These picks let you gain from a travel surge

Article Excerpt

The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of most vacation plans. However, the reopening of the economy has spurred strong demand for travel, and both Wyndham, and Travel + Leisure should benefit from that surge. We see each as a buy. WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS, $81.95, is a #1 Power Buy for 2024. The company (New York symbol WH; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.wyndhamhotels.com; Shares outstanding: 79.0 million; Market cap: $6.5 billion; Dividend yield: 1.9%) is the world’s largest hotel franchiser, with 885,000 rooms spread across 9,200 hotels, with 25 brands in 95 countries. Wyndham’s revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2024, rose 1.4%, to $367 million from $362 million a year earlier. Revenue rose despite the loss of the company’s now-sold low-cost hotel management business and its associated hotels. Earnings rose 13.8%, to $91 million from $80 million. Per-share earnings increased 21.5%, to $1.13 from $0.93, on fewer shares outstanding. Profits rose because the company cut its costs, including lowering its marketing spend. With the March 2024 payment, Wyndham…