Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT) Stock Rating Raised to Outperform at Mizuho

Key Points

• Mizuho upgraded Hilton Worldwide to “outperform” from “neutral” and set a $421 price target, implying 20.55% upside from the prior close.
• Hilton’s latest results exceeded expectations, with adjusted EPS of $2.45 versus the $2.37 consensus and revenue up 6.6% year over year. Management also raised its 2026 outlook, supported by RevPAR growth and record room openings.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and average target of $363.13, though elevated valuation and margin pressure remain risks; some analysts believe the stock may already reflect much of its growth potential.

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Mizuho from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report released on Thursday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has a $421.00 target price on the stock. Mizuho's price objective would suggest a potential upside of 20.55% from the stock's previous close.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. UBS Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $363.00 target price on shares of Hilton Worldwide in a research note on Friday, August 14th. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on shares of Hilton Worldwide in a research note on Wednesday, September 2nd. They set a "peer perform" rating for the company. Evercore upgraded shares of Hilton Worldwide from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Hilton Worldwide from $360.00 to $362.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, CICC Research started coverage on shares of Hilton Worldwide in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. They set an "outperform" rating for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Hilton Worldwide currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $363.13.

Hilton Worldwide Stock Performance

NYSE:HLT opened at $349.25 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $78.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.28, a P/E/G ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 1.10. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $324.03 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $320.19. Hilton Worldwide has a 52-week low of $253.54 and a 52-week high of $364.50.

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $2.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.37 by $0.08. Hilton Worldwide had a negative return on equity of 35.24% and a net margin of 12.69%. The company had revenue of $1.37 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.37 billion. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.11 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Hilton Worldwide will post 9.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Hilton Worldwide

In other news, Director Chris Carr sold 439 shares of Hilton Worldwide stock in a transaction on Monday, September 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $310.34, for a total transaction of $136,239.26. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 8,252 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,560,925.68. This trade represents a 5.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Laura Fuentes sold 7,289 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, September 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $309.81, for a total transaction of $2,258,205.09. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 33,458 shares of the company's stock, valued at $10,365,622.98. This trade represents a 17.89% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 2.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HLT. Profund Advisors LLC boosted its position in Hilton Worldwide by 1.2% during the third quarter. Profund Advisors LLC now owns 3,058 shares of the company's stock worth $973,000 after purchasing an additional 35 shares during the period. Vise Technologies Inc. raised its position in shares of Hilton Worldwide by 18.7% in the third quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 7,386 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,350,000 after purchasing an additional 1,165 shares during the period. Invera Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Hilton Worldwide by 15.9% during the 3rd quarter. Invera Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,382 shares of the company's stock worth $440,000 after buying an additional 190 shares during the last quarter. State of Wyoming lifted its stake in shares of Hilton Worldwide by 139.9% during the 3rd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 1,046 shares of the company's stock worth $333,000 after buying an additional 610 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Hilton Worldwide by 7,230.2% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 95,000 shares of the company's stock worth $30,221,000 after buying an additional 93,704 shares during the period. 95.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Hilton Worldwide

Here are the key news stories impacting Hilton Worldwide this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings and operating trends beat expectations. Adjusted EPS was $2.45 versus the $2.37 consensus, while revenue increased 6.6% year over year. Revenue per available room (RevPAR), a key hotel-industry measure, rose 5.8%, supported by steady U.S. travel demand and higher franchise fees. Reuters Hilton outlook article
• Positive Sentiment: Hilton raised its 2026 outlook. Management increased its full-year earnings and RevPAR expectations and projected fourth-quarter adjusted EPS of $2.32 to $2.38. Record room openings and confident commentary on continued growth also support investor sentiment. Hilton earnings call article
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price targets were generally raised. Deutsche Bank lifted its target to $389 with a Buy rating, while Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Susquehanna and Robert W. Baird also increased their targets. Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and Baird maintain bullish ratings on HLT. Deutsche Bank price target article
• Neutral Sentiment: Hilton introduced Pay with Points for digital bookings. The feature may improve customer loyalty and direct-booking engagement, but its near-term financial effect is unclear. Hilton Pay with Points article
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and margin pressure remain concerns. Commentary indicated that quarterly margins faced pressure, and some analysts argue that Hilton’s strong growth is already reflected in the share price. A Yahoo Finance analysis suggested the stock could be as much as 39% above estimated fair value. Barclays lowered its target to $375, despite retaining an Overweight rating, while BMO maintained Hold. Hilton valuation analysis

Hilton Worldwide Company Profile

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc is a global hospitality company that develops, owns, manages, franchises and licenses hotels, resorts and other lodging properties. Its portfolio includes brands such as Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites, Hampton by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton.

The company provides accommodations and related services for business and leisure travelers, including guest rooms, meeting and event facilities, food and beverage operations, resort amenities and loyalty program benefits through Hilton Honors.

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