Vanguard Group Inc. Sells 153,470 Shares of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. $HLT

Key Points

• Vanguard Group reduced its stake in Hilton by 0.6%, selling 153,470 shares and now owns 25,309,726 shares (~10.89% of the company) valued at about $7.27 billion.
• Insider Christopher J. Nassetta sold 114,289 shares for roughly $36.28 million, cutting his holding by 75.82% and leaving insiders with about 2.70% ownership.
• Analysts are broadly positive on HLT with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $338.41, while several firms have recently raised targets (e.g., TD Cowen $390, JPMorgan $363, Argus $380).

Vanguard Group Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT - Free Report) by 0.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 25,309,726 shares of the company's stock after selling 153,470 shares during the quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. owned about 10.89% of Hilton Worldwide worth $7,270,219,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Hilton Worldwide by 10.9% during the 3rd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 42,287 shares of the company's stock worth $10,971,000 after acquiring an additional 4,155 shares in the last quarter. Railway Pension Investments Ltd boosted its stake in Hilton Worldwide by 15.0% in the third quarter. Railway Pension Investments Ltd now owns 38,400 shares of the company's stock valued at $9,962,000 after acquiring an additional 5,000 shares in the last quarter. Candriam S.C.A. grew its holdings in Hilton Worldwide by 11.2% in the third quarter. Candriam S.C.A. now owns 73,823 shares of the company's stock worth $19,153,000 after purchasing an additional 7,441 shares during the last quarter. National Pension Service increased its position in shares of Hilton Worldwide by 1.6% during the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 623,180 shares of the company's stock worth $161,678,000 after purchasing an additional 9,954 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Partners Capital Investment Group LLP acquired a new position in shares of Hilton Worldwide during the third quarter worth $4,684,000. 95.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

HLT has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on Hilton Worldwide from $299.00 to $332.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $339.00 price target on shares of Hilton Worldwide in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Macquarie Infrastructure raised their price target on Hilton Worldwide from $295.00 to $296.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, April 13th. HSBC upped their price objective on shares of Hilton Worldwide from $307.00 to $319.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Argus increased their price objective on shares of Hilton Worldwide from $350.00 to $380.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $338.41.

Key Headlines Impacting Hilton Worldwide

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

• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its price target to $390 and kept a Buy rating, a sizable upward revision that supports investor optimism about upside. TD Cowen adjusts Hilton Worldwide price target to $390
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan boosted its price target to $363, another analyst upgrade adding near-term support to the share price. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Boosts Hilton Worldwide Price Target to $363.00
• Positive Sentiment: Hilton agreed a 125-hotel India expansion deal with Regenta, a meaningful franchise pipeline move that bolsters long-term international growth expectations. The Bull Case For Hilton Could Change Following 125-Hotel India Expansion Deal With Regenta
• Neutral Sentiment: BMO raised its price target to $345 and kept a Market Perform rating—an incremental lift but a more cautious view that tempers conviction. BMO Capital adjusts price target on Hilton Worldwide to $345 Tickerreport
• Neutral Sentiment: Susquehanna raised its target to $345 but retained a Neutral rating—another signal of higher valuation expectations but without a strong buy endorsement. Susquehanna price target update
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks previewed Hilton’s Q1 report (due Apr 28), noting solid group demand and unit growth but calling out weather-related and softer U.S. trends as items to watch—an earnings beat or weaker-than-expected guidance will likely move the stock. Hilton Gears Up to Post Q1 Earnings: What's in Store for the Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Goldman Sachs published a pessimistic forecast for HLT, which could weigh on sentiment if investors see downside risk to demand or margins. The Goldman Sachs Group Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Hilton Worldwide

Insider Transactions at Hilton Worldwide

In other Hilton Worldwide news, insider Christopher J. Nassetta sold 114,289 shares of Hilton Worldwide stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $317.47, for a total transaction of $36,283,328.83. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 36,445 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,570,194.15. The trade was a 75.82% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 2.70% of the company's stock.

Hilton Worldwide Price Performance

Shares of HLT stock opened at $335.99 on Monday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $311.33 and a 200 day moving average of $293.49. Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. has a 1 year low of $217.05 and a 1 year high of $344.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $76.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.90 and a beta of 1.11.

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The company reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.02 by $0.06. Hilton Worldwide had a negative return on equity of 40.24% and a net margin of 12.10%.The business had revenue of $1.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.99 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.76 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. Hilton Worldwide has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.490-8.610 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.910-1.970 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. will post 9.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Hilton Worldwide Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th were issued a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. Hilton Worldwide's dividend payout ratio is 9.80%.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc is a global hospitality company that develops, owns, manages and franchises a broad portfolio of hotels and resorts. Its business spans full-service luxury and lifestyle properties, select- and focused-service hotels, and extended-stay accommodations. The company generates revenue through management and franchise fees, owned and leased real estate, and guest services, and supports customer retention and direct bookings through its Hilton Honors guest loyalty program.

Hilton's brand portfolio includes internationally recognized names across the lodging spectrum, from luxury and upper-upscale brands to midscale and extended-stay offerings.

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