Indian Hotels surges 6% on healthy Q4 turnaround, strong demand outlook

The management said business outlook is positive with April and May trending ahead of 2019.

Shares of Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) moved higher by 6 per cent to Rs 249.60 on the BSE in Thursday’s intra-day trade after the company reported a reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 71.57 crore for the March quarter (Q4FY22) as against a consolidated net loss of Rs 97.72 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal.

At 09:59 am; the stock traded 4.5 per cent higher at Rs 246.55 as against a 0.37 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 260.30 on April 13, 2022.

Tata Group hospitality firm reported consolidated revenue of Rs 872.08 crore during the quarter as against Rs 615.02 crore in the year-ago period. Its annual losses crimped to Rs 265 crore from Rs 796 crore in fiscal 2020-21.

Despite the third wave’s impact in January 2022, the company posted its highest ever EBITDA margin of 25.3 per cent. Higher demand in the Leisure segment as well as a recovery in business travel has driven overall growth on a YoY basis. The hospitality firm said it has recorded the highest number of new hotel signings in India for the second consecutive year, totalling 19 new hotels.

“Business outlook is positive with April and May trending ahead of 2019. Our industry leading pipeline along with scaling up of high margin new business like Ginger, amã Stays & Trails and Qmin will provide further impetus,” said Puneet Chhatwal, MD and CEO, IHCL said in the statement.

Like FY22, Motilal Oswal Financial Services anticipate a strong recovery in FY23 and FY24 on improvement in ARR (Average Room Rate) once the economic activity normalizes; improved occupancies, led by business travel as well as the Leisure segment; cost rationalization efforts; an increase in foods & beverages (F&B) income as banqueting/conferences resume; and higher income from management contracts.