Apple Hospitality REIT (APLE) 10-Q2020 Q1 Quarterly report

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020

Commission File Number 001-37389

APPLE HOSPITALITY REIT, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(804) 344-8121

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes ☐    No ☒

Number of registrant’s common shares outstanding as of May 15, 2020: 223,216,628

EXPLANATORY NOTE

As previously disclosed in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (the “Company”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 6, 2020, the Company relied on the SEC’s Order Under Section 36 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Modifying Exemptions From the Reporting and Proxy Delivery Requirements for Public Companies, dated March 25, 2020 (Release No. 34-88465), to delay the filing of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 (the “Form 10-Q”) due to circumstances related to COVID-19. The need to address the immediate and evolving impacts of COVID-19 on the Company’s business and operations, including impacts on the operations at each of its hotel properties, increased the demands on the Company’s employees at a time when “stay at home” orders, including in Virginia, where the Company’s headquarters is located, impacted normal working patterns. This slowed the Company’s normal quarterly close and financial reporting processes related to its Form 10-Q. 

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

Form 10-Q

Index

This Form 10-Q includes references to certain trademarks or service marks. The Courtyard by Marriott®, Fairfield by Marriott®, Marriott® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Residence Inn by Marriott®, SpringHill Suites by Marriott® and TownePlace Suites by Marriott® trademarks are the property of Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates. The Embassy Suites by Hilton®, Hampton by Hilton®, Hampton Inn by Hilton®, Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Home2 Suites by Hilton® and Homewood Suites by Hilton® trademarks are the property of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. or one or more of its affiliates. The Hyatt®, Hyatt House® and Hyatt Place® trademarks are the property of Hyatt Hotels Corporation or one or more of its affiliates. For convenience, the applicable trademark or service mark symbol has been omitted but will be deemed to be included wherever the above referenced terms are used.

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION 

Item 1. Financial Statements

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except share data)

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share data)

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 and 2019

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share data)

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

(in thousands)

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Organization          

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc., together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries (the “Company”), is a Virginia corporation that has elected to be treated as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes. The Company is a self-advised REIT that invests in income-producing real estate, primarily in the lodging sector, in the United States (“U.S.”). The Company’s fiscal year end is December 31. The Company has no foreign operations or assets and its operating structure includes only 1 reportable segment. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Although the Company has interests in potential variable interest entities through its purchase commitments, it is not the primary beneficiary as the Company does not have any elements of power in the decision making process of these entities, and therefore does not consolidate the entities. As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned 231 hotels with an aggregate of 29,535 rooms located in 34 states. The Company’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the ticker symbol “APLE.”

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the “2019 Form 10-K”). Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2020.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic 

As a result of the current novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic (“COVID-19”) and the impact it has had on travel and the broader economy throughout the U.S., the Company’s hotels have experienced significant declines in occupancy, which has had and is expected to continue to have a significant negative effect on the Company’s revenue and operating results. There remains significant uncertainty as to when operations at the hotels will return to normalized levels. As of May 15, 2020, each of the Company’s hotels were open and receiving reservations. The Company has intentionally consolidated operations for 38 hotels in market clusters to maximize operational efficiencies.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. The fair market value of cash and cash equivalents approximates their carrying value. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are distributed among several major banks, but the balances may at times exceed federal depository insurance limits.

Investment in Real Estate

The Company monitors its properties on an ongoing basis by analytically reviewing financial performance and considers each property individually for purposes of reviewing for indicators of impairment. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s operating results, the Company considered this event as a potential indicator of impairment and, as a result, the Company performed a recoverability analysis for each of its properties consistent with its annual process. The analysis compared each property’s net book value to its estimated operating income, based on assumptions and estimates about the property’s future revenues, expenses, capital expenditures and recovery from disruption resulting from COVID-19. If events or circumstances change, such as the Company’s intended hold period for a property or if the operating performance of a property remains at current levels or declines substantially for an extended period of time, the Company’s carrying value for a particular property may not be recoverable, and an impairment loss will be recorded. Impairment losses are measured as the difference between the asset’s fair value and its carrying value. The Company’s recoverability analyses did not identify any impairment losses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

Net Income Per Common Share

Basic net income per common share is computed based upon the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per common share is calculated after giving effect to all potential common shares that were dilutive and outstanding for the period. Basic and diluted net income per common share were the same for each of the periods presented.

Reclassifications

Certain prior period amounts in the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation with no effect on previously reported net income or shareholders’ equity.

Accounting Standards Recently Adopted

In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which removes, modifies and adds fair value disclosure requirements, including a new requirement to disclose the range and weighted average of significant observable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements. Certain disclosures are required to be applied retrospectively and others applied prospectively. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2020, and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848), which provides optional guidance through December 31, 2022 to ease the potential burden in accounting for, or recognizing the effects of, reference rate reform on financial reporting. The amendments in ASU No. 2020-04 apply to contract modifications that replace a reference rate affected by reference rate reform, providing optional expedients regarding the measurement of hedge effectiveness in hedging relationships that have been modified to replace a reference rate. The guidance in ASU No. 2020-04 became effective upon issuance and the provisions of the ASU did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures as of March 31, 2020.

2. Investment in Real Estate

The Company’s investment in real estate consisted of the following (in thousands):

As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned 231 hotels with an aggregate of 29,535 rooms located in 34 states.

The Company leases all of its hotels to its wholly-owned taxable REIT subsidiary (or a subsidiary thereof) under master hotel lease agreements.

Hotel Acquisitions

There were 0 acquisitions during the three months ended March 31, 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company acquired 3 hotels, including 2 hotels during the three months ended March 31, 2019. The following table sets forth the location, brand, manager, date acquired, number of rooms and gross purchase price, excluding transaction costs, for each hotel. All dollar amounts are in thousands.

The Company used borrowings under its revolving credit facility to purchase each of these hotels. The acquisitions of these hotel properties were accounted for as an acquisition of a group of assets, with costs incurred to effect the acquisition, which were not significant, capitalized as part of the cost of the assets acquired. For the two hotels acquired during the three months ended March 31, 2019, the amount of revenue and operating income included in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations from the date of acquisition through March 31, 2019 was approximately $0.7 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

Hotel Purchase Contract Commitments

As of March 31, 2020, the Company had outstanding contracts, all of which were entered into prior to 2020, for the potential purchase of 6 hotels for a total expected purchase price of approximately $208.8 million. NaN of the hotels, the newly developed Hampton Inn & Suites and Home2 Suites in Cape Canaveral, Florida, were acquired in April 2020. Also, subsequent to March 31, 2020, the Company exercised its right to terminate the contract to purchase the Courtyard hotel in Denver, Colorado and the refundable deposit of approximately $0.6 million was repaid to the Company. The 3 remaining hotels are under development and are planned to be completed and opened for business over the next five to 15 months from March 31, 2020, at which time closings on these hotels are expected to occur. Although the Company is working towards acquiring these hotels, in each case there are a number of conditions to closing that have not yet been satisfied and there can be no assurance that closings on these hotels will occur under the outstanding purchase contracts. If the sellers meet all of the conditions to closing, the Company is obligated to specifically perform under these contracts. As the properties are under development, at this time, the sellers have not met all of the conditions to closing. The following table summarizes the location, brand, date of purchase contract, expected number of rooms, refundable (if the seller does not meet its obligations under the contract) contract deposits paid, and gross purchase price for each of the contracts outstanding at March 31, 2020 that have not been terminated. All dollar amounts are in thousands.

The Company utilized $25.0 million of its available cash and entered into a one-year note payable with the developer secured by the hotels for $21.7 million to fund the purchase price of the Cape Canaveral, Florida hotels. The note payable bears interest, which is payable monthly, at a floating annual rate equal to the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate for a one-month term (“one-month LIBOR”) plus a margin of 2.0% for the first six months of the loan term and 3.0% for the second six months of the loan term. The Company plans to utilize its available cash at closing to purchase the remaining hotels under contract if closings occur.

3. Dispositions

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company sold 2 hotels in 2 transactions with unrelated parties for a total combined gross sales price of approximately $45.0 million, resulting in a combined gain on sale of approximately $8.8 million, which is included in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The two hotels had a total carrying value of approximately $35.7 million at the time of sale. The following table lists the two hotels sold:

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company sold 11 hotels in 3 transactions with unrelated parties for a total combined gross sales price of approximately $121.7 million, resulting in a combined gain on sale of approximately $5.6 million, which is included in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019. The 11 hotels had a total carrying value of approximately $115.1 million at the time of the sale. The following table lists the 11 hotels sold:

Excluding gains on sale of real estate, the Company’s consolidated statements of operations include operating income of approximately $0.1 million and $2.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, relating to the results of operations of the 13 hotels noted above (the two hotels sold in the first three months of 2020 and the 11 hotels sold in 2019) for the period of ownership. The sale of these properties does not represent a strategic shift that has, or will have, a major effect on the Company’s operations and financial results, and therefore the operating results for the period of ownership of these properties are included in income from continuing operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. The net proceeds from the sales were used to pay down borrowings on the Company’s revolving credit facility.

4. Debt

Summary

As of March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, the Company’s debt consisted of the following (in thousands):

The aggregate amounts of principal payable under the Company’s total debt obligations as of March 31, 2020 (including the revolving credit facility, term loans, senior notes and mortgage debt), for the five years subsequent to March 31, 2020 and thereafter are as follows (in thousands):

The Company uses interest rate swaps to manage its interest rate risks on a portion of its variable-rate debt. Throughout the terms of these interest rate swaps, the Company pays a fixed rate of interest and receives a floating rate of interest equal to one-month LIBOR. The swaps are designed to effectively fix the interest payments on variable-rate debt instruments. See Note 5 for more information on the interest rate swap agreements. The Company’s total fixed-rate and variable-rate debt, after giving effect to its interest rate swaps in effect at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, is set forth below. All dollar amounts are in thousands.

Credit Facilities

$850 Million Credit Facility

The Company utilizes an unsecured “$850 million credit facility” comprised of (i) a $425 million revolving credit facility with an initial maturity date of July 27, 2022 and (ii) a $425 million term loan facility consisting of 2 term loans: a $200 million term loan with a maturity date of July 27, 2023, and a $225 million term loan with a maturity date of January 31, 2024 (the “$425 million term loan facility”). Subject to certain conditions including covenant compliance and additional fees, the $425 million revolving credit facility maturity date may be extended up to one year. The Company may make voluntary prepayments in whole or in part, at any time. Interest payments on the $850 million credit facility are due monthly and the interest rate, subject to certain exceptions, is equal to an annual rate of the one-month LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 1.35% to 2.25%, depending upon the Company’s leverage ratio, as calculated under the terms of the credit agreement. The Company is also required to pay quarterly an unused facility fee at an annual rate of 0.20% or 0.25% on the unused portion of the $425 million revolving credit facility, based on the amount of borrowings outstanding during the quarter. In response to the disruption to the operations of the Company’s hotels and to the financial markets and broader economy caused by COVID-19, the Company borrowed its entire availability under its revolving credit facility in March 2020 and, at March 31, 2020, had an outstanding balance of $425.0 million and 0 remaining availability under its credit facilities.

$225 Million Term Loan Facility

The Company has an unsecured $225 million term loan facility that is comprised of (i) a $50 million term loan with a maturity date of August 2, 2023, which was funded on August 2, 2018, and (ii) a $175 million term loan with a maturity date of August 2, 2025, of which $100 million was funded on August 2, 2018 and the remaining $75 million was funded on January 29, 2019. The credit agreement contains requirements and covenants similar to the Company’s $850 million credit facility. The Company may make voluntary prepayments in whole or in part, at any time, subject to certain conditions. Interest payments on the $225 million term loan facility are due monthly and the interest rate, subject to certain exceptions, is equal to an annual rate of the one-month LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 1.35% to 2.50%, depending upon the Company’s leverage ratio, as calculated under the terms of the credit agreement.  

2017 $85 Million Term Loan Facility

On July 25, 2017, the Company entered into an unsecured $85 million term loan facility with a maturity date of July 25, 2024, consisting of 1 term loan that was funded at closing (the “2017 $85 million term loan facility”). The credit agreement, as amended and restated in August 2018, contains requirements and covenants similar to the Company’s $850 million credit facility. The Company may make voluntary prepayments in whole or in part, at any time, subject to certain conditions. Interest payments on the $85 million term loan are due monthly. In July 2019, the Company entered into an amendment of the $85 million term loan to reduce the interest rate margin from 1.80% - 2.60% to 1.30% - 2.10%, depending upon the Company’s leverage ratio, as calculated under the terms of the credit agreement, for the remainder of the term.

2019 $85 Million Term Loan Facility

On December 31, 2019, the Company entered into an unsecured $85 million term loan facility with a maturity date of December 31, 2029, consisting of 1 term loan funded at closing (the “2019 $85 million term loan facility”). Net proceeds from the 2019 $85 million term loan facility were used to pay down borrowings on the Company’s revolving credit facility. The credit agreement contains requirements and covenants similar to the Company’s $850 million credit facility. The Company may make voluntary prepayments in whole or in part, subject to certain conditions. Interest payments on the 2019 $85 million term loan facility are due monthly and the interest rate, subject to certain exceptions, is equal to an annual rate of the one-month LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 1.70% to 2.55%, depending upon the Company’s leverage ratio, as calculated under the terms of the credit agreement.  

$50 Million Senior Notes Facility

On March 16, 2020, the Company entered into an unsecured $50 million senior notes facility with a maturity date of March 31, 2030, consisting of senior notes totaling $50 million funded at closing (the “$50 million senior notes facility” and, collectively with the $850 million credit facility, the $225 million term loan facility, the 2017 $85 million term loan facility and the 2019 $85 million term loan facility, the “credit facilities”). Net proceeds from the $50 million senior notes facility are available to provide funding for general corporate purposes. The note agreement contains requirements and covenants similar to the Company’s $850 million credit facility. The Company may make voluntary prepayments in whole or in part, at any time, subject to certain conditions, including make-whole provisions. Interest payments on the $50 million senior notes facility are due quarterly and the interest rate, subject to certain exceptions, ranges from an annual rate of 3.60% to 4.35% depending on the Company’s ratio of Consolidated Total Indebtedness to Consolidated EBITDA as defined in the agreement. 

As of March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, the details of the Company’s credit facilities were as set forth below. All dollar amounts are in thousands.

The credit agreements governing the credit facilities contain mandatory prepayment requirements, customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default. The credit agreements require that the Company comply with various covenants, which include, among others, a minimum tangible net worth, maximum debt limits, minimum interest and fixed charge coverage ratios and restrictions on certain investments. The Company was in compliance with the applicable covenants at March 31, 2020. As a result of COVID-19 and the associated disruption to the Company’s operating results, the Company anticipates that it may not be in compliance with certain of these covenants in future periods. In April 2020, the Company notified the lenders under its credit facilities of the anticipated non-compliance with certain covenants and anticipates entering into amendments to each of the credit facilities that will provide for waivers of each of the covenants for four quarters beginning with the quarter ending June 30, 2020. The terms of the amendments are expected to include minimum liquidity requirements and restrictions on the amount of the Company’s distributions, capital expenditures, share repurchases and acquisitions among other items during the covenant relief period. Additionally, the Company anticipates the amendments to require that the interest rate under its credit facilities increase, during the covenant relief period, to the highest interest rate margin under each of the credit agreements which would range from 75-80 basis points of an increase above current margins depending on the agreement. Although the Company anticipates completing these amendments, there are many conditions to closing, including but not limited to finalizing the terms of the amendments and completing the amendments themselves, and there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to complete the amendments with the noted terms or at all. If the amendments are not entered into, as currently anticipated, and the Company does not meet the covenant requirements in future periods, the Company will be in default under each credit facility, which may result in a potential acceleration of amounts due under each credit facility, which would have a material adverse effect on the Company if it is unable to obtain alternative sources of capital to repay such amounts.

Mortgage Debt

As of March 31, 2020, the Company had approximately $500.0 million in outstanding mortgage debt secured by 31 properties, with maturity dates ranging from July 2021 to January 2038, stated interest rates ranging from 3.40% to 6.25% and effective interest rates ranging from 3.40% to 4.97%. The loans generally provide for monthly payments of principal and interest on an amortized basis and defeasance or prepayment penalties if prepaid. The following table sets forth the hotel properties securing each loan, the interest rate, loan assumption or origination date, maturity date, the principal amount assumed or originated, and the outstanding balance prior to any fair value adjustments or debt issuance costs as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 for each of the Company’s mortgage debt obligations. All dollar amounts are in thousands.

5. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Except as described below, the carrying value of the Company’s financial instruments approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these financial instruments.

Debt

The Company estimates the fair value of its debt by discounting the future cash flows of each instrument at estimated market rates consistent with the maturity of a debt obligation with similar credit terms and credit characteristics, which are Level 3 inputs under the fair value hierarchy. Market rates take into consideration general market conditions and maturity. As of March 31, 2020, the carrying value and estimated fair value of the Company’s debt were approximately $1.8 billion and $1.6 billion, respectively. As of December 31, 2019, both the carrying value and estimated fair value of the Company’s debt were approximately $1.3 billion. Both the carrying value and estimated fair value of the Company’s debt (as discussed above) is net of unamortized debt issuance costs related to term loans, senior notes and mortgage debt for each specific year.

Derivative Instruments

Currently, the Company uses interest rate swaps to manage its interest rate risks on variable-rate debt. Throughout the terms of these interest rate swaps, the Company pays a fixed rate of interest and receives a floating rate of interest equal to the one-month LIBOR. The swaps are designed to effectively fix the interest payments on variable-rate debt instruments. These swap instruments are recorded at fair value and, if in an asset position, are included in other assets, net, and, if in a liability position, are included in accounts payable and other liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The fair values of the Company’s interest rate swap agreements are determined using the market standard methodology of netting the discounted future fixed cash payments and the discounted expected variable cash receipts, which is considered a Level 2 measurement under the fair value hierarchy. The variable cash receipts are based on an expectation of future interest rates (forward curves) derived from observable market interest rate curves. The following table sets forth information for each of the Company’s interest rate swap agreements outstanding as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. All dollar amounts are in thousands.

The Company assesses, both at inception and on an ongoing basis, the effectiveness of its qualifying cash flow hedges. For the three months ended March 31, 2020, all of the interest rate swap agreements listed above, with the exception of the $110 million agreement, were designated as cash flow hedges. The Company discontinued hedge accounting on the $110 million interest rate swap agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2020 due to a change in the forecasted interest payments being hedged. As a result, the unrealized loss incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2020 of $0.2 million was recorded to interest and other expense, net in the Company’s statement of operations. The change in the fair value of the Company’s designated cash flow hedges is recorded to accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a component of shareholders’ equity in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Amounts reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) will be reclassified to interest and other expense, net as interest payments are made or received on the Company’s variable-rate derivatives. The Company estimates that approximately $9.5 million of net unrealized losses included in accumulated other comprehensive loss at March 31, 2020 will be reclassified as an increase to interest and other expense, net within the next 12 months.

The following table presents the effect of derivative instruments in cash flow hedging relationships in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands):

6. Related Parties

The Company has, and is expected to continue to engage in, transactions with related parties. These transactions cannot be construed to be at arm’s length and the results of the Company’s operations may be different if these transactions were conducted with non-related parties. There have been no changes to the contracts and relationships discussed in the 2019 Form 10-K. Below is a summary of the significant related party relationships in effect during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

Glade M. Knight, Executive Chairman of the Company, owns Apple Realty Group, Inc. (“ARG”), which receives support services from the Company and reimburses the Company for the cost of these services as discussed below. Mr. Knight is also currently a partner and Chief Executive Officer of Energy 11 GP, LLC and Energy Resources 12 GP, LLC, which are the respective general partners of Energy 11, L.P. and Energy Resources 12, L.P., each of which receive support services from ARG.

The Company provides support services, including the use of the Company’s employees and corporate office, to ARG and is reimbursed by ARG for the cost of these services. The amounts reimbursed to the Company are based on the actual costs of the services and a good faith estimate of the proportionate amount of time incurred by the Company’s employees on behalf of ARG. Total reimbursed costs allocated by the Company to ARG for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 totaled approximately $0.3 million for each respective period, and are recorded as a reduction to general and administrative expenses in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. 

As part of the cost sharing arrangement, certain day-to-day transactions may result in amounts due to or from the Company and ARG. To efficiently manage cash disbursements, the Company or ARG may make payments for the other company. Under this cash management process, each company may advance or defer up to $1 million at any time. Each quarter, any outstanding amounts are settled between the companies. This process allows each company to minimize its cash on hand and reduces the cost for each company. The amounts outstanding at any point in time are not significant to either of the companies. As of March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, total amounts due from ARG for reimbursements under the cost sharing structure totaled approximately $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively, and are included in other assets, net in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

The Company, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, Apple Air Holding, LLC, owns a Learjet used primarily for acquisition, asset management, renovation and investor and public relations purposes. The aircraft is also leased to affiliates of the Company based on third party rates, which leasing activity was not significant during the reporting periods. The Company also utilizes aircraft, owned through two entities, one of which is owned by the Company’s Executive Chairman, and the other, by its Chief Executive Officer, for acquisition, asset management, renovation and investor and public relations purposes, and reimburses these entities at third party rates. Total costs incurred for the use of these aircraft during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were less than $0.1 million for each respective period and are included in general and administrative expenses in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

7. Shareholders’ Equity

Distributions 

Subsequent to the distribution paid in March 2020, the Company announced the suspension of its monthly distributions due to the impact of COVID-19 on its operating cash flows. Prior to the suspension of its distributions, the Company’s annual distribution rate, payable monthly, was $1.20 per common share. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company paid distributions of $0.30 per common share for a total of $67.3 million and $67.2 million, respectively. The distributions paid during the three months ended March 31, 2020 include the distribution paid in January 2020, totaling $22.4 million, that was declared in December 2019, which was included in accounts payable and other liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2019.

Share Repurchases

In May 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an extension of its existing share repurchase program (the “Share Repurchase Program”), authorizing share repurchases up to an aggregate of $345 million. The Share Repurchase Program may be suspended or terminated at any time by the Company and will end in July 2021 if not terminated earlier. During the first three months of 2020 and 2019, the Company purchased, under its Share Repurchase Program, approximately 1.5 million and 0.3 million of its common shares, respectively, at a weighted-average market purchase price of approximately $9.42 and $14.93 per common share, respectively, for an aggregate purchase price, including commissions, of approximately $14.3 million and $4.1 million, respectively. The shares were repurchased under a written trading plan that provided for share repurchases in open market transactions, and was intended to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Repurchases under the Share Repurchase Program have been funded, and the Company intends to fund future repurchases, with cash on hand or availability under its credit facilities. As of March 31, 2020, approximately $345.4 million remained available for purchase under the Share Repurchase Program. In March 2020 the Company terminated its written trading plan.

8. Compensation Plans

The Company annually establishes an incentive plan for its executive management. Under the incentive plan for 2020 (the “2020 Incentive Plan”), participants are eligible to receive a bonus based on the achievement of certain 2020 performance measures, consisting of operational performance metrics (including targeted Modified Funds from Operations per share, Comparable Hotels revenue per available room growth and Adjusted Hotel EBITDA Margin growth) and shareholder return metrics (including shareholder return relative to a peer group and total shareholder return, over one-year, two-year and three-year periods). The operational performance metrics are equally weighted and account for 50% of the total target incentive compensation. The shareholder return metrics are weighted 75% for relative shareholder return metrics and 25% for total shareholder return metrics, and account for 50% of the total target incentive compensation. At March 31, 2020, the range of potential aggregate payouts under the 2020 Incentive Plan was $0 - $13.9 million. The range of payout under the 2020 Incentive Plan reflects a voluntary reduction of $0 - $5.2 million of the potential payout to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer in response to the expected decline in the Company’s operating results due to COVID-19. Based on performance through March 31, 2020, the Company has accrued approximately $1.5 million as a liability for potential executive bonus payments under the 2020 Incentive Plan, which is included in accounts payable and other liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2020 and in general and administrative expenses in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Approximately 25% of awards under the 2020 Incentive Plan, if any, will be paid in cash, and 75% will be issued in stock under the Company’s 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan, approximately two-thirds of which will vest in December 2020 and one-third of which will vest in December 2021. Under the incentive plan for 2019 (the “2019 Incentive Plan”), the Company recorded approximately $2.2 million in general and administrative expenses in its consolidated statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company accrued expense associated with 2 separation agreements of approximately $1.25 million each, totaling approximately $2.5 million, in connection with the retirements of the Company’s former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and the Company’s former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer which, pursuant to the separation and general release agreements executed and amended in March 2020, will be paid at a mutually agreed-upon date in 2020. The accrued expense was included in accounts payable and other liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2020 and in general and administrative expenses in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company incurred a one-time separation payment of $0.5 million in connection with the retirement of the Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer which, pursuant to the separation and general release agreement executed in March 2019, was paid in April 2019 and was included in general and administrative expenses in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Share-Based Compensation Awards

The following table sets forth information pertaining to the share-based compensation issued under the 2019 Incentive Plan and the incentive plan for 2018 (the “2018 Incentive Plan”).

9. Subsequent Events           

On April 30, 2020, the Company closed on the purchase of the newly developed Hampton Inn & Suites and Home2 Suites in Cape Canaveral, Florida, a combined 224-room dual-branded complex, for a gross purchase price of approximately $46.7 million. The Company utilized $25.0 million of its available cash and entered into a one-year note payable with the developer secured by the hotels for $21.7 million to fund the purchase price of the Cape Canaveral, Florida hotels. The note payable bears interest, which is payable monthly, at a floating annual rate equal to one-month LIBOR plus a margin of 2.0% for the first six months of the loan term and 3.0% for the second six months of the loan term.

In May 2020, the contract to purchase the Courtyard hotel in Denver, Colorado was terminated and the refundable deposit of approximately $0.6 million was repaid to the Company.

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by use of statements that include phrases such as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project,” “target,” “goal,” “plan,” “should,” “will,” “predict,” “potential,” “outlook,” “strategy,” and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Currently, one of the most significant factors that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from the Company’s forward-looking statements is the potential increased adverse effect of COVID-19 on the Company’s business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows, the real estate market and the hospitality industry specifically, and the global economy and financial markets. The significance, extent and duration of the impacts caused by the COVID-19 outbreak on the Company will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence at this time, including the scope, severity and duration of the pandemic, the extent and effectiveness of the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, the Company’s ability to complete the anticipated amendments to its credit facilities on the terms and timing anticipated, or at all, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others. Moreover, investors are cautioned to interpret many of the risks identified under the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 as being heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse impacts of COVID-19. Such additional factors include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to effectively acquire and dispose of properties; the ability of the Company to successfully integrate pending transactions and implement its operating strategy; changes in general political, economic and competitive conditions and specific market conditions; reduced business and leisure travel due to travel-related health concerns, including the widespread outbreak of COVID-19 or any other infectious or contagious diseases in the U.S. or abroad; adverse changes in the real estate and real estate capital markets; financing risks; litigation risks; regulatory proceedings or inquiries; and changes in laws or regulations or interpretations of current laws and regulations that impact the Company’s business, assets or classification as a REIT. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore there can be no assurance that such statements included in this Quarterly Report will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the results or conditions described in such statements or the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. In addition, the Company’s qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Readers should carefully review the risk factors described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including but not limited to those discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the 2019 Form 10-K and in Part II, Item 1A of this Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statement that the Company makes speaks only as of the date of this Quarterly Report. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or cautionary factors, as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as the information contained in the 2019 Form 10-K.

Overview

The Company is a Virginia corporation that has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. The Company is self-advised and invests in income-producing real estate, primarily in the lodging sector, in the U.S. As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned 231 hotels with an aggregate of 29,535 rooms located in urban, high-end suburban and developing markets throughout 34 states. Substantially all of the Company’s hotels operate under Marriott or Hilton brands. The hotels are operated and managed under separate management agreements with 20 hotel management companies, none of which are affiliated with the Company. The Company’s common shares are listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “APLE.”

COVID-19 and the Company’s Actions to Mitigate its Impact

Since first being reported in December 2019, COVID-19 has spread globally, including to every state in the U.S. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and on March 13, 2020, the U.S. declared a national emergency with respect to COVID-19.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has not only specifically reduced travel, but also has had a detrimental impact on regional and global economies and financial markets. The global, national and local impact of the outbreak has been rapidly evolving and many countries, including the U.S., as well as state and local governments, have reacted by instituting a wide variety of measures intended to control its spread, including states of emergency, mandatory quarantines, implementation of “stay at home” orders, business closures, border closings, and restrictions on travel and large gatherings, which has resulted in cancellation of events, including sporting events, conferences and meetings. Many experts predict that the outbreak will trigger a period of material global economic slowdown or a global recession and many experts believe that the U.S. is already in a recession. The Company cannot presently determine the extent or duration of the overall operational and financial effects that COVID-19 will have on the Company.

The effects of the pandemic on the hotel industry are unprecedented. COVID-19 has disrupted the industry and its consequences have dramatically reduced business and leisure travel, which has had a significant adverse impact on, and will continue to significantly adversely impact and disrupt, the Company’s business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows. For example, average occupancy for the Company’s Comparable Hotels (as defined below) declined from approximately 76% in February to below 20% by the end of March and for the entire month of April, which has been accompanied by declines in average daily rate (“ADR”) of approximately 30% for the month of April compared to 2019. The Company expects this significant decline in revenue associated with COVID-19 throughout its portfolio and the overall decline in the U.S. economy to negatively impact the Company’s revenue and operating results for an extended period of time. The Company does not expect a material improvement in results until business travel and general consumer confidence related to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic improves and government restrictions on travel and “stay at home” orders are lifted.

The following table highlights the impact beginning in March to the Company’s ADR, Occupancy and revenue per available room (“RevPAR”).

The Company, its management companies and the brands the Company’s hotels are franchised with have all aggressively worked to mitigate the costs and uses of cash associated with operating the hotels in a low-occupancy environment and are thoughtfully working to position the hotels to adapt to the changes that may occur to guest preferences in the future. The impact of the situation has varied and will vary by market and hotel. With the support of its brands and third-party management companies, the Company will continue to evaluate and implement additional measures as the situation evolves.

The following is a brief summary of certain measures the Company, its management companies and its brands have taken to minimize costs and cash outflow to maintain a sound liquidity position.

Despite the cost reduction initiatives discussed above, the Company does not expect to be able to fully, or even materially, offset revenue losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. The significance, extent and duration of COVID-19 effects are not currently known and these uncertainties make it difficult to predict operating results for the Company’s hotels for the remainder of 2020. Therefore, there can be no assurances that the Company will not experience further declines in hotel revenues or earnings at its hotels.

2020 Hotel Portfolio Activities

The following discussion regarding the Company’s approach to acquisitions and dispositions reflects the Company’s historical strategy. While the Company anticipates it will continue to approach the acquisition and disposition of hotels similarly over the long term, the detrimental impact of COVID-19 to the Company and overall lodging industry may limit the Company’s ability to effectively acquire or dispose of hotels until the industry recovers.

The Company continually monitors market conditions and attempts to maximize shareholder value by investing in properties that it believes provide superior value over the long term. Consistent with this strategy and the Company’s focus on investing in rooms-focused hotels, in 2018 the Company entered into a contract to purchase a combined 224-room dual-branded Hampton Inn & Suites and Home2 Suites complex to be constructed in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Construction of the hotels was completed in April 2020 and the Company acquired the hotels. The purchase price was approximately $46.7 million, funded by $25.0 million of cash on hand and a one-year note with the developer for $21.7 million payable in 2021. Also, as of May 15, 2020, the Company had outstanding contracts, all of which were entered into prior to 2020, for the potential purchase of three hotels under development for a total expected purchase price of approximately $113.0 million, which are planned to be completed and opened for business over the next five to 15 months from March 31, 2020, at which time closings on these hotels are expected to occur. In each case, there are a number of conditions to closing that have not yet been satisfied and there can be no assurance that closings on these hotels will occur under the outstanding purchase contracts. If the sellers meet all of the conditions to closing, the Company is obligated to specifically perform under these contracts. The Company plans to utilize its available cash at closing for any additional acquisitions.

For its existing portfolio, the Company monitors each property’s profitability, market conditions and capital requirements and attempts to maximize shareholder value by disposing of properties when it believes that superior value can be provided from the sale of the property. As a result, during the first quarter of 2020, the Company sold two hotels for a total combined gross sales price of $45.0 million and recognized a gain on sale of approximately $8.8 million in the first quarter of 2020. The net proceeds from the sales were used to pay down borrowings on the Company’s revolving credit facility.

See Note 2 titled “Investment in Real Estate”, Note 3 titled “Dispositions” and Note 9 titled “Subsequent Events” in the Company’s Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, for additional information concerning these transactions.

Effective January 20, 2020, the Company converted its New York, New York Renaissance hotel to an independent boutique hotel. As anticipated, the operating results of the hotel declined in the first quarter of 2020 (prior to COVID-19) as compared to the first quarter of 2019 as the management team worked to replace revenue that was historically generated from the Renaissance brand system and have experienced further declines due to COVID-19.

Hotel Operations      

Beginning in March 2020, COVID-19 caused widespread cancellations of both business and leisure travel throughout the U.S., resulting in significant decreases in RevPAR throughout the Company’s hotel portfolio and the hospitality industry as a whole. With the overall uncertainty of the longevity of COVID-19 in the U.S. and the resulting economic decline, it is difficult to project the duration of revenue declines for the industry and Company; however, the Company currently expects the decline in revenue and operating results as compared to 2019 to continue throughout the remainder of 2020 with the second quarter having the largest decline, moderating in the third and fourth quarters of 2020. Although these are the Company’s current expectations, there can be no assurances of the amount or period of declines due to the uncertainty regarding the duration and long-term impact of COVID-19.

As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned 231 hotels with a total of 29,535 rooms as compared to 234 hotels with a total of 30,046 rooms as of March 31, 2019. Results of operations are included only for the period of ownership for hotels acquired or disposed of during the current reporting period and prior year. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company sold one hotel on January 16, 2020 and one hotel on February 28, 2020. During 2019, the Company acquired one newly developed hotel on March 19, 2019 and two existing hotels (one on March 4, 2019 and one on October 9, 2019), and sold 11 hotels (nine on March 28, 2019, one on December 19, 2019 and one on December 30, 2019). As a result, the comparability of results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 as discussed below is impacted by these transactions in addition to the impact of COVID-19 beginning in March 2020.

In evaluating financial condition and operating performance, the most important indicators on which the Company focuses are revenue measurements, such as average occupancy, ADR and RevPAR, and expenses, such as hotel operating expenses, general and administrative expenses and other expenses described below.

The following is a summary of the results from operations of the Company’s hotels for their respective periods of ownership by the Company:

Comparable Hotels Operating Results

The following table reflects certain operating statistics for the Company’s 231 hotels owned as of March 31, 2020 (“Comparable Hotels”). The Company defines metrics from Comparable Hotels as results generated by the 231 hotels owned as of the end of the reporting period. For the hotels acquired during the current reporting period and prior year, the Company has included, as applicable, results of those hotels for periods prior to the Company’s ownership using information provided by the properties’ prior owners at the time of acquisition and not adjusted by the Company. This information has not been audited, either for the periods owned or prior to ownership by the Company. For dispositions, results have been excluded for the Company’s period of ownership.

Same Store Operating Results

The following table reflects certain operating statistics for the 228 hotels owned by the Company as of January 1, 2019 and during the entirety of the reporting periods being compared (“Same Store Hotels”). This information has not been audited.

As discussed above, hotel performance is impacted by many factors, including the economic conditions in the U.S. as well as each individual locality. COVID-19 has negatively affected the U.S. hotel industry beginning in March 2020. As a result of COVID-19, the Company’s revenue and operating results declined during the first three months of 2020 as compared to the first three months of 2019, which is consistent with the overall lodging industry. Compared to 2019, the Company expects the decline in revenue and operating results to continue throughout the remainder of 2020 with the second quarter having the largest decline, moderating in the third and fourth quarters of 2020, but the Company can give no assurances of the amount or period of decline due to the uncertainty regarding the duration and long term impact of COVID-19.

Revenues

The Company’s principal source of revenue is hotel revenue consisting of room, food and beverage, and other related revenue. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had total revenue of $238.0 million and $303.8 million, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, Comparable Hotels achieved combined average occupancy of 60.8% and 74.0%, ADR of $132.66 and $137.51 and RevPAR of $80.70 and $101.81. ADR is calculated as room revenue divided by the number of rooms sold, and RevPAR is calculated as occupancy multiplied by ADR.

Compared to the same period in 2019, during the first quarter of 2020, the Company experienced decreases in ADR and occupancy, resulting in a decrease of 20.7% in RevPAR for Comparable Hotels. For the first two months of 2020 (before COVID-19 significantly impacted the Company’s performance) and 2019, respectively, Comparable Hotels achieved combined average occupancy of 71.1% and 70.7% (an increase of 0.6%), ADR of $132.88 and $134.62 (a decrease of 1.3%) and RevPAR of $94.45 and $95.18 (a decrease of 0.8%). During March, the hotel industry and the Company began to see a significant decrease in occupancy as both mandated and voluntary restrictions on travel were implemented throughout the U.S. For Comparable Hotels, the Company experienced occupancy of approximately 41.0% in March and below 20% for the month of April, with ADR declines by April of approximately 30% compared to 2019.

Hotel Operating Expense 

Hotel operating expense consists of direct room operating expense, hotel administrative expense, sales and marketing expense, utilities expense, repair and maintenance expense, franchise fees and management fees. Hotel operating expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 totaled $155.3 million and $175.4 million, respectively, or 65.2% and 57.8% of total revenue for each respective period. Included in hotel operating expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were approximately $1.6 million in separation and furlough costs for hotel employees as a result of the occupancy declines discussed above. The Company has worked and will continue to work with its management companies to make reductions in staffing models, consolidate operations in markets with multiple properties, adjust or reduce food and beverage offerings and other amenities, among other efficiency initiatives to mitigate the impact of revenue declines on its results of operations. For example, in some markets the Company is “clustering” hotels, whereby multiple properties in a market have consolidated their operations to increase efficiency; certain brand standards have been reduced; and the Company has also successfully reduced or deferred payments under various service contracts. Although certain operating costs of a hotel are more fixed in nature, such as base utility and maintenance costs, the Company is working to reduce all non-essential costs including service contracts, utilities in areas not utilized and certain maintenance costs. Additionally, as the Company modifies operations to address concerns related to COVID-19, the Company expects to incur increased operating costs related to the supplying of personal protective equipment for employees as well as increased sanitation, social distancing and other measures.

Property Taxes, Insurance and Other Expense 

Property taxes, insurance, and other expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 totaled $19.6 million in each respective period, or 8.2% and 6.5% of total revenue for each respective period. Although the Company will continue to aggressively appeal assessments and monitor locality guidance as a result of COVID-19, it does not currently anticipate significant decreases in property taxes in 2020 as compared to 2019, as many assessments are made at the beginning of each calendar year.

General and Administrative Expense 

General and administrative expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $9.5 million and $8.1 million, respectively, or 4.0% and 2.7% of total revenue for each respective period. The principal components of general and administrative expense are payroll and related benefit costs, legal fees, accounting fees and reporting expenses. General and administrative expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 included the accrual of approximately $2.5 million in separation benefits awarded in connection with the previously announced retirements of the Company’s former Chief Operating Officer and former Chief Financial Officer on March 31, 2020. General and administrative expense for the three months ended March 31, 2019 included the accrual of approximately $0.5 million for the separation payment in connection with the retirement of the Company’s former Chief Legal Officer.

As discussed above, in order to minimize costs, the Company’s Executive Chairman voluntarily agreed to forego six months of salary, the Chief Executive Officer volunteered to reduce his target compensation by 60 percent and the non-employee directors on the Board of Directors volunteered as a group to reduce their annual director fees by more than 15 percent. Additionally, in light of the decline in revenue and operating results due to COVID-19 and the associated impact on the current operational and shareholder return metrics in the 2020 Incentive Plan (see Note 8 titled “Compensation Plans” in the Company’s Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for additional details), the Company anticipates a reduced payout for executive management compared to the originally established performance metrics for target compensation.

Depreciation and Amortization Expense

Depreciation and amortization expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $49.5 million and $48.0 million, respectively. Depreciation and amortization expense primarily represents expense of the Company’s hotel buildings and related improvements, and associated personal property (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) for their respective periods owned. Depreciation and amortization expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 also includes $1.6 million and $1.0 million, respectively, of amortization of the Company’s four finance ground lease assets. The remaining increase of approximately $0.9 million was primarily due to renovations completed throughout 2019 and the first quarter of 2020.

Interest and Other Expense, net 

Interest and other expense, net for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $15.6 million and $15.5 million, respectively, and is net of approximately $0.7 million and $0.5 million, respectively, of interest capitalized associated with renovation projects. Additionally, interest and other expense, net for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 includes approximately $2.8 million and $1.8 million, respectively, of interest recorded on the Company’s four finance lease liabilities. Interest expense related to the Company’s debt instruments decreased as a result of decreased average borrowings in the first three months of 2020 as compared to the first three months of 2019 as well as a decrease in the Company’s effective interest rate during the first three months of 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019, due to lower average interest rates. However, the Company anticipates interest expense to be higher for the remainder of 2020 compared to the same period of 2019 due to increased borrowings under its revolving credit facility as compared to the same periods in 2019 related to declines in operating results. In March 2020, the Company drew the remaining availability under its revolving credit facility as a precautionary measure in order to increase its cash position and preserve financial flexibility in light of uncertainty in the financial markets resulting from COVID-19. Additionally, as discussed further above in Note 4 titled “Debt” in the Company’s Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, interest rate margins for the Company’s unsecured debt are anticipated to increase for the remainder of the year to the highest margin under each facility as a condition to obtaining waivers on those facilities’ covenants.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company considers the following non-GAAP financial measures useful to investors as key supplemental measures of its operating performance: Funds from Operations (“FFO”), Modified FFO (“MFFO”), Earnings before Interest, Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBITDA”), Earnings Before Interest, Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization for Real Estate (“EBITDAre”), and Adjusted EBITDAre (“Adjusted EBITDAre”). These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered along with, but not as alternatives to, net income, cash flow from operations or any other operating GAAP measure. FFO, MFFO, EBITDA, EBITDAre and Adjusted EBITDAre are not necessarily indicative of funds available to fund the Company’s cash needs, including its ability to make cash distributions. Although FFO, MFFO, EBITDA, EBITDAre and Adjusted EBITDAre, as calculated by the Company, may not be comparable to FFO, MFFO, EBITDA, EBITDAre and Adjusted EBITDAre as reported by other companies that do not define such terms exactly as the Company defines such terms, the Company believes these supplemental measures are useful to investors when comparing the Company’s results between periods and with other REITs.

FFO and MFFO

The Company calculates and presents FFO in accordance with standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“Nareit”), which defines FFO as net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains and losses from the sale of certain real estate assets (including gains and losses from change in control), extraordinary items as defined by GAAP, and the cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles, plus real estate related depreciation, amortization and impairments, and adjustments for unconsolidated affiliates. Historical cost accounting for real estate assets implicitly assumes that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably over time. Since real estate values instead have historically risen or fallen with market conditions, most real estate industry investors consider FFO to be helpful in evaluating a real estate company’s operations. The Company further believes that by excluding the effects of these items, FFO is useful to investors in comparing its operating performance between periods and between REITs that report FFO using the Nareit definition. FFO as presented by the Company is applicable only to its common shareholders, but does not represent an amount that accrues directly to common shareholders.

The Company calculates MFFO by further adjusting FFO for the exclusion of amortization of finance ground lease assets, amortization of favorable and unfavorable operating leases, net and non-cash straight-line operating ground lease expense, as these expenses do not reflect the underlying performance of the related hotels. The Company presents MFFO when evaluating its performance because it believes that it provides further useful supplemental information to investors regarding its ongoing operating performance.

The following table reconciles the Company’s GAAP net income (loss) to FFO and MFFO for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands):

EBITDA, EBITDAre and Adjusted EBITDAre

EBITDA is a commonly used measure of performance in many industries and is defined as net income (loss) excluding interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Company believes EBITDA is useful to investors because it helps the Company and its investors evaluate the ongoing operating performance of the Company by removing the impact of its capital structure (primarily interest expense) and its asset base (primarily depreciation and amortization). In addition, certain covenants included in the agreements governing the Company’s indebtedness use EBITDA, as defined in the specific credit agreement, as a measure of financial compliance.

In addition to EBITDA, the Company also calculates and presents EBITDAre in accordance with standards established by Nareit, which defines EBITDAre as EBITDA, excluding gains and losses from the sale of certain real estate assets (including gains and losses from change in control), plus real estate related impairments, and adjustments to reflect the entity’s share of EBITDAre of unconsolidated affiliates. The Company presents EBITDAre because it believes that it provides further useful information to investors in comparing its operating performance between periods and between REITs that report EBITDAre using the Nareit definition.

The Company also considers the exclusion of non-cash straight-line operating ground lease expense from EBITDAre useful, as this expense does not reflect the underlying performance of the related hotels.

The following table reconciles the Company’s GAAP net income (loss) to EBITDA, EBITDAre and Adjusted EBITDAre for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands):

Hotels Owned

As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned 231 hotels with an aggregate of 29,535 rooms located in 34 states. The following tables summarize the number of hotels and rooms by brand and by state: