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Investing.com - Macquarie maintained its Neutral rating on Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT) while raising its price target to $258.00 from $240.00 following the company’s second-quarter earnings report. The stock currently trades at $268.15, near its 52-week high of $279.46. According to InvestingPro data, analyst targets for the stock range from $223 to $306.
The research firm cited valuation concerns as the primary reason for maintaining its Neutral stance, noting that Hilton now ranks fourth and sixth among 51 S&P Consumer Discretionary companies on price-to-earnings and enterprise value-to-EBITDA metrics, respectively. Macquarie also highlighted that Hilton is the second-highest traded franchisor stock.
Hilton maintained its 2025 systemwide RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) guidance of flat to +2% and its EBITDA forecast of $3,650-3,710 million. For the third quarter, the company guided for systemwide RevPAR growth to be flat to modestly down, with adjusted EBITDA between $935-955 million. The company’s impressive gross profit margin of 76.5% and revenue growth of 5.2% over the last twelve months demonstrate its operational efficiency. For deeper insights into Hilton’s financial metrics and growth potential, access the comprehensive Pro Research Report available on InvestingPro.
The hotel operator expects improving trends in the fourth quarter driven by modest increases in demand and easier comparisons. Macquarie emphasized that with 80% of fees generated by franchised hotels, Hilton remains the most stable and resilient operator against a potential recession. This stability is reflected in the stock’s relatively low price volatility, as noted in InvestingPro Tips, with eight analysts recently revising their earnings expectations upward for the upcoming period.
Macquarie acknowledged Hilton’s position as a leader in the experiences sector with the largest global pipeline of rooms and hotels, representing approximately 20% of supply, and a proven business model generating approximately $13 of shareholder returns from over $9 of free cash flow.
In other recent news, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. reported stronger-than-expected financial results for the second quarter of 2025. The company’s adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $2.20, surpassing the analyst forecast of $2.03. Hilton’s revenue also exceeded expectations, totaling $3.14 billion compared to the anticipated $3.10 billion. Despite these positive earnings and revenue figures, Hilton’s stock experienced a decline in pre-market trading. This reaction suggests investor concerns may stem from other factors not related to the earnings report. These developments highlight the importance of closely monitoring financial performance and market reactions. Investors often rely on analyst estimates to gauge company performance, and Hilton’s recent results have outpaced these projections.
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