Determinants of Earnings Persistence and Predictability for Lodging Properties

Abstract

Accounting earnings are used extensively in the lodging industry for the purposes of incentive contracting, credit assessment, and valuation but we know little about the attributes of lodging properties’ accounting earnings and their determinants. Two important attributes of accounting earnings are persistence and predictability, which have been identified as key components of sustainable earnings. In this study, we examine a sample for lodging properties over a lengthy time-period to investigate the property-specific determinants of the persistence and predictability of lodging properties’ earnings. We find that barriers to entry, measured by the relative amount of marketing expenditures, have a positive impact on these earnings attributes. We also find that revenue diversification has a positive effect on these attributes, presumably through its impact on earnings stability. Finally, we find that resource rigidity, as measured by operating leverage and labor intensity, have a consistent dampening impact on persistence and predictability.