Aberdeen Group plc Cuts Stock Position in Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. $HST

Aberdeen Group plc decreased its holdings in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:HST) by 32.7% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 1,068,834 shares of the company’s stock after selling 518,331 shares during the period. Aberdeen Group plc’s holdings in Host Hotels & Resorts were worth $18,192,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Host Hotels & Resorts during the second quarter worth $554,669,000. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 25,055,737 shares of the company’s stock worth $398,425,000 after purchasing an additional 636,983 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Host Hotels & Resorts by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 10,734,333 shares of the company’s stock valued at $164,879,000 after buying an additional 341,915 shares in the last quarter. LSV Asset Management boosted its holdings in Host Hotels & Resorts by 13.7% in the 3rd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 9,838,575 shares of the company’s stock worth $167,453,000 after buying an additional 1,182,675 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in Host Hotels & Resorts by 2.8% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 5,668,976 shares of the company’s stock worth $87,075,000 after buying an additional 154,893 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.52% of the company’s stock.

Key Host Hotels & Resorts News

Here are the key news stories impacting Host Hotels & Resorts this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company set FY‑2026 EPS guidance substantially above consensus (midpoint ~ $2.07 vs. street ~ $1.36), signalling stronger outlook for earnings and cash available for returns. Host Hotels & Resorts Announces Sale & 2026 Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: FFO and revenue beat in Q4 — adjusted FFO/ diluted share topped estimates ($0.51 vs. Zacks $0.47) and revenue exceeded expectations, supporting the REIT cash‑flow story. Host Hotels (HST) Beats Q4 FFO and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Sold two Four Seasons resorts for $1.1B, realizing an ~11% unlevered IRR and a high EBITDA multiple — immediate proceeds strengthen liquidity and funding optionality for buybacks, dividends or accretive investments. Host Hotels Sells Two Luxury Resorts for $1.1 Billion
• Positive Sentiment: 2025 operational results: full‑year comparable Total RevPAR +4.2%, GAAP net income +9.8% and $2.4B available liquidity; Moody’s upgrade and ongoing share repurchase/dividend program support shareholder returns. Host Hotels 2025 Results & Liquidity
• Neutral Sentiment: 2026 operational guidance calls for modest RevPAR growth (comparable Total RevPAR +2.5% to +4.0%) and GAAP revenue roughly flat to down slightly versus 2025 — implies steady but not breakout top‑line momentum. Host Hotels Q4 Earnings: Key Metrics vs Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Planned capital spending of $525M–$625M in 2026 and transformational programs with Marriott/Hyatt signal reinvestment in the portfolio — supports long‑term value but will use near‑term cash. Host Hotels Capex & Transformational Programs
• Negative Sentiment: Margins showed pressure: full‑year operating profit margin declined ~140 bps and comparable hotel EBITDA margin down ~40 bps year‑over‑year (higher wages, less insurance benefit), which could weigh on profitability multiple expansion. Host Hotels Margins & 2025 Details
• Negative Sentiment: GAAP EPS missed the quarterly consensus and some institutional holders trimmed positions (noted large fund reductions and recent insider sells), which could increase near‑term selling pressure despite FFO strength. Quarterly Results (EPS miss) / Slide Deck

Host Hotels & Resorts Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of NASDAQ:HST opened at $20.26 on Thursday. Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. has a 52-week low of $12.22 and a 52-week high of $20.37. The stock has a market cap of $13.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.30, a PEG ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 1.17. The business has a fifty day moving average of $18.70 and a two-hundred day moving average of $17.52. The company has a quick ratio of 2.90, a current ratio of 2.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76.

Host Hotels & Resorts (NASDAQ:HST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $0.51 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.47 by $0.04. Host Hotels & Resorts had a net margin of 12.43% and a return on equity of 11.11%. The firm had revenue of $1.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.49 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.44 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 12.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Host Hotels & Resorts has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.030-2.110 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. will post 1.88 earnings per share for the current year.

Host Hotels & Resorts Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared an annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a dividend yield of 85.0%. Host Hotels & Resorts’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 76.19%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on HST shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Host Hotels & Resorts from $18.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating on shares of Host Hotels & Resorts in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Barclays started coverage on shares of Host Hotels & Resorts in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $19.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley set a $18.00 price target on shares of Host Hotels & Resorts in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Finally, UBS Group set a $21.00 price target on shares of Host Hotels & Resorts in a research report on Friday, January 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $19.27.

Insider Activity at Host Hotels & Resorts

In related news, EVP Nathan S. Tyrrell sold 9,086 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $18.47, for a total value of $167,818.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 659,841 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,187,263.27. This represents a 1.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Host Hotels & Resorts Company Profile

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on owning and managing premium lodging properties. The company’s portfolio predominantly comprises luxury and upper-upscale hotels and resorts operated under leading global brands. Through strategic acquisitions, dispositions and capital investments, Host Hotels & Resorts seeks to enhance long-term value by aligning property-level operating performance with broader market trends in hospitality demand.

The company’s holdings span major urban, resort and conference destinations across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.