BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

RLJ Lodging Trust (the “Company”) (NYSE: RLJ) today reported results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023.

Fourth Quarter Highlights

• Portfolio Comparable RevPAR of $133.84
• Total Revenue of $319.7 million
• Net income attributable to common shareholders of $1.7 million
• Net income per diluted share attributable to common shareholders of $0.01
• Adjusted EBITDA of $79.2 million
• Adjusted FFO per diluted common share and unit of $0.34
• Repurchased 0.9 million common shares for $9.9 million at an average price per share of $10.69
• Ended year with $1.1 billion of liquidity, including approximately $516.7 million of unrestricted cash and $600.0 million in undrawn revolver capacity

Full Year Highlights

• Portfolio Comparable RevPAR of $141.24
• Total Revenue of $1.3 billion
• Net income attributable to common shareholders of $51.3 million
• Net income per diluted share attributable to common shareholders of $0.32
• Adjusted EBITDA of $364.5 million
• Adjusted FFO per diluted common share and unit of $1.66
• Repurchased 7.6 million common shares for $77.2 million at an average price per share of $10.20

“We are pleased to have achieved top-quartile RevPAR growth, capping off a very successful year of outperformance for RLJ,” commented Leslie D. Hale, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our urban-centric portfolio is uniquely positioned to capture the improving demand that urban markets are disproportionately seeing, and the incremental lift from the first wave of our completed conversions, which should continue to be a tailwind into 2024. Additionally, throughout the year we demonstrated the optionality our strong balance sheet provided by launching several new conversions, repurchasing shares at an attractive basis, doubling our dividend and more recently bringing forward another compelling conversion opportunity by acquiring the Wyndham Boston Beacon Hill. Our strong execution has positioned us to maintain our momentum in 2024 and beyond, supported by continued strength of Urban leisure, ongoing improvement in business travel, and robust group bookings."

The prefix “comparable” as defined by the Company, denotes operating results which include results for periods prior to its ownership and excludes sold hotels. Explanations of EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDA, Hotel EBITDA, Hotel EBITDA Margin, FFO, and Adjusted FFO, as well as reconciliations of those measures to net income or loss, if applicable, are included within this release.

Acquisitions

During the first quarter of 2024, the Company completed the purchase of the 304-room Wyndham Boston Beacon Hill for $125 million, which was previously subject to a ground lease that expired in 2028. The Company funded the acquisition with existing cash on hand.

Conversions

During the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company announced that its Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel will join Marriott's Autograph Collection, and the Wyndham Pittsburgh University Center will convert to a Courtyard by Marriott. Including these two conversions, the Company has announced eight conversions since 2021 including three which have already been completed.

Share Repurchases

During 2023, the Company repurchased 7.6 million shares for $77.2 million, at an average price per share of $10.20, which included approximately 0.9 million common shares for $9.9 million at an average price per share of $10.69 during the fourth quarter. The Company's share buyback program currently has approximately $212.7 million of remaining capacity.

Balance Sheet

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $1.1 billion of total liquidity, comprising approximately $516.7 million of unrestricted cash and $600.0 million available under its revolving credit facility ("Revolver"), and $2.2 billion of debt outstanding.

Dividends

The Company’s Board of Trustees declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per common share of beneficial interest of the Company in the fourth quarter. The dividend was paid on January 16, 2024 to shareholders of record as of December 29, 2023.

The Company's Board of Trustees declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.4875 on the Company’s Series A Preferred Shares in the fourth quarter. The dividend was paid on January 31, 2024 to shareholders of record as of December 29, 2023.

2024 Outlook

($ in millions, except growth and per share amounts)

The Company is providing its annual outlook for all hotels owned as of February 26, 2024.

Additionally, the Company's full year 2024 outlook includes:

• Net interest expense of $91.0 million to $93.0 million. The year over year increase is due to the impact of expiring swaps.
• Capital expenditures related to renovations in the range of $100.0 million to $120.0 million
• Diluted weighted average common shares and units of 154.0 million

The Company expects the first quarter of 2024 to be impacted by the timing of Easter and difficult comparisons to prior year growth rates, which will lead the first quarter RevPAR growth to be positive but below the low-end of the full-year range.

Potential future acquisitions, dispositions, financings, or share repurchases are not incorporated into the Company's outlook above and could result in a material change to the Company's outlook.

Earnings Call

The Company will conduct its quarterly analyst and investor conference call on February 27, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). The conference call can be accessed by dialing (877) 407-3982 or (201) 493-6780 for international participants and requesting RLJ Lodging Trust’s fourth quarter earnings conference call. Additionally, a live webcast of the conference call will be available through the Company’s website at . A replay of the conference call webcast will be archived and available through the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website for two weeks.

Supplemental Information

Please refer to the schedule of supplemental information for additional detail and Comparable operating statistics, which is available through the Investor Relations section of the Company's website.

About Us

RLJ Lodging Trust is a self-advised, publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns primarily premium-branded, rooms-oriented, high-margin, focused-service and compact full-service hotels. The Company's portfolio currently consists of 96 hotels with approximately 21,200 rooms, located in 23 states and the District of Columbia and an ownership interest in one unconsolidated hotel with 171 rooms.

Forward-Looking Statements

This information contains certain statements, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to the Company’s business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, that are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the use of the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “will continue,” “intend,” “should,” “may,” or similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, beliefs and expectations, such forward-looking statements are not predictions of future events or guarantees of future performance and our actual results could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and urges investors to carefully review the disclosures the Company makes concerning risks and uncertainties in the sections entitled “Risk Factors,” “Forward- Looking Statements,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which will be filed on February 27, 2024, as well as risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in other documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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RLJ Lodging Trust

Non-GAAP and Accounting Commentary

Non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“Non-GAAP”) Financial Measures

The Company considers the following non-GAAP financial measures useful to investors as key supplemental measures of its performance: (1) FFO, (2) Adjusted FFO, (3) EBITDA, (4) EBITDAre, (5) Adjusted EBITDA, (6) Hotel EBITDA, and (7) Hotel EBITDA Margin. These Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered along with, but not as alternatives to, net income or loss as a measure of its operating performance. FFO, Adjusted FFO, EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDA, Hotel EBITDA, and Hotel EBITDA Margin, as calculated by the Company, may not be comparable to other companies that do not define such terms exactly as the Company defines such terms.

Funds From Operations (“FFO”)

The Company calculates Funds from Operations (“FFO”) in accordance with standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or NAREIT, which defines FFO as net income or loss (calculated in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains or losses from sales of real estate, impairment, the cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles, plus depreciation and amortization, and adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Historical cost accounting for real estate assets implicitly assumes that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably over time. Since real estate values have instead historically risen or fallen with market conditions, most real estate industry investors consider FFO to be helpful in evaluating a real estate company’s operations. The Company believes that the presentation of FFO provides useful information to investors regarding the Company’s operating performance and can facilitate comparisons of operating performance between periods and between real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), even though FFO does not represent an amount that accrues directly to common shareholders.

The Company’s calculation of FFO may not be comparable to measures calculated by other companies who do not use the NAREIT definition of FFO or do not calculate FFO per diluted share in accordance with NAREIT guidance. Additionally, FFO may not be helpful when comparing the Company to non-REITs. The Company presents FFO attributable to common shareholders, which includes unitholders of limited partnership interest (“OP units”) in RLJ Lodging Trust, L.P., the Company’s operating partnership, because the OP units may be redeemed for common shares of the Company. The Company believes it is meaningful for the investor to understand FFO attributable to all common shares and OP units.

EBITDA and EBITDAre

Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (“EBITDA”) is defined as net income or loss excluding: (1) interest expense; (2) provision for income taxes, including income taxes applicable to sales of assets; and (3) depreciation and amortization expense. The Company considers EBITDA useful to an investor in evaluating and facilitating comparisons of its operating performance between periods and between REITs by removing the impact of its capital structure (primarily interest expense) and asset base (primarily depreciation and amortization expense) from its operating results. In addition, EBITDA is used as one measure in determining the value of hotel acquisitions and dispositions.

In addition to EBITDA, the Company presents EBITDAre in accordance with NAREIT guidelines, which defines EBITDAre as net income or loss (calculated in accordance with GAAP) excluding interest expense, income tax benefit or expense, depreciation and amortization expense, gains or losses from sales of real estate, impairment, and adjustments for unconsolidated joint ventures. The Company believes that the presentation of EBITDAre provides useful information to investors regarding the Company's operating performance and can facilitate comparisons of operating performance between periods and between REITs.

Adjustments to FFO and EBITDA

The Company adjusts FFO, EBITDA, and EBITDAre for certain items that the Company considers outside the normal course of operations. The Company believes that Adjusted FFO, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDAre provide useful supplemental information to investors regarding its ongoing operating performance that, when considered with net income or loss, FFO, EBITDA, and EBITDAre, are beneficial to an investor’s understanding of the Company's operating performance. The Company adjusts FFO, EBITDA, and EBITDAre for the following items:

• Transaction Costs: The Company excludes transaction costs expensed during the period
• Pre-Opening Costs: The Company excludes certain costs related to pre-opening of hotels
• Non-Cash Expenses: The Company excludes the effect of certain non-cash items such as the amortization of share-based compensation, non-cash income tax expense or benefit, and non-cash interest expense related to discontinued interest rate hedges
• Other Non-Operational Expenses: The Company excludes the effect of certain non-operational expenses representing income and expenses outside the normal course of operations

Hotel EBITDA and Hotel EBITDA Margin

With respect to Consolidated Hotel EBITDA, the Company believes that excluding the effect of corporate-level expenses and certain non-cash items provides a more complete understanding of the operating results over which individual hotels and operators have direct control. The Company believes property-level results provide investors with supplemental information about the ongoing operational performance of the Company’s hotels and the effectiveness of third-party management companies.

Comparable Hotel EBITDA and Comparable Hotel EBITDA margin include prior ownership information provided by the sellers of the hotels for periods prior to our acquisition of the hotels and excludes results from sold hotels as applicable. The following is a summary of Comparable hotel adjustments:

Comparable adjustments: Acquired hotel

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, Comparable adjustments included the following acquired hotel:

• 21c Hotel Nashville acquired in July 2022

Comparable adjustments: Sold hotels

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, Comparable adjustments included the following sold hotels:

• Marriott Denver Airport at Gateway Park sold in March 2022
• SpringHill Suites Denver North Westminster sold in April 2022

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