JPMorgan initiates Sunstone Hotel stock with underweight rating

Published 23/06/2025, 08:18
JPMorgan initiates Sunstone Hotel stock with underweight rating

Investing.com - JPMorgan initiated coverage on Sunstone Hotel Investors (NYSE:SHO), a $1.73 billion market cap REIT, with an underweight rating and set a price target of $8.00, according to a research note released Monday.

The investment bank cited mixed prospects for the hotel real estate investment trust, noting that revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth in several of Sunstone’s markets appears "uninspiring" while the supply outlook across its footprint is described as "neutral."

Sunstone Hotel Investors has struggled in 2025, with its stock declining 27% year-to-date compared to the S&P 500’s 2% gain. JPMorgan attributed this underperformance to softness in key markets, delays in opening the Andaz Miami Beach property, and broader macroeconomic uncertainty.

Despite the significant stock price decline, JPMorgan noted that Sunstone still trades at 11.2 times estimated 2026 earnings, which the firm considers relatively high given current conditions.

The research firm expressed skepticism about potential catalysts that could drive Sunstone to return to its historical multiple of approximately 12 times earnings, contributing to the underweight rating.

In other recent news, Sunstone Hotel Investors reported its first-quarter earnings for 2025, meeting Wall Street expectations with an earnings per share of $0.01, although revenue fell short at $234.07 million against the anticipated $240.72 million. The company demonstrated robust performance with a 17% year-over-year increase in Adjusted Funds From Operations per diluted share, reaching $0.21. Evercore ISI analyst Diane Pfenningwerth upgraded Sunstone Hotel Investors’ stock rating from In Line to Outperform, setting a new price target of $10.00, based on the company’s year-to-date underperformance compared to its peers and the completion of major renovation projects.

The company saw positive growth in RevPAR across key markets, including New Orleans and Washington DC, despite facing challenges earlier in the year. The potential sale of a wine country asset is viewed as a positive move that could enhance Sunstone Hotel Investors’ valuation. Sunstone Hotel Investors projects Adjusted EBITDAre for the full year 2025 to range from $235 to $260 million and expects Adjusted FFO per share between $0.82 and $0.94. CEO Brian Giulia expressed confidence in strategic initiatives and emphasized the company’s focus on asset recycling and capital allocation to maximize shareholder returns.

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