Marriott kicks off a wave first-quarter earnings reports Thursday with many other lodging companies soon to folliow. The news can't be good, but hopefully the worst will be behind us. January and February were brutal by all occupancy accounts that I heard and read, but March and April have seemingly gotten a little better. Hopefully that continues and the second quarter doesn't look as ominous as the first. Wyndham Worldwide will announce its financial results on April 29, Starwood follows a day later and Choice on May 1.
Have these companies done enough in reduced spending and operational efficiencies to meet expectations? And for that matter, what were expectations? Predicting performance in this economy isn't exactly easy.
Buckle up, the earnings ride could be bumpy.