Intercontinental Hotels Group Receives Average Recommendation of 'Moderate Buy' from Brokerages

Intercontinental Hotels Group (NYSE: IHG) has received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from six research firms covering the company, according to MarketBeat.com. Among the analysts, two have assigned a hold rating, three have issued buy ratings, and one has given a strong buy rating.

Analyst rating changes

Recent research activity includes upgrades and reiterations from multiple firms. Berenberg Bank upgraded IHG from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report dated Tuesday, January 20. Jefferies Financial Group raised the stock from “hold” to “buy” in a report dated Friday, December 12. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating in a note dated Thursday, January 22.

Stock performance and trading levels

Shares of IHG opened at $134.00 on Friday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $137.34, while its 200-day simple moving average is $132.94. IHG’s 12-month range runs from a low of $94.78 to a high of $150.89.

Dividend declaration

Intercontinental Hotels Group also declared a dividend to be paid on Thursday, May 14. Investors of record as of Friday, April 10 will receive $1.259 per share. The dividend was described as representing a yield of 191.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 10.

Institutional ownership

Several hedge funds and institutional investors reported changes in their positions. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. increased its stake by 20.9% during the fourth quarter, bringing its holdings to 439 shares valued at $62,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares. Independent Advisor Alliance boosted its holdings by 0.9% to 10,577 shares valued at $1,490,000 after buying an additional 91 shares. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. increased its stake by 72.2% to 217 shares valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares.

Capital International Investors raised its position by 2.5% to 3,838 shares valued at $544,000 after buying an additional 92 shares. HighTower Advisors LLC grew its position by 0.8% to 12,734 shares valued at $1,793,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 15.09% of the company’s stock.

Company overview

Intercontinental Hotels Group plc (IHG) is a multinational hospitality company that develops, owns, manages, and franchises a portfolio of hotels and resorts. The company operates across full-service luxury and upscale segments, as well as midscale and extended-stay categories, offering lodging, food and beverage, meeting and event services, and related guest amenities.

IHG’s business model emphasizes brand franchising and management agreements, while retaining ownership or direct investments in a smaller portion of its global property portfolio. Its brand portfolio includes global and regional names designed to serve different traveler needs and market segments.