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Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 11 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 13 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EPS rose while GAAP EPS fell: Fourth-quarter diluted EPS was $1.27, against $2.06 a year earlier. Adjusted for special items, it was $2.08, against $1.76. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose, net income fell: Adjusted EBITDA reached $946 million in the quarter, against $858 million. Net income was $298 million, against $505 million. Source
  • Fourth-quarter RevPAR gained on rate: Comparable system-wide RevPAR rose in the fourth quarter on higher average daily rate, partly offset by modest occupancy declines. Source
  • U.S. RevPAR declined in the quarter: U.S. comparable RevPAR fell 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter, with ADR down 0.2 percent and occupancy down 0.9 points. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose year over year: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 73.0 percent in the fourth quarter, against 71.0 percent a year earlier; full-year 74.4 percent, against 71.5 percent. Source
  • Development pipeline reached a record: Fourth-quarter approvals added 37,400 rooms, and the pipeline grew about 4 percent from a year earlier. Source

“As we look ahead to 2026, we are increasingly optimistic about the tailwinds building, including improving demand patterns, driven by broader macroeconomic growth and major global and domestic events”

Christopher J. Nassetta, President & Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
System-wide comparable RevPAR, currency neutral Sourcefull year 2026between 1.0 percent and 2.0 percentNew
Diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026between $8.49 and $8.61New
Diluted EPS, adjusted for special items Sourcefull year 2026between $8.65 and $8.77New
Net income Sourcefull year 2026between $1,982 million and $2,011 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull year 2026between $4,000 million and $4,040 millionNew
Contract acquisition costs and capital expenditures, excluding third-party reimbursements Sourcefull year 2026approximately $300 millionNew
Capital return to shareholders Sourcefull year 2026approximately $3.5 billionNew
General and administrative expenses Sourcefull year 2026approximately $400 millionNew
Net unit growth Sourcefull year 2026between 6.0 percent and 7.0 percentKept
System-wide comparable RevPAR, currency neutral Sourcefirst quarter 2026between 1.0 percent and 2.0 percentNew
Diluted EPS Sourcefirst quarter 2026between $1.87 and $1.93New
Diluted EPS, adjusted for special items Sourcefirst quarter 2026between $1.91 and $1.97New
Net income Sourcefirst quarter 2026between $436 million and $450 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefirst quarter 2026between $875 million and $895 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance was issued, replacing the full-year 2025 guidance given in the prior release. Source
  • New guidance: First-quarter 2026 guidance was issued; the prior release gave guidance for the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • New: Apartment Collection by Hilton was announced as a new brand, taking the portfolio to 26 brands from 25 in the prior release. Source
  • New: Explora Journeys joined Hilton Honors Adventures as its second partner, extending the program into luxury ocean travel. Source
  • New: The board authorized an additional $3.5 billion of share repurchases in January 2026. Source

Fourth-quarter and full-year results

  • Adjusted EPS rose while GAAP EPS fell: Fourth-quarter diluted EPS was $1.27, against $2.06 a year earlier. Adjusted for special items, it was $2.08, against $1.76. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose, net income fell: Adjusted EBITDA reached $946 million in the quarter, against $858 million. Net income was $298 million, against $505 million. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted EBITDA rose: Full-year net income was $1,461 million, against $1,539 million. Full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $3,725 million, against $3,429 million. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EPS rose: Full-year diluted EPS was $6.12, against $6.14 for 2024. Adjusted for special items, full-year diluted EPS was $8.11, against $7.12. Source
  • Fourth-quarter RevPAR gained on rate: Comparable system-wide RevPAR rose in the fourth quarter on higher average daily rate, partly offset by modest occupancy declines. Source
  • Management and franchise fees grew: Management and franchise fee revenues rose in the fourth quarter, compared with the same period a year earlier. Source

Segments and regional performance

  • U.S. RevPAR declined in the quarter: U.S. comparable RevPAR fell 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter, with ADR down 0.2 percent and occupancy down 0.9 points. Source
  • Middle East & Africa RevPAR rose most: Middle East & Africa comparable RevPAR rose 15.9 percent, with ADR up 11.8 percent and occupancy up 2.8 points. Source
  • Americas and Europe RevPAR rose: Americas excluding the U.S. comparable RevPAR rose 3.8 percent and Europe rose 5.3 percent in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Asia Pacific RevPAR rose: Asia Pacific comparable RevPAR rose 3.5 percent, with ADR up 2.8 percent and occupancy up 0.5 points. Source
  • Ownership segment led segment RevPAR: Ownership segment comparable RevPAR rose 6.9 percent, against 0.3 percent for management and franchise. Source

“give us confidence in delivering net unit growth between 6.0 percent and 7.0 percent in 2026 and beyond”

Christopher J. Nassetta, President & Chief Executive Officer

Brands and customers

  • LXR and Waldorf Astoria led gains: LXR and Waldorf Astoria comparable RevPAR rose 27.4 and 12.1 percent in the fourth quarter; Conrad rose 8.4 percent. Source
  • Tru by Hilton RevPAR fell: Tru by Hilton ADR fell 2.2 percent and occupancy fell 1.4 points in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Apartment Collection brand announced: Apartment Collection by Hilton, announced in January 2026, will initially add as many as 3,000 incremental units to apartment-style units already in the system. Source
  • Large direct Honors membership base: More than 243 million Hilton Honors members book directly with Hilton and can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences. Source

Costs, margins and taxes

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose year over year: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 73.0 percent in the fourth quarter, against 71.0 percent a year earlier; full-year 74.4 percent, against 71.5 percent. Source
  • Net income margin fell: Net income margin was 9.7 percent in the quarter, against 18.2 percent; for the full year it was 12.1 percent, against 13.8 percent. Source
  • Income tax turned into an expense: Income tax was a $131 million expense in the fourth quarter, against a $169 million benefit a year earlier; full-year tax expense was $611 million. Source
  • Interest expense rose year over year: Interest expense was $165 million in the fourth quarter, against $157 million; for the year it was $620 million, against $569 million. Source
  • Full-year G&A and ownership costs fell: Full-year general and administrative expense was $393 million, against $415 million; ownership expenses were $1,094 million, against $1,126 million. Source

Development pipeline and openings

  • Development pipeline reached a record: Fourth-quarter approvals added 37,400 rooms, and the pipeline grew about 4 percent from a year earlier. Source
  • Hotel openings in the fourth quarter: 190 hotels opened in the fourth quarter, resulting in 21,300 net room additions. Source
  • Waldorf and Tapestry headline openings: Notable openings included the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan in China and more than 10 Tapestry Collection hotels. Source
  • Tapestry signings continued: Management expects continued Tapestry growth, with nearly 20 signings in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Pipeline construction and geography: Almost half of pipeline rooms are under construction, and more than half are located outside the U.S. Source

Debt, capital and shareholder returns

  • Total debt and interest rate: Debt was $12.5 billion at year-end, at a weighted average interest rate of 4.76 percent. Source
  • Net debt to Adjusted EBITDA rose: Net debt to Adjusted EBITDA was 3.1 times at year-end, against 2.9 times a year earlier. Source
  • Senior notes issuance and redemption: In December 2025 the company issued $1.0 billion of 5.500% notes due 2034 and redeemed all $500 million of 5.750% notes due 2028. Source
  • Revolver undrawn at year-end: No borrowings were outstanding under the revolving credit facility at year-end; available borrowing capacity was $1,894 million after letters of credit. Source
  • Remaining repurchase authorization: About $1.3 billion remained under the repurchase program at December 31, 2025, before the January 2026 additional authorization. Source

Strategy and investment activity

  • Contract acquisition costs rose on timing: Contract acquisition costs net of refunds rose in the quarter and the year, which management attributed to the timing of strategic hotel developments. Source
  • Canopy brand debuted in Türkiye: Canopy by Hilton opened its first hotels in Türkiye, in Istanbul and Izmir. Source
  • Lifestyle brand Outset debuted: Outset Collection by Hilton opened its first hotels, the Slackline Moab and ACME Hotel Chicago. Source

Coming up, as management said on 11 February 2026

  • Quarterly dividend payable March 31: The board authorized a $0.15 quarterly dividend, payable March 31, 2026. Source
  • Apartment Collection bookings start: Bookings for Apartment Collection by Hilton are set to start in the first half of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
System-wide comparable RevPAR change, fourth quarter 2025 Source+0.5 percent
System-wide comparable RevPAR change, full year 2025 Source+0.4 percent
Development pipeline rooms, December 31, 2025 Source520,500
Room openings, full year 2025 Source97,000
Net unit growth, December 31, 2025 vs December 31, 2024 Source6.7 percent
Total system rooms, December 31, 2025 Source1,351,351
Total system properties, December 31, 2025 Source9,158

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.