Wyndham Hotels & Resorts rejects a takeover offer

Article Excerpt

The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of most vacation plans. However, the reopening of the economy has spurred strong demand for travel. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts continues to benefit from that surge—and has now attracted a takeover bid. WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS, $76.80, is a buy. The company (New York symbol WH; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.wyndhamhotels.com; Shares o/s: 83.0 million; Market cap: $6.4 billion; Yield: 1.8%) is the world’s largest hotel franchiser, with 851,500 rooms across 9,100 hotels in 95 countries. Wyndham has rejected an unsolicited takeover bid from rival Choice Hotels International (symbol CHH on New York). The offer, worth $90.00 per Wyndham share, consists of $49.50 a share in cash (55% of the total) and 45% in Choice stock. Wyndham feels the offer undervalues its growth potential. Moreover, the merger of the two largest budget hotel operators in the U.S. would have a hard time winning regulatory approval. But even without a takeover, Wyndham’s prospects remain bright as travel volumes continue to rebound from COVID-19…