Crestline Management LP Purchases 9,781 Shares of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH)

Crestline Management LP boosted its position in Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH - Free Report) by 63.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 25,144 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 9,781 shares during the quarter. Crestline Management LP owned approximately 0.05% of Choice Hotels International worth $3,570,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of CHH. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its position in shares of Choice Hotels International by 6.9% during the fourth quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 6,618 shares of the company's stock worth $940,000 after buying an additional 427 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors raised its stake in Choice Hotels International by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 2,069 shares of the company's stock valued at $294,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares during the period. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Choice Hotels International during the 4th quarter valued at $242,000. Castlekeep Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Choice Hotels International during the 4th quarter valued at $1,109,000. Finally, Caxton Associates LP purchased a new position in shares of Choice Hotels International during the 4th quarter valued at $2,274,000. 65.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have issued reports on CHH. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Choice Hotels International from $124.00 to $115.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Redburn Atlantic raised shares of Choice Hotels International from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $132.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, March 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Choice Hotels International from a "sell" rating to a "buy" rating and lowered their price target for the company from $141.00 to $138.00 in a report on Monday, April 14th. Bank of America raised their price objective on shares of Choice Hotels International from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Choice Hotels International from $138.00 to $137.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $135.69.

Insider Transactions at Choice Hotels International

In other Choice Hotels International news, EVP Dominic Dragisich sold 3,500 shares of Choice Hotels International stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $148.30, for a total transaction of $519,050.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 68,913 shares of the company's stock, valued at $10,219,797.90. The trade was a 4.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Scott E. Oaksmith sold 1,780 shares of Choice Hotels International stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.40, for a total transaction of $257,032.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 32,014 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,622,821.60. The trade was a 5.27% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 23.78% of the company's stock.

Choice Hotels International Stock Performance

CHH stock traded up $0.71 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $124.38. The company had a trading volume of 179,428 shares, compared to its average volume of 391,641. The firm has a market cap of $5.81 billion, a PE ratio of 20.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 1.00. Choice Hotels International, Inc. has a 12 month low of $109.22 and a 12 month high of $157.86. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $128.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $139.49.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 8th. The company reported $1.34 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.38 by ($0.04). Choice Hotels International had a negative return on equity of 472.31% and a net margin of 18.91%. The firm had revenue of $332.86 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $348.52 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.28 EPS. The business's revenue was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Choice Hotels International, Inc. will post 7.07 earnings per share for the current year.

Choice Hotels International Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 1st were given a dividend of $0.2875 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, April 1st. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.92%. Choice Hotels International's payout ratio is currently 18.46%.

About Choice Hotels International

Choice Hotels International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a hotel franchisor in the United States and internationally. It operates through Hotel Franchising & Management and Corporate & Other segments. The company franchises lodging properties under the brand names of Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Clarion, Clarion Pointe, Sleep Inn, Ascend Hotel Collection, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn, MainStay Suites, Suburban Studios, WoodSpring Suites, Everhome Suites, Cambria Hotels, Radisson Blu, Radisson RED, Radisson, Park Plaza, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Radisson Inn & Suites, Park Inn by Radisson, Radisson Individuals, and Radisson Collection.