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Third Quarter Results to 30 September 2011

By: InterContinental Hotels Group |  0 Shares     105 Reads

November 08, 2011 // Franchising.com // Continued outperformance by IHG's brands delivers 33% operating profit growth

Financial summary1	2011	2010	Actual	% Change YoY
				CER2	CER2 & excluding LDs3
Revenue	$467m	$421m	11%	8%	7%
Operating profit	$153m	$115m	33%	31%	26%
Total adjusted EPS	36.2¢	27.1¢	34%
Total basic EPS4	61.4¢	35.8¢	72%
Net debt	$644m	$801m

¹All figures are before exceptional items unless otherwise noted. See appendix 4 and 5 for analysis of financial headlines

²CER = constant exchange rates

³excluding $6m of significant liquidated damages receipts in 2011

⁴After exceptional items

Richard Solomons, Chief Executive of InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, said:

"In the third quarter we delivered a strong set of results, with global revenue per available room (RevPAR) up 6.4%, including 2.8% rate growth. This was led by 10.8% RevPAR growth in Greater China and 8.0% in the US where we continued to outperform the industry driven by sustained results from the Holiday Inn relaunch. We are now rolling out a multi-year programme to reposition and drive stronger performance from our Crowne Plaza brand.

"We are focused on supporting our owners by driving demand to their hotels through the most profitable channels. Our innovations in this area continue to lead the industry and we recently introduced our Best Price Guarantee, designed to drive more guests to book through our direct websites.

"We have established firm foundations for high quality growth which we will deliver through driving market share, growing margins and investing behind the growth of our brands and our people. The economic environment continues to be uncertain, but we remain confident in our future due to our resilient business model, robust balance sheet and powerful brand portfolio, combined with low medium term supply growth in many markets."

Driving Market Share

• Third quarter global RevPAR growth of 6.4%, 7.0% excluding Egypt, Bahrain and Japan.
• - Americas 7.6% (US 8.0%); EMEA 3.6%; Asia Pacific 5.7%.
• - Global rate growth of 2.8%, demonstrating progressive improvement from 2.4% growth in the second quarter.
• System size 666,476 rooms (4,520 hotels); pipeline 183,368 rooms (1,152 hotels).
• - 12,945 rooms (75 hotels) added and 3,143 rooms (17 hotels) removed, with signings of 18,728 rooms (102 hotels). Openings and signings includes 4,796 rooms (25 hotels) managed on US army bases.
• - Holiday Inn brand family signings of 9,653 rooms is up 16% on Q3 2010, taking the global brand pipeline to over 105,000 rooms, demonstrating the continued wider benefits of the relaunch.

Growing Margins

• Continued cost control
• - Regional and central costs of $72m down $3m on Q3 2010 at constant currency (down $2m as reported).
• - 2011 full year regional and central costs expected to be on target at c.$260m at constant currency (c.$265m at current exchange rates).

Current trading update

• October global RevPAR up 4.7%, including rate up 3.2%.
  - Americas 6.2% (US 6.4%); EMEA 0.3%; Asia Pacific 5.3%.
• Operating profit impact of $2m in the quarter ($9m year to date) from events in Middle East, Japan and New Zealand with full year estimated impact still expected to be around $15m.

Regional Highlights

Americas - Strong brands drive industry outperformance

RevPAR increased 7.6%, including rate growth of 3.2%. US RevPAR was up 8.0%, including rate growth of 3.4%. On a total basis including the benefit of new hotels, US RevPAR grew 9.5%, outperforming the industry up 7.9%.

Revenue increased 3% to $222m and operating profit increased 20% to $126m. After adjusting for owned hotel disposals and excluding the impact of a $4m benefit year on year from the conclusion of a specific guarantee negotiation relating to one hotel, revenue was up 5% and operating profit up 16%. This was driven by 9.7% owned hotel RevPAR growth and a 7% increase in franchise royalty fees.

We signed 11,200 rooms (73 hotels) in the quarter and opened 8,003 rooms (54 hotels) into the system, both of which include 4,796 rooms (25 hotels) managed on US army bases. Two additional Holiday Inn Club Vacations hotels (694 rooms) were signed up, which will take the total number of properties operating under the timeshare alliance brand to eight (3,586 rooms). Openings include two Holiday Inn hotels in Colombia, marking a strong entry for the brand into that country.

EMEA - Successfully growing our brands in new markets

RevPAR increased 3.6%, including rate growth of 2.8%. RevPAR grew 4.5% excluding Egypt (10 hotels) and Bahrain (2 hotels) where the political unrest continued to result in significant declines. RevPAR grew in other Middle East markets, including 10.9% in Saudi Arabia and 9.7% in the United Arab Emirates.

Revenue increased 22% (17% at CER) to $128m and operating profit was in line with the prior year at $35m (down 3% at CER). After adjusting for properties that are structured for legal reasons as operating leases but with the same characteristics as management contracts, revenue increased 9% and operating profit was flat. This was driven by strong growth in the owned business where RevPAR was up 10.0% and a $2m increase in franchise royalties as a result of 3.8% RevPAR growth and a 4% increase in year on year room count. Managed profits were adversely impacted by $1.5m as a result of the unrest in the Middle East.

We signed 1,601 rooms (11 hotels) in the quarter, including the first Hotel Indigo for Russia, in St Petersburg. 1,072 rooms (10 hotels) were opened into the system, including the InterContinental Porto, the first for the brand in Portugal.

Asia Pacific - RevPAR and rooms growth drives a 20% profit increase

RevPAR increased 5.7%, including rate growth of 2.0%. Excluding Japan (32 hotels) where the earthquake and resultant events negatively impacted growth, RevPAR grew 8.6%. Greater China continues to be our strongest market with RevPAR up 10.8%, including rate growth of 4.9%.

Revenue increased 19% (12% at CER) to $88m and operating profit increased 55% (45% at CER) to $31m. After adjusting for a $6m liquidated damages receipt, revenue increased 11% (4% at CER) and operating profit increased 25% (15% at CER). This was driven by strong RevPAR growth and an 8% increase in year on year room count, led by Greater China, up 14%. Excluding the $6m liquidated damages receipt, managed operating profit grew 20% (10% at CER). The natural disasters in Japan and New Zealand had a $0.5m negative impact in the quarter.

We signed 5,927 rooms (18 hotels) in the quarter including a 1,224 room Holiday Inn in Macau, and the fourth hotel development for the Holiday Inn Express brand in Thailand, located along Patong Beach in Phuket. 3,870 rooms (11 hotels) were opened into the system, including a second Holiday Inn resort in Phuket. IHG now has 11 hotels open in Thailand with a further 10 in the development pipeline.

Interest, tax, exceptional items, dividend and net debt

The interest charge for the period was $15m (Q3 2010: $16m). The tax charge has been calculated using an estimated annual tax rate of 26% (Q3 2010: 26%). A $17m net exceptional tax credit relates to a reduction in the estimated tax impact of a prior year corporate restructuring, partially offset by current year items.

Exceptional operating credits comprise (i) $28m relating to the closure of the UK defined benefit pension scheme with effect from 1 July 2013 and (ii) $28m gain on sale of a hotel and related investment in Australia.

Net debt was $644m (including the $208m finance lease on the InterContinental Boston), down $157m on Q3 2010 and down $99m on the position at year end.

The Group refinanced its bank debt after the quarter end, putting in place a 5 year $1.07 billion facility providing certainty of funding until November 2016.

Appendix 1: RevPAR Movement Summary

	October 2011			Q3 2011
	RevPAR	Rate	Occ.	RevPAR	Rate	Occ.
Group	4.7%	3.2%	1.0%pts	6.4%	2.8%	2.4%pts
Americas	6.2%	3.4%	1.8%pts	7.6%	3.2%	2.8%pts
EMEA	0.3%	2.6%	(1.6)%pts	3.6%	2.8%	0.6%pts
Asia Pacific	5.3%	4.7%	0.4%pts	5.7%	2.0%	2.5%pts

Appendix 2: Third quarter 2011 system & pipeline summary (rooms)

	System					Pipeline
	Openings	Removals	Net	Total	YoY%	Signings	Total
Group	12,945	(3,143)	9,802	666,476	1%	18,728	183,368
Americas	8,003	(2,298)	5,705	451,112	-	11,200	84,788
EMEA	1,072	(639)	433	122,560	2%	1,601	31,403
Asia Pacific	3,870	(206)	3,664	92,804	8%	5,927	67,177

Appendix 3: Year to date 2011 system & pipeline summary (rooms)

	System					Pipeline
	Openings	Removals	Net	Total	YoY%	Signings	Total
Group	37,464	(18,149)	19,315	666,476	1%	39,867	183,368
Americas	24,523	(12,786)	11,737	451,112	-	22,814	84,788
EMEA	4,533	(2,825)	1,708	122,560	2%	6,148	31,403
Asia Pacific	8,408	(2,538)	5,870	92,804	8%	10,905	67,177

Appendix 4: Third quarter financial headlines

Three months to 30 September 2011	Total		Americas		EMEA		Asia Pacific		Central
Operating Profit $m	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010
Franchised	145	131	123	113	19	17	3	1	-	-
Managed	51	35	10	2	11	13	30	20	-	-
Owned and leased	29	23	7	4	16	13	6	6	-	-
Regional costs	(33)	(29)	(14)	(14)	(11)	(8)	(8)	(7)	-	-
Operating profit pre central costs	192	160	126	105	35	35	31	20	-	-
Central costs	(39)	(45)	-	-	-	-	-	-	(39)	(45)
Group Operating profit	153	115	126	105	35	35	31	20	(39)	(45)

Appendix 5: Year to date financial headlines

Nine months to 30 September 2011	Total		Americas		EMEA		Asia Pacific		Central
Operating Profit $m	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010
Franchised	393	350	332	301	54	45	7	4	-	-
Managed	154	110	43	15	42	45	69	50	-	-
Owned and leased	76	56	13	8	39	28	24	20	-	-
Regional costs	(89)	(84)	(37)	(40)	(29)	(25)	(23)	(19)	-	-
Operating profit pre central costs	534	432	351	284	106	93	77	55	-	-
Central costs	(112)	(98)	-	-	-	-	-	-	(112)	(98)
Group Operating profit	422	334	351	284	106	93	77	55	(112)	(98)

Appendix 6: Constant exchange rate (CER) operating profit movement before exceptional items

	Total***		Americas		EMEA		Asia Pacific
	Actual currency*	CER**	Actual currency*	CER**	Actual currency*	CER**	Actual currency*	CER**
Exchange rates GBP:USD EUR:USD 2011 0.62 0.71 2010 0.65 0.77 * US dollar actual currency ** Translated at constant 2010 exchange rates *** After central overheads
Growth/(decline)	33%	31%	20%	20%	-	(3)%	55%	45%

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations (Heather Wood; Catherine Dolton):		+44 (0) 1895 512 176
Media Affairs (Fiona Gornall, Kari Kerr):		+44 (0) 1895 512 426
		+44 (0) 7770 736 849

High resolution images to accompany this announcement are available for the media to download free of charge from www.vismedia.co.uk This includes profile shots of the key executives. UK conference call and Q&A:

A conference call with Richard Solomons (Chief Executive Officer) and Tom Singer (Chief Financial Officer) will commence at 9:30am (London time) on Tuesday 8 November. There will be an opportunity to ask questions

.

• International dial-in: +44 (0)20 7108 6370
• UK Toll Free: 0808 238 6029
• Passcode: HOTEL

US conference call and Q&A:

There will also be a conference call, primarily for US investors and analysts, at 10.00am (Eastern Standard Time) on 8th November with Richard Solomons (Chief Executive Officer) and Tom Singer (Chief Financial Officer). There will be an opportunity to ask questions.

• International dial-in: +44 (0)20 7108 6370
• Standard US dial-in: +1 517 345 9004
• US Toll Free: 866 692 5726
• Conference ID: HOTEL

A recording of the conference calls will also be available for 7 days. To access this please dial the relevant number below

UK Replay
International dial-in: +44 (0)20 7108 6271

UK Toll Free: 0808 376 9017
Passcode : 5161

US Replay
International Dial in : +44 (0) 20 7108 6272

US Toll Free: 866 850 9261
Passcode: 516

3

Website:

The full release and supplementary data will be available on our website from 7.00 am (London time) on 8 November. The web address is www.ihg.com/Q311. To watch a video of Richard Solomons reviewing our results visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation operating seven hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®. IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with over 61 million members worldwide.

IHG is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms and franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,500 hotels and more than 666,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories, and has more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline.

IHG is committed to gender balance throughout its business. We aspire to continue retaining a minimum of 25% female representation on the Board.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.priorityclub.com for more on Priority Club Rewards. For our latest news, visit www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihgplc or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements as defined under US law (Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such as 'anticipate', 'target', 'expect', 'estimate', 'intend', 'plan', 'goal', 'believe' or other words of similar meaning. By their nature, forward-looking statements are inherently predictive, speculative and involve risk and uncertainty. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the business and the financial results are described in 'Risk Factors' in the InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

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