PPHE Hotel Group is principally an integrated owner and operator of upscale and lifestyle hotels in gateway cities and regional centres as well as hotels, resorts and campsites in select resort destinations.
Investment summary
Ahead of interim results on 5 September progress is robust with resilient trading (8% gain in Q1 like-for-like RevPAR and revenue and a confident H1 statement by Arena), continued material investment payoff (key projects are newly confirmed to be well in hand) and abundant asset acquisition opportunities. PPHE is actively repositioning itself at the corporate level, in keeping with its strong record of asset development. The introduction of EPRA reporting highlights the company’s success from a property perspective (EPRA NAV per share of £24.57 at December 2018), while share liquidity and broadening of the investor base should benefit from the move to a premium listing and inclusion in the FTSE 250 Index.
Security and Brexit uncertainty are concerns, but the London hotel market has shown admirable resilience (ytd RevPAR +4%, per STR) and benefits from increased tourism owing to sterling weakness. Greater measurable worries are room supply, which is above its long-term trend, slower economic growth and rising operating costs. GL, London’s largest hotel owner/operator, newly confirms that it ‘maintains a cautious outlook’, while, per pwc, 2019 market RevPAR gain may be marginal.
