Samhi Hotels eyes significant margin boost from latest acquisition

Samhi Hotels recently completed the acquisition of ACIC, which has a strikingly similar portfolio. Once this integration process is complete, there could be an uptick in profit margin to around 40% from 36% now, said Ashish Jakhanwala, CMD & CEO of Samhi Hotels.

“We have a very large portfolio with Marriott including a shared services centre. So, we will start integrating these hotels with our shared service centre starting October onwards,” Jakhanwala said in an interview with CNBC-TV18.

This transition is expected to be relatively straightforward, as all of the acquired hotels are Marriott-branded establishments currently operating under franchise agreements, he said.

Moreover, Samhi Hotels is uniquely positioned, given its extensive portfolio in partnership with Marriott, which includes a shared services centre. To initiate the integration process, Samhi plans to begin aligning these new acquisitions with their shared service centre, with the anticipated commencement of this transition slated for October.

Samhi specialises in acquiring or constructing primary hotels and subsequently embarking on refurbishments, rebranding, and reevaluation of these properties before assuming their management.

With 13 years in the industry, the company achieved a significant milestone in FY23, adding 369 keys to its portfolio. This advancement has positioned Samhi as the third-largest hotel owner in terms of the total number of keys, now boasting 4,800 keys across 31 operational hotels, which includes the recent acquisition of ACIC just last month.

These hotels are strategically located in 12 of India's vital urban consumption hubs, including but not limited to Bengaluru in Karnataka, Hyderabad in Telangana, the National Capital Region (NCR), Pune in Maharashtra, Chennai in Tamil Nadu, and Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Samhi also holds land for the development of a 350-key hotel in MIDC, Navi Mumbai.

A significant 80% of the company's revenue comes from major metropolitan cities, and it has plans for expanding its portfolio. This includes the addition of another 600 rooms, along with a comprehensive renovation of an additional 900 rooms.

For more details, watch the accompanying video