Choice Hotels International, Inc. (CHH) announced that the Company’s Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend in the amount of $10.41 per share, resulting in an aggregate payment amount of approximately $600 million. The record date for the special cash dividend is August 20, 2012 and the special cash dividend will be paid on August 23, 2012. The Company has been informed by the New York Stock Exchange that, in accordance with its rules, the ex-dividend date is expected to be August 24, 2012. Accordingly, stockholders who sell their shares on or before the payment date will not be entitled to receive the special cash dividend.
CHH is trading at $41.07 so the special dividend is a 25% dividend yield. In addition, CHH pays a quarterly dividend with a dividend yield of 1.80%.
Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises more than 6,100 hotels, representing more than 495,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories. As of March 31, 2012, more than 350 hotels were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 30,000 rooms, and approximately 80 hotels, representing approximately 7,000 rooms, were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in approximately 20 other countries and territories.