RLJ Lodging Trust reports 4.8% RevPAR growth, clears debt runway to 2029

RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE:RLJ) delivered a solid start to 2026, reporting first-quarter results that outpaced the prior year across several key performance metrics.

The hospitality real estate investment trust saw Comparable Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) climb 4.8% to $148.55, underpinned by resilient business travel and sustained leisure demand across its diversified portfolio.

The top-line growth translated into Comparable Hotel Revenue of $340 million, a 5.4% increase year-over-year.

More significantly, the company demonstrated strong operational leverage, with Comparable Hotel EBITDA rising 7.2% to $89.9 million.

This outperformance allowed RLJ to expand its hotel EBITDA margins by 45 basis points to 26.4%, despite ongoing inflationary pressures in labor and property costs.

A pivotal highlight of the quarter was the company's proactive capital management.

RLJ announced that it has successfully addressed all debt maturities until 2029.

By refinancing or extending its near-term obligations, the REIT has significantly derisked its balance sheet, providing a stable foundation to navigate the current interest rate environment and pursue opportunistic acquisitions or brand conversions.

On the bottom line, RLJ reported a nominal net loss of $0.3 million, a figure typically impacted by non-cash depreciation and amortization common in real estate holdings.

Adjusted EBITDA reached $80.9 million, while adjusted Funds From Operations (FFO) per diluted share—a critical measure of REIT profitability—stood at $0.33. with significant financial flexibility to continue creating long-term value for our shareholders."