Asset-light model suits investors

Article Excerpt

HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC. $89 (New York symbol HLT; Consumer Sector; Shares outstanding: 277.3 million; Market cap: $24.7 billion; Dividend suspended; Takeover Target Rating: Lowest; www.hiltonworldwide.com) is a hold. The company owns, manages and franchises hotels under 18 brands, including Hilton, Waldorf Astoria, Doubletree and Embassy Suites by Hilton. The U.S. accounts for 72% of the company’s nearly 971,000 rooms. On January 3, 2017, Hilton completed two spinoffs: Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. and Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. Hilton shareholders received one share of Park Hotels for every five HLT shares they held and one share of Hilton Grand for every 10 HLT shares. Immediately following the spinoffs, Hilton Worldwide undertook a reverse 1-for-3 share split. The stock has doubled since falling to $44.30 in March 2020 during on the onset of COVID-19. That’s because the spinoffs let the company focus on managing hotels for a fee. Despite the pandemic, Hilton still generated free cash flow (regular cash flow less capital expenditures)…