Why Is Hilton Worldwide (HLT) Down 1.2% Since Last Earnings Report?

Core Viewpoint - Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. reported strong third-quarter 2025 earnings and revenues, surpassing estimates, despite facing some challenges in RevPAR trends [3][4]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q3 2025 were $2.11, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.03, and up from $1.92 in the same quarter last year [5]. - Total revenues reached $3.12 billion, beating the consensus mark of $3.02 billion, and reflecting an 8.8% year-over-year increase [5]. - System-wide comparable RevPAR declined by 1.1% year over year on a currency-neutral basis, attributed to decreases in occupancy and average daily rate (ADR) [7]. Revenue Breakdown - Franchise and licensing fees improved to $739 million from $698 million year-over-year, although below the estimate of $758.4 million [5]. - Base and other management fees increased to $93 million from $88 million, while incentive management fees decreased by 1.5% to $65 million [6]. - Ownership revenues were $322 million, down from $330 million in the prior year, and below the expected $349.8 million [6]. Operational Highlights - Hilton added 199 hotels, totaling 24,800 rooms, achieving a net room growth of 23,200 in Q3 2025 [11]. - The development pipeline grew by 33,000 rooms, with 3,648 hotels and approximately 515,400 rooms across 128 countries and territories as of September 30, 2025 [12]. Balance Sheet and Cash Flow - As of September 30, 2025, Hilton had total cash and cash equivalents of $1,126 million, up from $448 million in the previous quarter [8]. - Total debt stood at $11.7 billion with a weighted average interest rate of about 4.8%, and the company has sufficient liquidity to meet upcoming obligations [8]. Future Outlook - For Q4 2025, Hilton anticipates net income between $441 million and $462 million, with adjusted EBITDA expected to be between $906 million and $936 million [13]. - For the full year 2025, net income is estimated to be in the range of $1.64-$1.62 billion, with adjusted EBITDA projected between $3.69 billion and $3.72 billion [14]. - Management expects system-wide RevPAR for 2025 to be flat to up 1% year-over-year [15].