Hilton reports $482 million profit as room pipeline reaches 541,300

Hilton Worldwide Holdings reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $482 million on July 28, as comparable revenue per available room increased and its development pipeline reached 541,300 rooms. In its results announcement from McLean, Virginia, the company said system-wide comparable RevPAR rose 3.9 percent on a currency neutral basis against the same period in 2025.

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $1,054 million, while diluted earnings per share were $2.10. Diluted earnings per share adjusted for special items were $2.29, according to Hilton.

The results also set out Hilton’s progress in adding rooms and approving future development, alongside its expectations for full-year earnings and shareholder distributions. The company projected approximately $3.5 billion in capital return for full year 2026.

Development approvals and a new university-market brand

Hilton approved 42,900 new rooms for development during the second quarter. Those approvals brought its pipeline to 541,300 rooms as of June 30, 2026, an increase of 6 percent from June 30, 2025.

The company added 24,100 rooms to its system during the quarter, with net additions totalling 21,600 rooms. It reported net unit growth of 6.1 percent from June 30, 2025, distinguishing the expansion of its operating system from growth in its development pipeline.

Hilton also announced Undergraduate by Hilton in June 2026, adding a lifestyle brand to its development offering. The company described the brand as upper-midscale and said it was designed to extend Hilton’s presence in college and university markets.

Debt issuance and shareholder returns

On financing, Hilton issued $1.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of 5.500% Senior Notes in May 2026. The notes are due in 2031.

Hilton repurchased 2.9 million shares of its common stock during the second quarter. Including dividends, total capital returned to shareholders was $966 million for the quarter.

The company put year-to-date capital return through July at $2,034 million. That figure covers a longer period than the second-quarter total and sits alongside its full-year projection of approximately $3.5 billion.

Full-year revenue and earnings outlook

For full year 2026, Hilton forecast system-wide comparable RevPAR growth of between 3.0 percent and 3.5 percent on a currency neutral basis compared with 2025. That projected range is below the 3.9 percent increase reported for the second quarter.

Hilton expects full-year net income of between $1,883 million and $1,911 million. Its full-year adjusted EBITDA forecast is between $4,040 million and $4,080 million, completing the earnings outlook presented alongside its room-development and capital-return figures.