Choice Hotels International, Inc. $CHH Holdings Raised by First Trust Advisors LP

First Trust Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) by 176.1% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 27,159 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 17,323 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP’s holdings in Choice Hotels International were worth $2,811,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of CHH. Teza Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Choice Hotels International by 5.0% in the second quarter. Teza Capital Management LLC now owns 2,051 shares of the company’s stock worth $260,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund boosted its position in Choice Hotels International by 2.4% during the first quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 4,243 shares of the company’s stock valued at $439,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp boosted its position in Choice Hotels International by 1.2% during the fourth quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 9,174 shares of the company’s stock valued at $874,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina grew its stake in Choice Hotels International by 0.9% in the second quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 12,626 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,602,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in Choice Hotels International by 10.7% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,661 shares of the company’s stock valued at $172,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares in the last quarter. 65.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CHH has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Truist Financial cut their price target on Choice Hotels International from $129.00 to $128.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Choice Hotels International from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “hold” rating and issued a $124.00 price objective on shares of Choice Hotels International in a report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Choice Hotels International from $87.00 to $86.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Finally, Susquehanna reduced their price target on Choice Hotels International from $115.00 to $110.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $111.92.

Insider Activity at Choice Hotels International

In other news, CFO Scott E. Oaksmith sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.00, for a total transaction of $220,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 35,172 shares in the company, valued at $3,868,920. The trade was a 5.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 23.87% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Choice Hotels International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Choice reported second-quarter adjusted EPS of $2.02, above the $1.97 analyst consensus and up from $1.92 a year earlier. Revenue rose 3.4% year over year to $440.76 million, beating estimates of $431.52 million. Choice Hotels second-quarter earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly EBITDA increased 6.3% year over year to $175.4 million, supported by stronger U.S. royalty pricing, international portfolio expansion and monetization of non-room businesses. Management also raised its 2026 EBITDA guidance midpoint to $642.5 million.
• Positive Sentiment: Improved U.S. royalty rates and 2.6% global net rooms growth—including a second consecutive quarter of stronger U.S. net rooms growth—highlight continued asset-light expansion and could support future franchise revenue. Choice Hotels reports second-quarter 2026 results
• Neutral Sentiment: Management reaffirmed or updated full-year 2026 EPS guidance to $6.86–$7.10, while analysts had expected approximately $7.10. The range maintains the earnings target but offers limited upside relative to the existing consensus.
• Negative Sentiment: The lower end of the EPS guidance range and the lack of a clearly higher EPS midpoint may be prompting profit-taking despite the quarterly earnings beat. The stock’s high debt-to-equity ratio also leaves investors attentive to financial leverage.

Choice Hotels International Stock Down 1.9%

CHH stock opened at $109.67 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a 50-day moving average of $110.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $108.33. Choice Hotels International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $84.04 and a 52-week high of $125.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.08, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.95.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $2.02 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.97 by $0.05. Choice Hotels International had a return on equity of 205.69% and a net margin of 20.28%.The business had revenue of $440.76 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $436.48 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.92 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. Choice Hotels International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.860-7.100 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Choice Hotels International, Inc. will post 7.05 EPS for the current year.

Choice Hotels International Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, July 1st were given a $0.2875 dividend. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, July 1st. Choice Hotels International’s payout ratio is currently 15.50%.

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.