Hilton Raises Annual Forecast as World Cup Drives Record Openings

The company reported adjusted earnings of $2.45 per share, topping FactSet analyst estimates of $2.37. Total revenue climbed to $3.33 billion, driven by a 5.8% increase in comparable revenue per available room (RevPAR). This key industry metric benefited from higher occupancy rates and increased daily room pricing. Furthermore, management and franchise fee revenues saw a healthy 9.5% uptick.

Chief Executive Christopher Nassetta pointed to system-wide momentum as the primary engine for this growth, noting that the quarter saw the company’s highest organic expansion ever with 182 new hotels and 27,000 rooms added. Based on this trajectory, Hilton raised its full-year RevPAR growth projection to a range of 4% to 4.5% and adjusted its earnings forecast to between $9.07 and $9.13 per share.

Looking ahead, the company expects fourth-quarter RevPAR growth of 3% to 3.5%. However, management cautioned that the ongoing war in the Middle East and the uncertainty surrounding midterm elections are expected to create downward pressure on performance in the final months of the year.