Ikeja Hotels Plc and Transcorp Hotels Plc, both listed on the NGX under the services sector and hotels/lodging sub-sector, have seen their shares rally so far this year

But Ikeja Hotel share price has rallied faster this year.

As of the close of trading in August, Ikeja Hotel had gained 104%, while Transcorp Hotels had gained 41.9% YtD.

Notably, they outperformed the broad market All-Share Index 36.31% YtD.

Also, in 2024, Ikeja Hotel led with a share price YtD gain of 88% compared to Transcorp Hotels’ impressive return of 65.29% YtD.

Verdict: Ikeja Hotels is clearly ahead, delivering back-to-back strong rallies that have rewarded investors handsomely.

Let us look at their ability to generate revenue. Over the past five years:

This represents a total of about N174 billion over the period and a solid compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 47%.

The momentum has carried into 2025, with revenue up 60% to N47.6 billion in H1 2025, already about 67% of the full-year 2024 figure.

Growth has also continued into 2025, with revenue reaching N12 billion in H1 2025, up 48% year-on-year.

Notably, for both companies, room sales are the main driver, contributing over 66% of revenue for Transcorp Hotels and about 70% for Ikeja Hotels.

Verdict: Transcorp Hotels is ahead, demonstrating stronger scale, faster growth, and consistent momentum.

Ikeja Hotels has also grown steadily, but its smaller revenue base and slower CAGR make it less dominant.

However, performance in 2024 was impressive, with profit surging 246% YoY to N7.2 billion, the highest in five years. The momentum has continued in 2025, with H1 profit reaching N3.12 billion, up 132% YoY.

However, its bottom-line margin moderated to just 18%, suggesting cost pressures. The outlier appears to be high operating expenses, driven largely by higher employee costs and management fees.

In terms of asset utilization, Transcorp Hotels was more efficient in generating revenue, as reflected in its superior asset turnover. Overall, Transcorp also offered a higher return on equity compared to Ikeja Hotels.

Verdict: Transcorp Hotels demonstrated stronger gross profit margins and superior asset utilization, but high operating expenses erode its bottom line.

Ikeja Hotels, while less efficient on revenue generation, shines with leaner cost structures, delivering healthier net margins.

Transcorp Hotels has a stronger balance sheet, with assets of N141 billion compared to Ikeja Hotels’ N88 billion as of H1 2025.

Crucially, Transcorp funds more of its growth with equity, making it financially stronger and less risky, while Ikeja leans more on borrowed funds.

This strength shows up in retained earnings: Transcorp has built up N65 billion, over 76% of shareholders’ funds, giving it ample room to sustain dividend payouts.

Ikeja, on the other hand, saw retained earnings fall 49% to N6.3 billion, just 19% of shareholders’ funds.

Unsurprisingly, Transcorp rewarded investors with an interim dividend of 10 kobo in H1 2025, while Ikeja paid a modest 3 kobo.

Verdict: Transcorp Hotels’ stronger balance sheet and retained earnings not only reduce risk but also give it the edge in delivering reliable dividends, making it more attractive for income-focused investors.

When it comes to valuation, Transcorp Hotels trades at a hefty premium. With a market cap of about N1.69 trillion, investors are pricing it far above its net assets, as shown by its high price-to-book ratio of 20.43x.

Ikeja Hotels, on the other hand, is much more modestly valued. Its N49.6 billion market cap gives it a P/B ratio of 1.54x, meaning it’s priced closer to the actual value of its assets.

The story is similar when you compare revenue and earnings. For every naira of revenue, investors are willing to pay 19 times at Transcorp versus just 2 times at Ikeja.

On profits, Transcorp trades at 99 times its earnings, while Ikeja trades at only 6 times.

Verdict: Transcorp is priced for perfection, while Ikeja offers the bargain play.

Recommendations: For investors, the choice depends on strategy:

Overall, Transcorp Hotels is the growth play; Ikeja Hotels is the value play. A diversified investor could hold both.