HOST HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. annual report, FY2012

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. — 2012 Form 10-K

Business context and reporting period. The filing covers the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 and combines Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (a REIT) and Host Hotels & Resorts, L.P.; substantially all operations and debt reside in the partnership. At year-end the company reported 119 consolidated hotels; its portfolio listing as of February 25, 2013 reflects 118 hotels. The portfolio focuses on luxury and upper-upscale hotels, primarily in urban and resort/conference markets, and hotels are operated by third-party managers.

Financial and operating performance

Metric20122011Change / context
Total revenue$5.286 billion$4.924 billionUp 7.4%
Operating profit / GAAP margin$383 million / 7.2%$326 million / 6.6%Profit up 17.5%; margin up 60 bps
Net income (loss)$63 million$(16) million2012 included $50 million income from discontinued operations
Diluted EPS$0.08$(0.02)Host L.P. diluted earnings per unit were $0.09
Adjusted EBITDA$1.190 billion$1.018 billionUp 16.9%; non-GAAP measure
NAREIT FFO / adjusted FFO per diluted share$1.04 / $1.10$0.89 / $0.92Up 16.9% / 19.6%; non-GAAP measures
Comparable hotel RevPAR$142.48$133.87Up 6.4%; room rate up 3.6%, occupancy up 2.0 percentage points to 74.5%
Cash from operating activities$782 million$661 millionUp $121 million
Capital expenditures$638 million$542 millionRenewals and replacements $366 million; redevelopment/ROI $272 million
Cash and cash equivalents$417 million$826 millionYear-end cash declined $409 million
Total debt$5.411 billion$5.753 billionDown $342 million

Comparable hotel adjusted operating profit margin increased to 24.0% from 22.6%. The company attributed improvement to higher room rates and occupancy, stronger corporate and group demand, and lower utility costs. GAAP operating profit and comparable hotel results have different scopes; comparable measures exclude certain items and should not be treated as GAAP results.

Fourth quarter. 2012 Q4 revenue was $1.746 billion, operating profit $117 million, continuing-operations income $14 million and net income $15 million. For 2011 Q4, the corresponding reported figures were $1.634 billion, $122 million, $19 million and $16 million. Comparisons are affected by differing reporting calendars: the 2012 Q4 statement period covered 115 days versus 113 days in 2011.

Debt, liquidity and capital allocation

  • Year-end debt was $5.411 billion; 78% carried fixed interest rates. Weighted-average interest rate was 5.4% and weighted-average maturity 5.1 years. The credit-facility leverage ratio was 4.2x, within its 7.25x maximum; the company reported compliance with its financial covenants.
  • Cash of $417 million plus $737 million of available credit-facility capacity provided approximately $1.154 billion of reported cash and borrowing availability.
  • Debt maturities included $278 million in 2013, $642 million in 2014 and $675 million in 2015. The 2014 amount includes $175 million of exchangeable debentures subject to a holder put option.
  • In 2012, the company issued approximately $1.5 billion of debt and repaid approximately $1.9 billion, refinancing higher-cost debt and reducing its weighted-average borrowing cost. It also issued 17.5 million common shares through at-the-market offerings for $271 million net proceeds.
  • Common dividends declared were $0.30 per share for 2012, up from $0.14 in 2011. In February 2013, the board authorized a $0.10 quarterly dividend.

Material changes, outlook and risks

  • Revenue growth reflected improved hotel trading and acquisitions, including the Grand Hyatt Washington; comparable RevPAR rose 6.4%. Total company revenue also included acquired-hotel contributions and other revenue items.
  • Net income included a $48 million net gain on hotel dispositions and a $60 million non-cash impairment charge for The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa. Debt extinguishment costs were $35 million; the company reported interest expense of $373 million.
  • Management forecast 2013 comparable RevPAR growth of 5%–7% and comparable food-and-beverage and other revenue growth of approximately 2%–4%. It expected demand to outpace supply, with RevPAR growth mainly rate-driven, but cited economic uncertainty and slower expected growth in Europe.
  • Planned 2013 capital spending was $130–$150 million for redevelopment/ROI projects and approximately $270–$290 million for renewals and replacements. The latter was expected to be about 20% below 2012 spending.
  • Litigation: A Texas Supreme Court appeal concerns the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter ground-lease dispute. The company accrued approximately $58 million; it disclosed maximum exposure of approximately $66 million. The outcome remains uncertain.
  • Joint-venture debt: Certain Euro JV loans secured by six hotels had covenant defaults and cash sweeps, with a waiver through the April 2013 maturity while extension discussions continued. Refinancing could require stricter terms and additional partner equity; Host’s stated share of the affected loans was €108 million. These JV borrowings are non-recourse to Host.
  • Other risks include lodging-cycle and economic weakness, labor and operating-cost pressures, substantial ongoing renovation needs, reliance on third-party hotel managers, interest-rate and foreign-exchange exposure, potential uninsured property losses, and REIT qualification and distribution requirements. Hurricane Sandy disrupted New York operations; Christchurch earthquake insurance claims remained partly unsettled, with an $11 million receivable reported.

Most important facts for investors to verify

  • Reconcile 2012 reported net income with the material disposition gain, impairment, discontinued operations and litigation accrual; review the relevant non-GAAP reconciliations.
  • Confirm the status and potential resolution cost of the San Antonio litigation and whether the accrued amount remains adequate.
  • Track the Euro JV loan extensions, covenant waivers, cash sweeps and any additional equity funding required from Host.
  • Assess refinancing and liquidity against the 2013–2015 maturity schedule, exchangeable-debenture put options, capital spending and dividend commitments.
  • Compare actual 2013 RevPAR, revenue and capital expenditure results with management’s stated outlook, accounting for the change to calendar-quarter reporting in 2013.
  • Review the filing’s audited financial statements and covenant definitions when assessing leverage; the company’s 4.2x ratio is calculated under credit-agreement terms and is not a general debt-to-EBITDA measure.