Hyatt Hotels Corporation's (NYSE:H ) stock didn't jump after it announced some healthy earnings. We did some digging and believe investors may be worried about some underlying factors in the report.

See our latest analysis for Hyatt Hotels

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Importantly, our data indicates that Hyatt Hotels' profit received a boost of US$1.1b in unusual items, over the last year. While we like to see profit increases, we tend to be a little more cautious when unusual items have made a big contribution. When we crunched the numbers on thousands of publicly listed companies, we found that a boost from unusual items in a given year is often not repeated the next year. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. Hyatt Hotels had a rather significant contribution from unusual items relative to its profit to December 2024. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items are making its statutory profit significantly stronger than it would otherwise be.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Hyatt Hotels' Profit Performance

As we discussed above, we think the significant positive unusual item makes Hyatt Hotels' earnings a poor guide to its underlying profitability. As a result, we think it may well be the case that Hyatt Hotels' underlying earnings power is lower than its statutory profit. The silver lining is that its EPS growth over the last year has been really wonderful, even if it's not a perfect measure. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Hyatt Hotels at this point in time. Be aware that Hyatt Hotels is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis and 2 of those are potentially serious...

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Hyatt Hotels' profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with high insider ownership.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.