Mumbai, January 12, 2026, 12:26 IST
Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd shares climbed almost 2% Monday following a restructuring move that introduces Warburg Pincus into its property division. Brokerages Nuvama and Investec maintained “buy” ratings, setting targets at 178 rupees and 187 rupees, respectively. 1
The company announced plans to divide into two distinct platforms: Lemon Tree will operate as an “asset-light” hotel manager and brand owner, while Fleur Hotels will handle ownership and development of hotel properties. The term “asset-light” refers to running hotels through management or franchise agreements without owning the physical buildings. 2
The timing is key as investors seek purer plays in travel and hospitality — fee income on one hand, real estate risk on the other. Spinning off Fleur into its own listing might clarify the market’s view on owned assets, while Lemon Tree focuses more on management contracts.
A regulatory filing revealed the plan involves a composite scheme of arrangement—a tribunal-supervised process under India’s National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)—and should take 12 to 15 months before Fleur gets listed. The document also detailed mergers among subsidiaries, the demerger of 12 hotels—including one still under construction in Shimla—and an investment linked to a Shillong project. 3
Fleur’s portfolio will expand to 5,813 keys—hotel rooms—spread over 41 hotels, up from 3,993 keys across 24 currently operating hotels, the company announced. Lemon Tree plans to continue running leased properties in Indore and Aurangabad as their leases come up for renewal. It will also manage 1,820 keys in 17 hotels recently transferred to Fleur. 4
Keswani described the plan as a move toward a “simplified” and “transparent” setup. Warburg’s Anish Saraf added the firm was “pleased to once again partner” with the founder, according to Business Standard. The outlet also noted Warburg’s earlier investment in Lemon Tree back in 2006. 5
Nuvama noted the restructuring might initially appear value-neutral. The real upside hinges on whether investors re-rate the asset-light parent and assign a clearer valuation to Fleur after it lists. Currently, the stock trades around 27 times FY26E EV/EBITDA — a key cash-flow metric — and 23 times FY27E, the firm said. 6
Lemon Tree goes head-to-head with larger listed rivals like Indian Hotels Co and EIH but has carved out a niche in the mid-market segment. A clearer separation would align it more closely with the global hotel model — with brands and contracts handled up front, while property risk stays isolated.
Several things could derail this. Court schedules might stretch out, asset transfers could become complicated, and a dip in travel demand would weigh more heavily on owned hotels than on management fees. Warburg’s funding is planned in tranches, introducing timing and market risks.
Investors are zeroing in on the details: the speed at which assets shift into Fleur, the valuation of both companies before the listing, and if the touted “value unlocking” actually materializes beyond the presentation slides.
