H World Group Unveils $2.5 Billion Shareholder Return Plan

The group’s latest financial results highlight a 13.2% year-on-year increase in gross merchandise volume, which reached RMB 30.5 billion. Profitability remains a core focus, as evidenced by a 20% jump in adjusted EBITDA to RMB 2.7 billion. CEO Jin Hui attributed the gains to consistent RevPAR expansion and ongoing revenue management initiatives, even as the company maintains a rapid pace of physical expansion with 498 new hotels opened across China during the quarter.

Operational strategy continues to shift toward an asset-light model, with franchised and manachised revenue surging 25.2% to RMB 3.6 billion. The company currently manages 13,539 properties, with a robust pipeline of 3,089 hotels intended to bolster its long-term presence. Given these performance metrics, management has raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth guidance to a range of 4% to 8%, affirming plans to open between 2,200 and 2,300 new locations by year-end.