HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee, and MILWAUKEE—The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index was up 5.0% in December to a level of 4,574. For 2020 as a whole, the stock index fell 13.2%.

“Hotel stocks continued their rebound in December as the positive vaccine and re-opening sentiment remained front and center for investors,” said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. “Despite the significant pandemic-related impact to hotel demand that occurred in 2020, hotel stocks performed relatively better than they did in 2011, 2015, and 2018, which demonstrates how forward-looking the stock market is today.”

“Despite a travel boost into the New Year’s holiday, December was the second consecutive month with worsened hotel occupancy,” said Amanda Hite, STR president. “With COVID cases soaring and economic limitations continuing, we are forecasting a slow start to the year. Mathematically speaking, 2021 will be the single best year on record with regards to RevPAR growth, but that is cold comfort for the myriad of hotels currently in limbo. Industry stakeholders continue to hope for a swift vaccine rollout to the traveling public to finally put 2020 behind us.”

In December, the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index outperformed both the S&P 500 (+3.7%) and the MSCI US REIT Index (+2.7%).

The Hotel Brand sub-index jumped 5.2% from November to 7,967, while the Hotel REIT sub-index increased 4.4% to 1,115.

About the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index and Sub-Indices

The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index was set to equal 1,000 on 1 January 2000. Last cycle, the Index peaked at 3,178 on 5 July 2007. The Index’s low point occurred on 6 March 2009 when it dropped to 573.

The Hotel Brand sub-index was set to equal 1,000 on 1 January 2000. Last cycle, the sub-index peaked at 3,407 on 5 July 2007. The sub-index’s low point occurred on 6 March 2009 when it dropped to 722.

The Hotel REIT sub-index was set to equal 1,000 on 1 January 2000. Last cycle, the sub-index peaked at 2,555 on 2 February 2007. The sub-index’s low point occurred on 5 March 2009 when it dropped to 298.

The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index and sub-indices are available exclusively on www.HotelNewsNow.com. The indices are cobranded and were created by Robert W. Baird & Co. (Baird) and STR. The market-cap-weighted, price-only indices comprise 20 of the largest market-capitalization hotel companies publicly traded on a U.S. exchange and attempt to characterize the performance of hotel stocks. The Index and sub-indices are maintained by Baird and hosted on Hotel News Now, are not actively managed, and no direct investment can be made in them.

As of 31 December 2020, the companies that comprised the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index included: Apple Hospitality REIT, Chatham Lodging Trust, Choice Hotels International, DiamondRock Hospitality Company, Extended Stay America, Hersha Hospitality Trust, Hilton Inc., Host Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International, Park Hotels & Resorts, Inc., Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, RLJ Lodging Trust, Ryman Hospitality Properties, Service Properties Trust, Summit Hotel Properties, Sunstone Hotel Investors, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and Xenia Hotels & Resorts.

This communication is not a call to action to engage in a securities transaction and has not been individually tailored to a specific client or targeted group of clients. Research reports on the companies identified in this communication are provided by Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, and are available to clients through their Baird Financial Advisor. This communication does not provide recipients with information or advice that is sufficient on which to base an investment decision. This communication does not take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation or need of any particular client and may not be suitable for all types of investors. Recipients should consider the contents of this communication as a single factor in making an investment decision. Additional fundamental and other analyses would be required to make an investment decision about any individual security identified in this release.