Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.09 EPS

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT) posted its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $1.76 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.67 by $0.09, Zacks reports. Hilton Worldwide had a negative return on equity of 60.85% and a net margin of 10.70%. Hilton Worldwide updated its FY 2025 guidance to 7.710-7.820 EPS and its Q1 2025 guidance to 1.570-1.630 EPS.

Hilton Worldwide Stock Performance

Shares of HLT stock traded up $12.04 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $269.89. 3,755,733 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,448,793. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $249.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $235.26. The company has a market cap of $65.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 57.92, a PEG ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 1.29. Hilton Worldwide has a 12 month low of $186.83 and a 12 month high of $273.78.

Hilton Worldwide announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, November 14th that allows the company to repurchase $3.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 5.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Hilton Worldwide

In other Hilton Worldwide news, insider Michael W. Duffy sold 23,366 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $251.66, for a total transaction of $5,880,287.56. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 22,833 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,746,152.78. This trade represents a 50.58 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 2.50% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on HLT. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on Hilton Worldwide from $210.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a research report on Monday, October 21st. Melius lowered Hilton Worldwide from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 21st. Barclays upped their price target on Hilton Worldwide from $243.00 to $268.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of Hilton Worldwide from $230.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 21st. Finally, TD Cowen lowered their price objective on Hilton Worldwide from $265.00 to $256.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $239.88.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc, a hospitality company, engages in managing, franchising, owning, and leasing hotels and resorts. It operates through two segments, Management and Franchise, and Ownership. The company engages in the hotel management and licensing of its brands. It operates luxury hotels under the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, and Conrad Hotels & Resorts brand; lifestyle hotels under the Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Tempo by Hilton, and Motto by Hilton brand; full service hotels under the Signia by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and DoubleTree by Hilton brand; service hotels under the Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, and Tru by Hilton brand; all-suite hotels under the Embassy Suites by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, and Home2 Suites by Hilton brand; and economy hotel under the Spark by Hilton brand, as well as Hilton Grand Vacations.