest lodging real estate investment trust (REIT), today announced its results of operations for the first quarter ended March 23, 2007.
Total revenue increased 25.7% to $1,037 million for the first quarter of 2007, which includes $151 million of revenues for the Starwood portfolio acquired in April 2006. Excluding the revenues from the Starwood portfolio, revenues increased 7.4%.
Net income increased $15 million to $187 million for the first quarter of 2007. Earnings per diluted share decreased $.09 to $.35 for the first quarter of 2007, primarily as a result of the shares issued in the second quarter of 2006 for the acquisition of the Starwood portfolio. Earnings per diluted share from continuing operations increased by $.06 to $.08 for the quarter.
Net income includes a net gain of $136 million, or $.26 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2007 and $146 million, or $.39 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2006 from gains on hotel dispositions.
Funds from Operations (FFO) per diluted share increased $.03 to $.30 for the first quarter of 2007.
The Company also announced the following first quarter results for Host Hotels & Resorts, L.P., through which it conducts all of its operations and holds 96.6% of the partnership interests:
Net income increased $13 million to $194 million for the first quarter of 2007. Net income of Host LP was also affected by gains on hotel dispositions -- See "Schedule of Significant Transactions Affecting Earnings per Share."
Adjusted EBITDA, which is Earnings before Interest Expense, Income Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization and other items, increased 24% to $263 million for the first quarter of 2007, primarily due to growth in EBITDA from the Company's comparable hotel portfolio and EBITDA generated by the Starwood portfolio.
Adjusted EBITDA, FFO per diluted share and comparable hotel adjusted operating profit margins (discussed below) are non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) financial measures within the meaning of the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). See the discussion included in this press release for information regarding these non-GAAP financial measures.
Operating Results
Comparable hotel RevPAR for the first quarter of 2007 increased 6.2%, driven by a 6.5% increase in average room rate, while occupancy declined 0.2 percentage points. In addition to comparable hotel RevPAR, the Company is presenting the RevPAR for its comparable hotels plus the Starwood portfolio acquired in 2006 due to the significant contribution of these hotels to the Company's operations. RevPAR for the comparable hotels plus the Starwood portfolio, which includes the 24 hotels acquired from Starwood in 2006 that we own as of March 23, 2007, increased 7.0% for the quarter, driven by a 6.3% increase in average room rate and a .5 percentage point increase in occupancy. For further detail, see "Notes to the Financial Information." Comparable hotel adjusted operating profit margins increased 0.3 percentage points when compared to the first quarter of 2006.
Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive officer, stated, "We were pleased to have carried over the momentum from a strong 2006 into the first quarter of 2007. Our continued strong operating performance resulted in FFO per diluted share of $.30, which exceeded the high-end of our guidance by $.02."
Asset Dispositions
During the first quarter of 2007, the Company sold seven non-core properties for total proceeds of approximately $333 million and recorded a gain from the sales of approximately $141 million during the quarter.
Financing Activities and Balance Sheet
During the first quarter, the Company continued to extend its maturity profile and reduce interest costs, as well as manage its capital structure to provide financial flexibility. On March 23, 2007, the Company issued, through Host Hotels & Resorts, L.P., $600 million of 2 5/8% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2027 and received net proceeds of approximately $589 million. The Company also repaid the $250 million outstanding balance under its credit facility and currently has $575 million of available capacity on the facility.
The Company completed the following mortgage debt transactions in 2007 (in millions):
Maturity
Date Property Rate Date Amount
Issuances
February Harbor Beach Marriott 5.55% 3/1/2014 $134
March The Ritz-Carlton, Naples and
Newport Beach Marriott 5.53% 3/1/2014 300
Repayments
February Harbor Beach Marriott 8.58% 2/8/2007 88
March JW Marriott, Washington, D.C. 7.42% 3/7/2007 88
April Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta 8.41% 4/1/2022 33
April Philadelphia Marriott
Convention Center 8.52% 4/1/2009 96