Operating Margin - InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (LSE:IHG)

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Price: 10 235 GBX 1.84%

Market Cap: 15.4B GBX

22.3%

Current

21%

Average

7.3%

Industry

Operating Margin represents how efficiently a company is able to generate profit through its core operations.

Higher ratios are generally better, illustrating the company is efficient in its operations and is good at turning sales into profits.

Operating Margin

22.3%

Operating Profit

1.1B

Revenue

5.1B

Operating Margin Across Competitors

Country		Company	Market Cap	Operating Margin
UK		InterContinental Hotels Group PLC LSE:IHG	15.8B GBP	22%
US		Booking Holdings Inc NASDAQ:BKNG	171.3B USD	35%
CN	H	H World Group Ltd BMV:HTHTN	2.7T MXN	23%
US		Marriott International Inc NASDAQ:MAR	80.5B USD	16%
US		Airbnb Inc NASDAQ:ABNB	79.2B USD	23%
US		Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd NYSE:RCL	75.9B USD	26%
US		Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc NYSE:HLT	65.3B USD	22%
CN		Trip.com Group Ltd HKEX:9961	359.5B HKD	26%
US		Carnival Corp NYSE:CCL	36.2B USD	16%
US		Expedia Group Inc NASDAQ:EXPE	33.7B USD	14%
UK		Carnival PLC LSE:CCL	25.1B GBP	16%

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
Glance View

Market Cap

15.8B GBX

Industry

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

In the bustling corridors of the global hospitality industry, InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) stands as a towering figure, woven intricately into the fabric of travel and leisure across continents. Born from the merger of hospitality stalwarts and nurtured by decades of strategic growth, IHG's journey is one marked by ambition and a flair for innovation. The company orchestrates its vast operations through an impressive portfolio of over 5,000 hotels in nearly 100 countries, under renowned brands like Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and the eponymous InterContinental. IHG's model is heavily franchise-based, allowing it to expand its footprint rapidly while minimizing capital expenditure, and instead earning a steady stream of high-margin franchise fees from its partners who operate the properties. This strategy not only magnifies its reach but also diversifies risk, anchoring its business in a web of global scale. IHG’s revenue engine purrs smoothly as it captures value at myriad touchpoints within the vibrant ecosystems of travel and hospitality. The group specializes in leveraging its prowess in brand management, guest loyalty, and strategic partnerships. Its IHG One Rewards program keeps an ecosystem of loyal customers who often return, creating a virtuous cycle of repeated patronage, boosting bookings and occupancy rates. Alongside, meticulous cost management, an adept digital strategy, and a keen eye for emerging market trends underpin its financial performance, earning steady royalty and marketing fees from its franchisees and a slice of room revenues. As travelers seek pathways of both comfort and efficiency, IHG balances a blend of traditional warmth with modern convenience, ensuring each sojourn under its banner is anchored in quality service, making every minute away from home feel intentional and curated.

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IHG Intrinsic Value

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What is Intrinsic Value?

Economic Moat is a concept popularized by Warren Buffett to describe a company's durable competitive advantage. It represents the 'moat' that protects a company from competitors and helps it sustain profitability over the long term. Our analysis of the past 10 years showed that companies with a wide economic moat significantly outperformed the market, delivering +645% returns compared to +189% for the S&P 500.

Our research into Economic Moat performance spans the past 10 years and focuses on companies with a wide economic moat. For this analysis, we calculated the average stock price returns of these companies, comparing them to the performance of the S&P 500 index over the same period.

The results were compelling: wide moat stocks achieved a remarkable +645% average return, compared to +188% for the broader market. This difference highlights the long-term benefits of investing in businesses that can maintain their market position and pricing power over time.

Note: This research does not account for survivorship bias. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Determining whether a company has an economic moat requires both a deep dive into financial metrics and a qualitative assessment of its competitive position. Our analysts conduct a rigorous evaluation that focuses on identifying structural advantages that enable a company to sustain profitability and defend its market share over the long term.

The process begins with an analysis of a company’s historical financial performance. We assess how consistently the company has generated returns above its cost of capital and whether those returns have been stable or improving. However, financial performance alone doesn’t reveal the full picture. To understand the sources of these advantages, we evaluate five key drivers of economic moats:

Network Effect: We analyze whether the value of a company’s product or service grows as its user base expands. Platforms like payment systems or marketplaces benefit from this self-reinforcing.

Switching Costs: We assess whether customers face significant costs or disruptions when switching to a competitor’s product or service. High switching costs create customer stickiness and provide pricing power.

Intangible Assets: Strong brands, patents, and regulatory licenses can protect a company’s market position by creating barriers for competitors or enabling premium pricing. For example, a well-recognized consumer brand may command higher customer loyalty and margins.

Efficient scale: Occurs when a market is optimally served by one or a few players, making it unprofitable for new entrants to compete. This typically happens in industries with high fixed costs or geographic constraints, such as utilities or pipelines.

Cost Advantage: Companies with structural cost advantages can produce goods or services at a lower cost than their competitors, enabling them to offer competitive pricing or maintain higher margins. These advantages often arise from economies of scale, superior supply chain management, or proprietary technology. Firms like Walmart leverage their massive scale to negotiate better terms with suppliers, allowing them to undercut competitors on price.

By examining these factors in combination with a company’s financial performance and market positioning, we classify each company into one of three categories:

This rigorous evaluation ensures that our moat ratings are both comprehensive and reliable, giving investors the tools they need to make well-informed, long-term decisions.

The AI Assistant may sometimes provide inaccurate information.

Make your own investment decisions or consult a licensed financial advisor.

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InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
LSE:IHG