What is Zacks Research’s Forecast for CHH Q1 Earnings?

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) – Research analysts at Zacks Research lowered their Q1 2026 EPS estimates for Choice Hotels International in a report released on Thursday, March 12th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the company will post earnings of $1.32 per share for the quarter, down from their previous estimate of $1.40. The consensus estimate for Choice Hotels International’s current full-year earnings is $7.07 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Choice Hotels International’s Q2 2026 earnings at $1.95 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $2.18 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $1.61 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $7.06 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $1.43 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $2.20 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $2.22 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $1.88 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $7.72 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $8.17 EPS.

Several other brokerages have also weighed in on CHH. Barclays increased their price objective on Choice Hotels International from $98.00 to $101.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Truist Financial set a $126.00 price target on Choice Hotels International and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Choice Hotels International from $91.00 to $83.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $119.00 price objective on shares of Choice Hotels International in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Choice Hotels International from $91.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Choice Hotels International presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $111.36.

Choice Hotels International Trading Down 2.4%

NYSE:CHH opened at $95.84 on Friday. Choice Hotels International has a 12 month low of $84.04 and a 12 month high of $136.45. The company has a current ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 10.52. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $105.43 and its 200 day moving average is $102.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.41 billion, a PE ratio of 12.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.36 and a beta of 0.75.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported $1.60 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.56 by $0.04. Choice Hotels International had a net margin of 23.17% and a return on equity of 541.07%. The firm had revenue of $390.15 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $369.26 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.55 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .0% on a year-over-year basis. Choice Hotels International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.920-7.140 EPS.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Choice Hotels International

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Kilter Group LLC bought a new stake in Choice Hotels International during the second quarter valued at $25,000. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. bought a new position in Choice Hotels International in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Choice Hotels International in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its holdings in shares of Choice Hotels International by 77.4% in the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 392 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 171 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position in shares of Choice Hotels International by 6,416.7% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 391 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 385 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.57% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Choice Hotels International

In other Choice Hotels International news, SVP Simone Wu sold 8,080 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.56, for a total value of $820,604.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 48,803 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,956,432.68. This trade represents a 14.20% decrease in their position. 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 corporate insiders.

Choice Hotels International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 1st will be paid a $0.2875 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 1st. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. Choice Hotels International’s dividend payout ratio is currently 14.52%.

Trending Headlines about Choice Hotels International

Here are the key news stories impacting Choice Hotels International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised FY2027 and FY2028 EPS outlooks (FY2027 to $7.72 from $7.53; FY2028 to $8.17), signaling improved medium‑term earnings visibility and support for longer‑term valuation upside.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks bumped several quarterly estimates (examples: Q2 2026 to $1.95, Q3 2026 to $2.18, Q2 2027 to $2.20, Q3 2027 to $2.22, Q4 2027 to $1.88), suggesting stronger franchise performance and fee/royalty flows than previously modeled.
• Neutral Sentiment: The firm’s consensus FY2026 view remains around ~$7.06–7.07 EPS after Zacks’ adjustments — a small net change that keeps full‑year expectations close to street estimates.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks cut several near‑term estimates: Q1 2026 was lowered materially (to $1.32 from $1.40) and Q4 2026 was trimmed (to $1.61 from $1.65), and FY2026 was nudged down (to $7.06 from $7.11) — all of which can pressure near‑term sentiment and guidance confidence.
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley reduced its price target to $83, which may prompt additional selling or re‑rating by investors reliant on analyst target guidance. Morgan Stanley Lowers CHH Price Target to $83.00

About Choice Hotels International

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.