Choice Hotels Reports First Quarter 2010 Adjusted Diluted EPS of $0.27, Domestic Unit Growth of 2.9%

SILVER SPRING, Md., April 26, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Choice Hotels International, Inc., (NYSE: CHH) today reported the following highlights for first quarter 2010:

Adjusted diluted earnings per share ("EPS") for first quarter 2010 were $0.27 compared to $0.27 for the same period of the prior year. Diluted EPS were $0.26 for first quarter 2010 compared to $0.27 for first quarter 2009. Adjusted diluted EPS for first quarter 2010 exclude certain special items, as described below, totaling $0.01.

Excluding special items, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") were $26.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2010, compared to $30.3 million for the same period of 2009. Operating income for the three months ended March 31, 2010 and 2009 were $23.8 million and $27.8 million, respectively.

Franchising revenues declined 6% from $51.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2009 to $47.7 million for the same period of 2010. Total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2010 declined 6% compared to the same period of 2009.

Interest and other investment income for the three months ended March 31, 2010 improved by approximately $1.9 million from the same period of the prior year primarily due to the appreciation in the fair value of investments held in the company's non-qualified employee benefit plans during the current period compared to a decline in the fair value of these investments in the same period of the prior year.

Read More: