Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) Shares Pass Above 200-Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Choice Hotels shares crossed above their 200‑day moving average (200‑day MA $100.61), trading as high as $122.20 and last at $121.98 on volume of about 452,527, signaling a notable technical breakout.
• Analysts' consensus shows an average rating of “Reduce” with an average target price of $109.33 (2 Buy, 8 Hold, 4 Sell), which is below the current share price.
• The company beat recent quarterly estimates (EPS $1.60 vs. $1.56; revenue $390.15M vs. $369.26M), issued FY2026 guidance of 6.920–7.140 EPS, and pays a quarterly dividend of $0.2875 (about 0.9% yield).

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH - Get Free Report) shares crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $100.61 and traded as high as $122.20. Choice Hotels International shares last traded at $121.9840, with a volume of 452,527 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Choice Hotels International from $91.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Choice Hotels International from $120.00 to $118.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on Choice Hotels International from $126.00 to $129.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, March 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Choice Hotels International from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted 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. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average target price of $109.33.

Choice Hotels International Stock Up 2.3%

The firm has a market capitalization of $5.61 billion, a PE ratio of 15.40, a PEG ratio of 5.29 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $105.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $100.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 10.52, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 0.87.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported $1.60 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.56 by $0.04. Choice Hotels International had a return on equity of 541.07% and a net margin of 23.17%.The business had revenue of $390.15 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $369.26 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.55 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. Choice Hotels International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.920-7.140 EPS. Analysts forecast that Choice Hotels International, Inc. will post 7.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Choice Hotels International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 1st were issued a $0.2875 dividend. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, April 1st. Choice Hotels International's dividend payout ratio is currently 14.52%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Choice Hotels International

In other Choice Hotels International news, CFO Scott E. Oaksmith sold 1,603 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.00, for a total value of $160,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 37,172 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,717,200. This represents a 4.13% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Simone Wu sold 8,080 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.56, for a total value of $820,604.80. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 48,803 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,956,432.68. This represents a 14.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 10,283 shares of company stock valued at $1,040,947 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 24.02% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Choice Hotels International

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management purchased a new stake in shares of Choice Hotels International in the 1st quarter worth $39,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 293.6% during the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 2,216 shares of the company's stock worth $211,000 after purchasing an additional 1,653 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC purchased a new stake in shares of Choice Hotels International during the 4th quarter worth $1,682,000. Alpine Global Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Choice Hotels International during the 4th quarter worth $214,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 65.0% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 242,985 shares of the company's stock worth $23,147,000 after purchasing an additional 95,736 shares during the last quarter. 65.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.

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