InterContinental Hotels Group Repurchases Nearly 60,000 Shares
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2 days ago
0mins
Should l Buy IHG?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Purchase Overview: InterContinental Hotels Group repurchased 59,987 ordinary shares on February 24, 2026, through Goldman Sachs International on the London Stock Exchange, with prices ranging from $138.25 to $141.00 and an average price of $139.82, indicating strong confidence in its stock.
- Shareholder Authorization: The repurchase was executed under the authority granted by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on May 8, 2025, demonstrating the company's proactive capital management strategy aimed at enhancing earnings per share and shareholder value.
- Share Cancellation Plan: The company intends to cancel the repurchased shares, which will reduce the total issued shares to 151,040,048 (excluding 5,481,782 held in treasury), thereby improving earnings per share further.
- Market Reaction Expectations: By executing this buyback, InterContinental Hotels Group not only boosts market confidence in its stock but also aims to enhance its stock price performance, reflecting a robust financial strategy in the current economic environment.
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Analyst Views on IHG
Wall Street analysts forecast IHG stock price to fall
1 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 140.580
Low
135.00
Averages
135.00
High
135.00
Current: 140.580
Low
135.00
Averages
135.00
High
135.00
About IHG
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is a United Kingdom-based global hospitality company. The Company has a diverse portfolio of differentiated brands. With 20 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, which is a hotel loyalty program, the Company has approximately 6,600 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a development pipeline of over 2,200 properties. The Company’s brands include Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo, voco hotels, HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Garner hotels, avid hotels, Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites, Iberostar Beachfront Resorts, and Ruby. Ruby brand operates approximately 20 hotels (3,483 rooms) in cities across Europe and has another 10 pipeline hotels (2,235 rooms).
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Purchase Overview: InterContinental Hotels Group repurchased 59,987 ordinary shares on February 24, 2026, through Goldman Sachs International on the London Stock Exchange, with prices ranging from $138.25 to $141.00 and an average price of $139.82, indicating strong confidence in its stock.
- Shareholder Authorization: The repurchase was executed under the authority granted by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on May 8, 2025, demonstrating the company's proactive capital management strategy aimed at enhancing earnings per share and shareholder value.
- Share Cancellation Plan: The company intends to cancel the repurchased shares, which will reduce the total issued shares to 151,040,048 (excluding 5,481,782 held in treasury), thereby improving earnings per share further.
- Market Reaction Expectations: By executing this buyback, InterContinental Hotels Group not only boosts market confidence in its stock but also aims to enhance its stock price performance, reflecting a robust financial strategy in the current economic environment.
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- Earnings Performance: InterContinental Hotels reported a FY Non-GAAP EPS of $5.01, missing expectations by $0.01, indicating some pressure on profitability despite overall revenue strength.
- Revenue Growth: Adjusted revenue reached $2.47 billion, up 6.8% year-over-year, beating expectations by $10 million, reflecting strong growth momentum, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region as the market recovers.
- Cash Flow and Debt: Net cash from operating activities was $898 million, significantly up from $724 million in 2024, with adjusted free cash flow at $893 million, indicating improved cash management; the net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio stands at 2.5x, showcasing financial stability.
- Shareholder Return Plan: The company launched a $950 million buyback program, expected to return over $1.2 billion to shareholders by 2026, with cumulative returns exceeding $5 billion over five years, demonstrating a strong commitment to enhancing shareholder value.
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- Earnings Report Preview: Major companies such as Energy Transfer LP (ET), Medtronic plc (MDT), and Eagle Point Credit Company (ECC) are set to release earnings before Tuesday's market open, which is expected to impact market sentiment.
- Diverse Earnings Releases: In addition to the major players, HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd. (HIVE) and Genuine Parts Company (GPC) will also report earnings on the same day, potentially influencing investor decisions in their respective sectors.
- Broad Earnings Lineup: Other companies expected to report before Tuesday's open include ALLE, BLDR, CCEP, among others, indicating heightened market activity and investor interest.
- Earnings Season Calendar: Seeking Alpha offers a comprehensive earnings season calendar, assisting investors in tracking upcoming earnings releases to make more informed investment decisions.
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- Industry Trend Shift: As hotels seek to cut costs, brands like Hyatt and IHG have begun to eliminate or adjust free breakfast services, with Hyatt removing it from 40 properties last year, highlighting the industry's urgent need for cost control.
- Changing Customer Expectations: According to JD Power, 78% of hotel guests still enjoy breakfast at the hotel, but only 8% pay for it, indicating that free breakfast has become a basic expectation for customers, potentially impacting brand loyalty.
- Economic Impact Analysis: Some hotel operators report that free breakfast can account for 5% to 7% of total revenue, yet in many cases, it does not lead to corresponding revenue growth, prompting operators to reassess its value.
- Future Model Exploration: Experts predict that hotels may replace free breakfast with credits or optional add-ons to cater to different customer segments while maintaining clear communication of value to avoid customer attrition.
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- Increased Market Volatility: Last week, stocks in software, real estate, financial services, and logistics faced selling pressure due to concerns over AI-related disruptions, with the Nasdaq Composite falling 0.2% and a weekly loss of 2.1%, indicating market sensitivity to AI impacts.
- Consumer Spending Data Focus: This week's highlight will be the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report on Friday, which will provide insights into consumer spending in December and inflation trends, especially following last week's unexpected slowdown in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
- Corporate Earnings in Spotlight: Walmart (WMT) is set to release its fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday, marking the first report under new CEO John Furner, making it a key indicator of consumer spending that the market is eagerly anticipating.
- Ongoing AI Impact: As AI tools' potential effects intensify across various sectors, software stocks like Salesforce (CRM) and ServiceNow (NOW) have seen significant declines, reflecting the market's heightened vigilance regarding AI disruptions, necessitating close monitoring of future industry developments.
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- CEO Transition Impact: CarMax's announcement of replacing interim CEO David McCreight with Keith Barr resulted in a 12% drop in stock price during midday trading, reflecting strong investor dissatisfaction with the leadership change.
- Leadership Background: New CEO Barr, coming from the hotel industry, is described by CarMax as a 'proven leader' capable of driving transformational growth and operational excellence; however, his non-automotive background may raise concerns among investors.
- Sales Decline Challenge: With three consecutive years of declining sales, the board seems to believe a transformation is necessary to improve the company's image, yet investors are worried this may signal a poor self-image and could affect future market confidence.
- Market Expectations: Despite CarMax's market capitalization of $5.9 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio below 13, analysts predict only a 7% growth rate over the next five years, indicating a lack of optimism regarding the company's recovery prospects.
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