Choice Hotels (NYSE: CHH) reported Q4 EPS of $0.88, $0.04 better than the analyst estimate of $0.84. Revenue for the quarter came in at $245 million versus the consensus estimate of $262.97 million.

• Achieved a 14 percent growth in the number of rooms in the company's upscale brands, Cambria and Ascend as of December 31, 2018 from December 31, 2017.
• Further strengthened its midscale presence by unveiling and awarding 21 domestic franchise agreements for Clarion Pointe, a midscale select-service brand extension of Clarion that meets strong demand from guests and hotel owners alike.
• Awarded 161 new franchise agreements across the company's extended stay portfolio of brands following the acquisition of WoodSpring Suites, the nation\'s fastest-growing economy hotel brand.
• Continued the $2.5 billion transformation of its flagship Comfort brand, which is progressing on schedule.

"Our strong 2018 performance represents more than a singular good year—it builds on years of success and validates our long-term focus," said Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels. "As Choice celebrates 80 years in business, these impressive results are proof that investing in our current brands, launching new brands, and further enhancing our business-delivery capabilities have provided a runway for long-term growth."

GUIDANCE:

Choice Hotels sees FY2019 EPS of $4.00-$4.13, versus the consensus of $4.20.

• Net income for full-year 2019 is expected to range between $193 million and $201 million, or $3.44 to $3.58 per diluted share.
• Adjusted diluted EPS for full-year 2019 is expected to range between $4.00 to $4.13. The company expects full-year 2019 adjusted net income to range between $224 million and $232 million.
• The company's first quarter 2019 adjusted diluted EPS is expected to range between $0.72 to $0.76.
• Adjusted EBITDA for full-year 2019 is expected to range between $354 million and $363 million
• Net domestic unit growth for 2019 is expected to range between 2 percent and 3 percent.
• Domestic RevPAR is expected to remain unchanged for the first quarter of 2019 against a strong comparable of 3.5 percent growth in the first quarter of 2018. Domestic RevPAR is expected to increase between 0.5 percent and 2.0 percent for full year 2019.
• The domestic effective royalty rate is expected to increase between 8 and 12 basis points for full year 2019 as compared to full year 2018.
• The effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 22 percent for first quarter and full-year 2019.
• Adjusted diluted EPS estimates are based on the current number of shares of common stock outstanding and, therefore, do not reflect any subsequent changes that may occur due to new equity grants or further repurchases of common stock under the company's stock repurchase program.

For earnings history and earnings-related data on Choice Hotels (CHH) click here.