Choice Hotels International, Inc. $CHH Shares Bought by Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.

Key Points

• Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. dramatically increased its stake in Choice Hotels International by 9,295.9% in the fourth quarter, ending with 62,577 shares valued at about $6.0 million.
• Choice Hotels reported Q1 earnings of $1.07 per share, missing analyst expectations, though revenue came in slightly above forecasts at $340.6 million and rose 2.3% year over year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.2875 per share, payable July 15, representing a 1.0% annualized yield, while analysts currently hold a consensus rating of "Reduce" on the stock.

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH - Free Report) by 9,295.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 62,577 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 61,911 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. owned approximately 0.14% of Choice Hotels International worth $5,961,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in CHH. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Choice Hotels International in the 1st quarter worth $324,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 13.3% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 110,031 shares of the company's stock worth $14,610,000 after acquiring an additional 12,904 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 8.9% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 108,512 shares of the company's stock worth $14,408,000 after acquiring an additional 8,887 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 89.8% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 50,138 shares of the company's stock worth $6,657,000 after acquiring an additional 23,726 shares during the period. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 35.2% in the 2nd quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 2,139 shares of the company's stock worth $299,000 after acquiring an additional 557 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.57% of the company's stock.

Choice Hotels International Stock Up 1.6%

Shares of NYSE CHH opened at $113.27 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.58. Choice Hotels International, Inc. has a 52 week low of $84.04 and a 52 week high of $136.45. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $107.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $102.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 0.65.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.35 by ($0.28). Choice Hotels International had a net margin of 21.55% and a return on equity of 281.98%. The company had revenue of $340.58 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $333.48 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.34 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. Choice Hotels International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.920-7.140 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Choice Hotels International, Inc. will post 7.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Choice Hotels International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, July 1st will be paid a $0.2875 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 1st. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Choice Hotels International's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.50%.

Insider Activity at Choice Hotels International

In related news, CFO Scott E. Oaksmith sold 1,603 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were 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 owned 37,172 shares in the company, valued at $3,717,200. This trade represents a 4.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 23.78% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

CHH has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Choice Hotels International from $87.00 to $86.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Susquehanna reduced their target price on shares of Choice Hotels International from $115.00 to $110.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Choice Hotels International from $91.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $114.00 target price on shares of Choice Hotels International in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Choice Hotels International from $112.00 to $100.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average target price of $111.75.

Choice Hotels International 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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.