RETURN FOR MORE
2014 ANNUAL REPORT
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Selected 2014 property openings include (from top to bottom, and left to right): Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Kayasehir; DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Residences Dubai – Al Barsha;
Embassy Suites by Hilton Santo Domingo; Homewood Suites by Hilton New York Midtown Manhattan Times Square – South, NY; Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations Club;
Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, Curio Collection by Hilton; Hilton Garden Inn Astana; Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam; Home2 Suites by Hilton Sioux Falls/Sanford Medical Center, SD;
Conrad London St. James; Hilton Al Hamra Beach & Golf Resort.
Cover photo: theWit – A DoubleTree by Hilton
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RETURN FOR MORE
2014 ANNUAL REPORT
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hiltonworldwide.com
Selected 2014 property openings include (from top to bottom, and left to right): Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Kayasehir; DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Residences Dubai – Al Barsha;
Embassy Suites by Hilton Santo Domingo; Homewood Suites by Hilton New York Midtown Manhattan Times Square – South, NY; Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations Club;
Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, Curio Collection by Hilton; Hilton Garden Inn Astana; Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam; Home2 Suites by Hilton Sioux Falls/Sanford Medical Center, SD;
Conrad London St. James; Hilton Al Hamra Beach & Golf Resort.
Cover photo: theWit – A DoubleTree by Hilton
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AT-A-GLANCE
As the world’s largest and fastest-growing global hospitality
company, Hilton Worldwide builds on a century of excellence as the
strength of our brands and the power of our innovation continue to
drive guest satisfaction, increase loyalty and support one of the
foremost unit growth stories in the industry. We strive to spread the
light and warmth of hospitality that keeps guests, team members,
owners and stockholders returning for more.
115
Global RevPAR Index
12
Award-winning brands
Top line 2014 – RevPAR
UP 7.1%(1)
Bottom line – Adjusted EBITDA
UP 13.5%
Margin growth – Adjusted EBITDA margin increase
190BPS to 36.8%(2)
Net unit growth
UP 6% or 36,000 ROOMS(3)
13% CAGR
$2,210
$2,508
Adjusted EBITDA
DOLLARS IN MILLIONS
$1,956
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0
2012
2013
2014
Hilton HHonors members
44 Million
#1 Ranked(4)
System size, pipeline & rooms under
construction
715,000
Rooms
4,322
Properties
94
Countries and territories
230,000
Rooms in the pipeline –
over half under construction
(1) Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) is hotel room
revenue divided by room nights available for guests.
(2) Adjusted EBITDA Margin is calculated as Adjusted
EBITDA divided by total revenues, excluding other
revenues from Managed and Franchised properties.
(3) Of the Management and Franchise segment.
(4) Source: Smith Travel Research, Inc. (STR) Global Census,
January 2015 (adjusted to December 2014) and STR Global
New Development Pipeline, December 2014.
(5) Excluding Corporate and Other.
The stylish,
forward-
thinking
global leader
in hospitality.
Offers unforgettable
experiences at iconic
destinations around
the world.
Offers smart luxury
travelers inspiring
connections and
intuitive service in a
world of style.
Energizing neighborhood
hotels that create a
positive stay with simple
pleasures, thoughtful
extras and nice surprises.
A collection of unique
hotels, each with its
own history and
character in cities
across the globe.
Warm. Comfortable.
Friendly. Providing
true upscale comfort
to today’s business
and leisure travellers.
Relaxed, upscale
environment with over
200 all-suite locations
in the U.S., Canada and
Latin America.
Offers the amenities
Quality experience,
For guests seeking
and services that
great value and friendly
home-like
allow guests to
service in its signature
accommodations
discover and connect
Hamptonality style.
when traveling for an
Offering flexible guest
room configurations
and inspired
amenities for the
High-quality
The award-winning
vacation ownership
guest loyalty program
resorts in celebrated
that honors members
destinations.
with travel experiences
while on the road.
extended stay.
cost-conscious guest.
worth sharing.
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Our Locations
R O P E
E U
Rooms:
67,000
Pipeline: 29,000
Under
Construction:
15,000
E
A M
R I C AS
Rooms:
581,000
Pipeline: 112,000
Under
Construction:
42,000
LE E A
D
D
I
M
S T & AFRIC
A
Rooms:
21,000
Pipeline: 25,000
Under
Construction:
19,000
SIA P
A
A C I FIC
Rooms:
46,000
Pipeline: 64,000
Under
Construction:
45,000
Adjusted EBITDA
by Segment(5)
Rooms by
Chain Scale
Adjusted EBITDA
by Geography
Management & Franchise 52%
Ownership 36%
Timeshare 12%
Upper Upscale 36%
Upscale 32%
Upper Midscale 29%
Luxury 2%
Other 1%
U.S. 78%
Europe 9%
Asia Pacific 5%
Americas Non-U.S. 5%
Middle East and Africa 3%
Executive Committee
CHRISTOPHER J. NASSETTA*
JEFFREY A. DISKIN*
President & Chief Executive Officer
Executive Vice President,
JOE BERGER
Executive Vice President
& President, Americas
KRISTIN CAMPBELL*
Executive Vice President
& General Counsel
IAN R. CARTER*
Executive Vice President
& President, Development,
Architecture & Construction
Commercial Services
JAMES E. HOLTHOUSER*
Executive Vice President,
Global Brands
KEVIN J. JACOBS*
Executive Vice President
& Chief Financial Officer
MATT RICHARDSON
Head of Architecture,
Design and Construction
Board of Directors
MARTIN RINCK
Executive Vice President
& President, Asia Pacific
MATTHEW W. SCHUYLER*
Executive Vice President
& Chief Human Resources Officer
SIMON VINCENT
Executive Vice President &
President, Europe, Middle East & Africa
MARK D. WANG*
Executive Vice President &
President, Hilton Grand Vacations
* Executive officer as defined under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
CHRISTOPHER J. NASSETTA
TYLER S. HENRITZE
ELIZABETH A. SMITH
President & Chief Executive Officer,
Senior Managing Director, Real Estate,
Chairman of the Board
Hilton Worldwide
The Blackstone Group
& Chief Executive Officer,
Bloomin’ Brands
JONATHAN D. GRAY
JUDITH A. MCHALE
Chairman of the Board of Directors
President & Chief Executive Officer,
DOUGLAS M. STEENLAND
Global Head of Real Estate,
The Blackstone Group
Cane Investments
Former President &
Chief Executive Officer,
JOHN G. SCHREIBER
Northwest Airlines Corporation
MICHAEL S. CHAE
President of Centaur Capital Partners &
Senior Managing Director &
Partner, Blackstone Real Estate Advisors
WILLIAM J. STEIN
Head of International Private Equity,
The Blackstone Group
Senior Managing Director and Global
Head of Asset Management, Real Estate,
The Blackstone Group
Stockholder Information
Stock Market Information
Ticker Symbol: HLT
Market Listed and Traded: NYSE
Corporate Office
Hilton Worldwide
7930 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 883 1000
www.hiltonworldwide.com
Investor Relations
7930 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 883 5476
ir.hiltonworldwide.com
ir@hilton.com
Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
8484 Westpark Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 747 1000
www.ey.com
Printed on paper from well managed forests. © 2015 Hilton Worldwide.
Designed and produced by Corporate Reports Inc./Atlanta. www.corporatereport.com.
Transfer Agent
Wells Fargo Shareowner Services
1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-4101
Telephone: +1 800 468 9716
Facsimile: +1 651 552 6942
General Inquiries:
www.wellsfargo.com/
shareownerservices
Account Information:
www.shareowneronline.com
Annual Meeting of Stockholders
May 6, 2015
10:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
7920 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
Top line 2014 – RevPAR
UP 7.1%(1)
Bottom line – Adjusted EBITDA
UP 13.5%
Margin growth – Adjusted EBITDA margin increase
190BPS to 36.8%(2)
Net unit growth
UP 6% or 36,000 ROOMS(3)
Adjusted EBITDA
DOLLARS IN MILLIONS
$1,956
13% CAGR
$2,210
$2,508
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0
2012
2013
2014
44 Million
Hilton HHonors members
#1 Ranked(4)
System size, pipeline & rooms under
construction
715,000
Rooms
4,322
Properties
94
Countries and territories
230,000
Rooms in the pipeline –
over half under construction
(1) Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) is hotel room
revenue divided by room nights available for guests.
(2) Adjusted EBITDA Margin is calculated as Adjusted
EBITDA divided by total revenues, excluding other
revenues from Managed and Franchised properties.
(3) Of the Management and Franchise segment.
(4) Source: Smith Travel Research, Inc. (STR) Global Census,
January 2015 (adjusted to December 2014) and STR Global
New Development Pipeline, December 2014.
(5) Excluding Corporate and Other.
AT-A-GLANCE
As the world’s largest and fastest-growing global hospitality
company, Hilton Worldwide builds on a century of excellence as the
strength of our brands and the power of our innovation continue to
drive guest satisfaction, increase loyalty and support one of the
foremost unit growth stories in the industry. We strive to spread the
light and warmth of hospitality that keeps guests, team members,
Global RevPAR Index
115
12
owners and stockholders returning for more.
Award-winning brands
Our Locations
A M
E
R I C AS
Rooms:
581,000
Pipeline: 112,000
Under
Construction:
42,000
R O P E
E U
Rooms:
67,000
Pipeline: 29,000
Under
Construction:
15,000
LE E A
D
D
M
I
S T & AFRIC
A
Rooms:
21,000
Pipeline: 25,000
Under
Construction:
19,000
A C I FIC
SIA P
A
Rooms:
46,000
Pipeline: 64,000
Under
Construction:
45,000
Adjusted EBITDA
by Segment(5)
Rooms by
Chain Scale
Adjusted EBITDA
by Geography
Management & Franchise 52%
Ownership 36%
Timeshare 12%
Upper Upscale 36%
Upscale 32%
Upper Midscale 29%
Luxury 2%
Other 1%
U.S. 78%
Europe 9%
Asia Pacific 5%
Americas Non-U.S. 5%
Middle East and Africa 3%
The stylish,
Offers unforgettable
Offers smart luxury
Energizing neighborhood
A collection of unique
Warm. Comfortable.
forward-
thinking
global leader
in hospitality.
experiences at iconic
travelers inspiring
hotels that create a
hotels, each with its
Friendly. Providing
destinations around
connections and
positive stay with simple
the world.
intuitive service in a
pleasures, thoughtful
world of style.
extras and nice surprises.
own history and
character in cities
across the globe.
true upscale comfort
to today’s business
and leisure travellers.
Relaxed, upscale
environment with over
200 all-suite locations
in the U.S., Canada and
Latin America.
Offers the amenities
and services that
allow guests to
discover and connect
while on the road.
Quality experience,
great value and friendly
service in its signature
Hamptonality style.
For guests seeking
home-like
accommodations
when traveling for an
extended stay.
Offering flexible guest
room configurations
and inspired
amenities for the
cost-conscious guest.
High-quality
vacation ownership
resorts in celebrated
destinations.
The award-winning
guest loyalty program
that honors members
with travel experiences
worth sharing.
133317_CoverR1_BL_R2.indd 2
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Executive Committee
CHRISTOPHER J. NASSETTA*
JEFFREY A. DISKIN*
President & Chief Executive Officer
Executive Vice President,
JOE BERGER
Executive Vice President
& President, Americas
KRISTIN CAMPBELL*
Executive Vice President
& General Counsel
IAN R. CARTER*
Executive Vice President
& President, Development,
Architecture & Construction
Commercial Services
JAMES E. HOLTHOUSER*
Executive Vice President,
Global Brands
KEVIN J. JACOBS*
Executive Vice President
& Chief Financial Officer
MATT RICHARDSON
Head of Architecture,
Design and Construction
Board of Directors
MARTIN RINCK
Executive Vice President
& President, Asia Pacific
MATTHEW W. SCHUYLER*
Executive Vice President
& Chief Human Resources Officer
SIMON VINCENT
Executive Vice President &
President, Europe, Middle East & Africa
MARK D. WANG*
Executive Vice President &
President, Hilton Grand Vacations
* Executive officer as defined under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
CHRISTOPHER J. NASSETTA
TYLER S. HENRITZE
ELIZABETH A. SMITH
President & Chief Executive Officer,
Senior Managing Director, Real Estate,
Chairman of the Board
Hilton Worldwide
The Blackstone Group
& Chief Executive Officer,
Bloomin’ Brands
JONATHAN D. GRAY
JUDITH A. MCHALE
Chairman of the Board of Directors
President & Chief Executive Officer,
DOUGLAS M. STEENLAND
Global Head of Real Estate,
The Blackstone Group
Cane Investments
Former President &
Chief Executive Officer,
JOHN G. SCHREIBER
Northwest Airlines Corporation
MICHAEL S. CHAE
President of Centaur Capital Partners &
Senior Managing Director &
Partner, Blackstone Real Estate Advisors
WILLIAM J. STEIN
Head of International Private Equity,
The Blackstone Group
Senior Managing Director and Global
Head of Asset Management, Real Estate,
The Blackstone Group
Stockholder Information
Stock Market Information
Ticker Symbol: HLT
Market Listed and Traded: NYSE
Corporate Office
Hilton Worldwide
7930 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 883 1000
www.hiltonworldwide.com
Investor Relations
7930 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 883 5476
ir.hiltonworldwide.com
ir@hilton.com
Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
8484 Westpark Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 747 1000
www.ey.com
Printed on paper from well managed forests. © 2015 Hilton Worldwide.
Designed and produced by Corporate Reports Inc./Atlanta. www.corporatereport.com.
Transfer Agent
Wells Fargo Shareowner Services
1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-4101
Telephone: +1 800 468 9716
Facsimile: +1 651 552 6942
General Inquiries:
www.wellsfargo.com/
shareownerservices
Account Information:
www.shareowneronline.com
Annual Meeting of Stockholders
May 6, 2015
10:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
7920 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
WHEN WE PROVIDE OUR GUESTS WITH
more experiences,
choices, locations AND hospitality
— THEN WE ARE POSITIONED TO
REWARD OUR STOCKHOLDERS WITH
more value.
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Here’s how.
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
1
RETURN FOR MORE
2014 Highlights
MORE
loyalty
The Hilton HHonors loyalty program has
more than 44 million members that
make up over 50% of system occupancy
and we continue to innovate by launching
Lifetime Diamond status for our most
loyal customers.
MORE
brands
We launched two new brands in 2014,
Canopy by Hilton targeting the accessible
lifestyle space through energizing
neighborhood hotels, and Curio –
A Collection by Hilton for guests
looking for unique hotels each
with its own history and character.
MORE
growth
Our goal is to win everywhere. In 2014, we maintained our
leadership position in key development categories including
global rooms under construction, pipeline size and system-wide
rooms. Our share of global rooms under construction is
four times our global market share.
Pictured (from top to bottom, and left to right): Lifetime Diamond status; new brand logos, Curio – A Collection by Hilton and Canopy by Hilton; Home2 Suites Long Island City grand
opening; Hampton by Hilton & Plateno Hotels Group signing ceremony; room selection on Hilton HHonors mobile app; Waldorf Astoria New York.
2
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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MORE
reach
We launched the Hampton by Hilton brand in
China under an exclusive licensing agreement
with Plateno Hotels Group. We expect to
have hundreds of Hamptons in China
open or in the pipeline within five years, and
that Plateno’s loyalty program will supply
prospective customers for all of our brands.
MORE
innovation
An industry first, the Hilton HHonors
mobile app lets guests check-in,
select a room, request on-
property amenities and check-
out — all by using their smartphone
or tablet, at more than 4,000
properties in over 80 countries. We
have begun enabling smartphones
to be used as room keys, so guests
can bypass the front desk and head
straight to their rooms, a service we
are deploying across our portfolio.
MORE
value
Our portfolio of owned hotels provides opportunities to
unlock significant value. We completed the largest of these,
selling the Waldorf Astoria New York at a premium multiple
and acquiring through a tax-free exchange, institutional
quality assets in strong urban and resort markets, capturing
a significant EBITDA and value arbitrage.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
3
MORE
growth
Our goal is to win everywhere. In 2014, we maintained our
leadership position in key development categories including
global rooms under construction, pipeline size and system-wide
rooms. Our share of global rooms under construction is
four times our global market share.
FELLOW
STOCKHOLDERS:
Our first full year as a public company has been
remarkable by every measure.
In my view, we have the best people in the business working
with the best brands in the business. Together, they deliver
industry-leading products and services to nearly 140 million
guests a year. Connecting those brands is a world-class
demand generation platform, including Digital, Sales, Revenue
Management and our Hilton HHonors loyalty program –
all supporting an estimated $34 billion in system revenue.(2)
Our portfolio of brands consistently provides guests with
exceptional experiences for largely every travel need they have
anywhere in the world they want to be. This creates a “loyalty
effect” that drives industry-leading global market share
premiums that deliver more revenue and superior returns for
all of our hotel owners. They in turn add more hotels to our
system, resulting in our industry-leading growth.
Growing the fastest off the largest base of rooms allows
us to serve even more customers, accelerating the loyalty
effect, increasing our market share and as a result, driving top
line, bottom line and net unit growth outperformance.
Christopher J. Nassetta
President & Chief Executive Officer
We set high expectations for what we could achieve in 2014,
and are thrilled that we exceeded those expectations. The result
is that we are the largest, best performing and fastest-growing
major hospitality company in the world.
Our focus remains on creating value – through continued
outperformance, building the foundation for future growth and
executing on value enhancement opportunities.
Continued Outperformance
At our core, we are a business of people serving people, and
our people are the foundation of our success. Our Team Members
are connected by our performance-driven culture and an
intense alignment around our key strategic priorities.
Year-Over-Year
Room Growth
6% Rooms(1)
17% Pipeline Rooms
19% Rooms Under
Construction
(1) Of the Management and Franchise segment.
(2) System revenue includes estimated hotel revenues of Managed and Franchised properties in addition to revenue from properties owned and leased by Hilton.
4
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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.125” pushout
“Growing the fastest
off the largest base of
rooms allows us to serve
even more customers,
accelerating the loyalty
effect, increasing our
market share and as
a result, driving top line,
bottom line and net
unit growth
outperformance.”
Building for the Future
In laying the foundation for future
growth, we also look to serve
existing customers more often and
attract new customers by adding
new brands and by continuing to
deploy existing brands in different
regions around the world.
can now use a mobile device to
check-in, select a room, request
amenities and check-out at our
properties worldwide. At year end,
we had more than one million
digital check-ins. Beginning in 2015,
guests will also be able to use their
smartphone as a room key, a
service we plan to bring to
the entire global portfolio.
In 2014, we successfully launched two new brands, both with a
large base of signed deals. Curio – A Collection by Hilton includes
hotels that not only retain their unique identity, but also deliver
the many benefits of Hilton’s system. Canopy by Hilton debuted
in October and is redefining the lifestyle segment by creating
a more accessible lifestyle brand. In China, we opened our first
Hilton Garden Inn and launched the Hampton by Hilton brand to
add price point diversity and continue building a loyal customer
base in this rapidly expanding market.
We also have leveraged our global scale, efficiently deploying
technology platforms that give guests more of what they
want – choice and control over their experiences. Our guests
Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort
Creating Value
Additionally, we continue to unlock embedded value within our
iconic real estate portfolio. We recently completed the sale of
the Waldorf Astoria New York at a premium multiple and used
the proceeds to acquire institutional quality assets in strong
urban and resort markets at an attractive valuation. The
Waldorf buyer has agreed to complete a major renovation
to restore the property to its historic grandeur, and we will
continue managing the property under a 100-year contract. In
2014, we also announced significant value-enhancement plans
at the Hilton New York Midtown and Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
5
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.125” pushout
We continue to maximize value by minimizing the use of our
balance sheet to grow. Our entire pipeline of 230,000 rooms,
which is the largest in the industry, will be almost entirely funded
by an estimated $40 to $50 billion of third-party owner
investment. Moreover, our Timeshare segment is becoming
increasingly capital efficient, with third-party developed timeshare
intervals now comprising over 80% of our total inventory.
This capital light business model allows us to dedicate nearly all
of our free cash flow to prepay debt and build equity value. In
2014 alone, we prepaid $1 billion of debt and are on track to reach
our leverage goals ahead of schedule in the second half of 2015.
Looking Forward
I am extremely proud of our accomplishments in 2014 and think
we are well positioned to deliver another great year in 2015.
Strong industry fundamentals look to continue in the near
to intermediate term, with solid demand growth paired with
muted supply growth. This is supported by powerful long-
term macro trends, with an expanding middle class expected
to number five billion in 20 years fueling significant growth in
global tourism. This combined with the under-penetration of
global rooms capacity in high-growth markets should continue
to drive strong demand.*
Our job is to deliver more value than what the market
will deliver. Between our performance-based culture and
our unique competitive advantages, I believe we are in an
excellent position to continue increasing loyalty and market
share, which should lead to top line, bottom line, margin and
net unit growth outperformance – and ultimately build
premium value for our stockholders.
On behalf of our exceptional Team Members around the world
who fill the Earth with the light and warmth of hospitality
every day, I thank you for continuing to return for more.
Sincerely,
Christopher J. Nassetta
President & Chief Executive Officer
SATISFIED
OWNERS
Pictured (from left to right, and top to bottom): SLS Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Curio Collection by Hilton; Canopy Portland | Pearl District lobby rendering; Hilton Haikou Meilan;
The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations Club® (opening 2017); DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Agra.
*Source: STR, UNWTO, World Bank, OECD
6
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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HLT VALUE PROPOSITION
FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE
LEADING
HOTEL
SUPPLY &
PIPELINE
STRONG
BRANDS &
COMMERCIAL
SERVICES
PLATFORM
SATISFIED
OWNERS
SATISFIED
CUSTOMERS
PREMIUM
PERFORMANCE
STRONG BRANDS &
COMMERCIAL SERVICES PLATFORM
Value proposition starts with award-winning brands
and an industry-leading commercial services platform
SATISFIED CUSTOMERS
This leads to satisfied customers, including more than
44 million Hilton HHonors loyalty members
PREMIUM PERFORMANCE
Which results in a strong global RevPAR premium,
currently at 15%
SATISFIED OWNERS
These hotel operating premiums drive strong financial
returns, which benefit our hotel owners
LEADING HOTEL SUPPLY & PIPELINE
Satisfied existing and new owners continue to invest
in growing Hilton’s brands, making us a global leader
in hotel supply and pipeline
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
We believe the reinforcing nature of these activities
will allow Hilton to outperform the competition
133317_Narrative_BL_R1.indd 7
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
7
Pulled from 2013-2014 Corporate Responsibility highlights
TRAVEL WITH PURPOSE
2014 Highlights
Travel with Purpose contributes to the Hilton Worldwide engine by providing turn-key solutions
for all hotels globally to enhance Team Member experiences, advance community relations and
improve operational efficiencies. Learn more about our commitment to Travel with Purpose at
cr.hiltonworldwide.com.
CREATING
OPPORTUNITIES
STRENGTHENING
COMMUNITIES
The foundation of our success begins with creating
opportunities for current and future Team Members.
• Reached nearly 200,000 young people through
apprenticeship programs, career engagement
opportunities, research and life skills training
• Hired over 2,000 U.S. military veterans as part of
Operation: Opportunity, our commitment to hire
10,000 veterans and their families by 2018
Engaging with our local communities builds important
local relationships, increases Team Member loyalty and
fosters skills to deliver exceptional hospitality.
• Invested our time and talents to build strong
relationships with our operating communities
serving over 150,000 volunteer hours
• Trained over 2,000 Team Members in child
trafficking awareness
CELEBRATING
CULTURES
LIVING
SUSTAINABLY
We welcome the world to our hotels and facilitate
cultural experiences by offering enriching opportunities
in our hotels and local communities.
• Continued to advocate for visa reform contributing to
a record 75 million international visitors traveling to
the United States resulting in a 14% revenue increase
from 2013 from international business to our U.S.
portfolio of properties, including a 50% revenue
increase from Chinese travelers
Measuring and managing our environmental
performance and impact are critical to improving
the guest experience and driving costs savings for
our owners.
• Saved $388 million since 2009, achieving our
carbon, water and waste reduction goals
• Achieved international certifications for the entire
Hilton Worldwide portfolio for energy management
(ISO 50001), environmental management (ISO
14001) and quality management (ISO 9001)
Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa.
8
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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2014
FORM 10-K
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 1
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United States
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, DC 20549
(Mark One)
FORM 10-K
S ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014
or
£ Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the
transition period from
to
.
Commission file number 001-36243
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
27-4384691
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
7930 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 1100, McLean, VA
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
22102
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (703) 883-1000
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
(Title of each class)
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
(Name of each exchange on which registered)
New York Stock Exchange
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes S No £
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes £ No S
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes S No £
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File
required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes S No £
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to
the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any
amendment to this Form 10-K. £
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.
See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer S
Accelerated filer £
Non-accelerated filer £ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
Smaller reporting company £
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes £ No S
As of June 30, 2014, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately
$7,527 million (based upon the closing sale price of the common stock on that date on the New York Stock Exchange).
The number of shares of common stock outstanding on February 9, 2015 was 984,624,908.
Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Part III incorporate information by reference from the registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to its 2015 annual
meeting of stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the close of the registrant’s fiscal year.
2
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I
Forward-Looking Statements
Terms Used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
ITEM 1. Business
ITEM 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
ITEM 2. Properties
ITEM 3
Legal Proceedings
ITEM 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
PART II
ITEM 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters
and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
ITEM 6.
Selected Financial Data
ITEM 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
ITEM 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
ITEM 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
ITEM 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosures
ITEM 9A. Controls and Procedures
ITEM 9B. Other Information
PART III
ITEM 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
ITEM 11. Executive Compensation
ITEM 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
and Related Stockholder Matters
ITEM 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence
ITEM 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
PART IV
ITEM 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
SIGNATURES
Page
4
4
4
13
32
33
36
36
36
38
39
59
61
113
113
113
114
114
114
114
114
115
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
3
PART I
Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements include,
but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations
regarding the performance of our business, our financial
results, our liquidity and capital resources and other non-
historical statements. In some cases, you can identify these
forward-looking statements by the use of words such as
“outlook,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,”
“will,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “projects,”
“predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the
negative version of these words or other comparable words.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks
and uncertainties, including, among others, risks inherent
to the hospitality industry, macroeconomic factors beyond
our control, competition for hotel guests, management and
franchise agreements and timeshare sales, risks related to
doing business with third-party hotel owners, our significant
investments in owned and leased real estate, performance of
our information technology systems, growth of reservation
channels outside of our system, risks of doing business
outside of the United States and our indebtedness. Accordingly,
there are or will be important factors that could cause actual
outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated
in these statements. We believe these factors include but are
not limited to those described under “Part I—Item 1A. Risk
Factors.” These factors should not be construed as exhaustive
and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary
statements that are included in this Annual Report on
Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or
review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result
of new information, future developments or otherwise,
except as required by law.
Terms Used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
Except where the context requires otherwise, references
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “Hilton,” “Hilton
Worldwide,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Hilton
Worldwide Holdings Inc., together with its consolidated
subsidiaries. Except where the context requires otherwise,
references to our “properties,” “hotels” and “rooms” refer
to the hotels, resorts and timeshare properties managed,
franchised, owned or leased by us. Of these hotels, resorts
and rooms, a portion are directly owned or leased by us or
joint ventures in which we have an interest and the
remaining hotels, resorts and rooms are owned by our
third-party owners.
Investment funds associated with or designated by
The Blackstone Group L.P. and their affiliates, our current
majority owners, are referred to herein as “Blackstone”
or “our Sponsor.”
4
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
Reference to “ADR” or “Average Daily Rate” means hotel
room revenue divided by total number of room nights sold
in a given period and “RevPAR” or “Revenue per Available
Room” represents hotel room revenue divided by room
nights available to guests for a given period.
Reference to “Adjusted EBITDA” means earnings before
interest expense, taxes and depreciation and amortization or
“EBITDA,” further adjusted to exclude certain items. Refer to
“Part II—Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Business
and Financial Metrics Used by Management” for further
discussion of these financial metrics.
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Overview
Hilton Worldwide is one of the largest and fastest growing
hospitality companies in the world, with 4,322 hotels,
resorts and timeshare properties comprising 715,062 rooms
in 94 countries and territories as of December 31, 2014. In
the nearly 100 years since our founding, we have defined
the hospitality industry and established a portfolio of
12 world-class brands. Our flagship full-service Hilton
Hotels & Resorts brand is the most recognized hotel brand
in the world. Our premier brand portfolio also includes our
luxury and lifestyle hotel brands, Waldorf Astoria Hotels
& Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Canopy by Hilton,
our full- service hotel brands, Curio—A Collection by Hilton,
DoubleTree by Hilton and Embassy Suites Hotels, our
focused-service hotel brands, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton
Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by
Hilton and our timeshare brand, Hilton Grand Vacations.
More than 157,000 employees proudly serve in our man-
aged, owned, leased and timeshare properties and corporate
offices around the world, and we have approximately
44 million members in our award-winning customer loyalty
program, Hilton HHonors.
We operate our business through three segments:
(1) management and franchise; (2) ownership; and
(3) timeshare. These complementary business segments
enable us to capitalize on our strong brands, global market
presence and significant operational scale. Through our
management and franchise segment, which consists of
4,134 hotels with 649,314 rooms as of December 31, 2014,
we manage hotels, resorts and timeshare properties owned
by third parties and we license our brands to franchisees. Our
ownership segment consists of 144 hotels with 58,954 rooms
as of December 31, 2014 in which we have an ownership
interest or lease. Through our timeshare segment, which
consists of 44 properties comprising 6,794 units as of
December 31, 2014, we market and sell timeshare intervals,
operate timeshare resorts and a timeshare membership
club and provide consumer financing.
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In addition to our current hotel portfolio, we are focused on
the growth of our business through expanding our share of
the global lodging industry through our development pipe-
line, which includes approximately 230,000 rooms scheduled
to be opened in the future, all in our management and
franchise segment. As of December 31, 2014, approximately
121,000 rooms, representing over half of our development
pipeline, were under construction. The expansion of our
business is supported by strong lodging industry fundamentals
in the current economic environment and long-term growth
prospects based on increasing global travel and tourism.
Overall, we believe that our experience in the hotel industry
and strong brands and commercial service offerings will
continue to drive customer loyalty, including participation in
our Hilton HHonors loyalty program. Satisfied customers will
continue to provide strong overall hotel performance for our
hotel owners and us, and encourage further development of
additional hotels under our brands and existing and new
hotel owners, which further supports our growth and future
financial performance. We believe that our existing portfolio
and development pipeline, which will require minimal initial
capital investment, put us in a strong position to further
improve our business.
Our Brand Portfolio
The goal of each of our brands is to deliver exceptional customer experiences and superior operating performance.
Brand(1)
Segment
Countries/
Territories
Hotels
Rooms
Percentage of
Total Rooms
Selected Competitors(2)
December 31, 2014
Luxury
Luxury
12
18
26
10,653
1.5%
Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Peninsula,
St. Regis, Mandarin Oriental
24
8,091
1.1%
Park Hyatt, Sofitel, Intercontinental,
JW Marriott, Fairmont
Upper Upscale
83
560
201,047
28.1%
Marriott, Sheraton, Hyatt, Radisson Blu,
Renaissance, Westin, Sofitel, Swissotel, Mövenpick
Upper Upscale
1
5
3,170
0.4%
Autograph Collection, Luxury Collection,
Ascend Collection
Upscale
35
410
100,879
14.1%
Sheraton, Marriott, Crowne Plaza,
Wyndham, Radisson, Moevenpick,
Hotel Nikko, Holiday Inn, Renaissance
Upper Upscale
6
219
52,140
7.3%
Renaissance, Sheraton, Hyatt,
Residence Inn by Marriott
Upscale
22
618
86,095
12.0%
Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn,
Hyatt Place, Novotel, Aloft,
Four Points by Sheraton
Upper Midscale
16
2,005
198,914
27.8%
Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express,
Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, La Quinta Inns,
Wyngate by Wyndham
Upscale
Upper Midscale
Timeshare
3
3
4
359
40,056
5.6%
Residence Inn by Marriott, Hyatt House,
Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites
45
4,726
0.7%
Candlewood Suites, AmericInn,
Towne Place Suites
44
6,794
1.0%
Marriott Vacation Club, Starwood
Vacation Ownership, Hyatt Residence,
Wyndham Vacations Resorts
(1) The table above excludes 7 unbranded hotels with 2,497 rooms, representing approximately 0.4 percent of total rooms.
(2) The table excludes lesser known regional competitors.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
5
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts: What began as an iconic
hotel in New York City is today a portfolio of 26 luxury hotels
and resorts. In landmark destinations around the world,
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts reflect their locations, each
providing the inspirational environments and personalized
attention that are the source of unforgettable moments.
Properties typically include elegant spa and wellness facili-
ties, high-end restaurants, golf courses (at resort properties),
24-hour room service, fitness and business centers, meeting,
wedding and banquet facilities and special event and
concierge services.
Conrad Hotels & Resorts: Conrad is a global luxury brand of
24 properties offering guests personalized experiences with
sophisticated, locally inspired surroundings and an intuitive
service model based on customization and control, as dem-
onstrated by the Conrad Concierge mobile application that
enables guest control of on-property amenities and services.
Properties typically include convenient and relaxing spa and
wellness facilities, enticing restaurants, comprehensive room
service, fitness and business centers, multi-purpose meeting
facilities and special event and concierge services.
Canopy by Hilton: Canopy by Hilton represents a new hotel
concept that has defined a more accessible lifestyle category,
targeting the upper upscale price point segment. Canopy
represents an energizing, new hotel in the neighborhood
offering simple, guest-directed service, thoughtful local
choices and comfortable spaces. Each property is designed
as a natural extension of its neighborhood, with local design,
food and drink and culture. As of February 12, 2015, two
properties were already in the pipeline and letters of intent
were signed for an additional 13 properties.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts: Hilton is our global flagship brand
and ranks number one for global brand awareness in the
hospitality industry, with 560 hotels and resorts in
83 countries and territories across six continents. The brand
primarily serves business and leisure upper upscale travelers
and meeting groups. Hilton hotels are full-service hotels that
typically include meeting, wedding and banquet facilities and
special event services, restaurants and lounges, food and
beverage services, swimming pools, gift shops, retail facilities
and other services.
Curio–A Collection by Hilton: Curio—A Collection by Hilton
is created for travelers who seek local discovery and one-
of-a-kind experiences. Curio is made up of a collection of
hand-picked hotels that retain their unique identity but are
able to leverage the many benefits of the Hilton Worldwide
global platform, including our common reservation and
customer care service and Hilton HHonors guest loyalty
program. As of December 31, 2014, just six months after
the launch of the brand, Curio had 5 properties open,
contributing 3,170 rooms to Hilton’s portfolio and signed
franchise licensing or management agreements for
6 properties. As of February 12, 2015, letters of intent
were signed for an additional 17 properties.
DoubleTree by Hilton: DoubleTree by Hilton is an upscale,
full-service hotel designed to provide true comfort to today’s
business and leisure travelers. DoubleTree’s 410 hotels
and resorts are united by the brand’s CARE (“Creating a
Rewarding Experience”) culture and its iconic warm
chocolate chip cookie served at check-in. DoubleTree’s
diverse portfolio includes historic icons, small contemporary
hotels, resorts and large urban hotels.
Embassy Suites Hotels: Embassy Suites comprises 219 upper
upscale, all-suite hotels that feature two-room guest suites
with a separate living room and dining/work area, a com–
plimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and complimentary
evening receptions every night. Embassy Suites’ bundled
pricing ensures that guests receive all of the amenities our
properties have to offer at a single price.
Hilton Garden Inn: Hilton Garden Inn is our award-winning,
upscale brand with 618 hotels that strives to ensure today’s
busy travelers have what they need to be productive on the
road. From the Serta Perfect Sleeper bed, to complimentary
Internet access, to a comfortable lobby pavilion, Hilton
Garden Inn is the brand guests can count on to support
them on their journeys.
Hampton Hotels: Hampton Hotels are our moderately
priced, upper midscale hotels with limited food and beverage
facilities. The Hampton brand also includes Hampton Inn
& Suites hotels, which offer both traditional hotel room
accommodations and apartment style suites within one
property. Across our over 2,000 Hampton locations around
the world, guests receive free hot breakfast and free high-
speed Internet access, all for a great price and all supported
by the Hampton satisfaction guarantee.
6
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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Homewood Suites by Hilton: Homewood Suites by Hilton are
our upscale, extended-stay hotels that feature residential
style accommodations including business centers, swimming
pools, convenience stores and limited meeting facilities. These
359 hotels provide the touches, familiarity and comforts
of home so that extended-stay travelers can feel at home
on the road.
Home2 Suites by Hilton: Home2 Suites by Hilton are upper
midscale hotels that provide a modern and savvy option
to budget conscious extended-stay travelers. Offering
innovative suites with contemporary design and cutting-
edge technology, we strive to ensure that our guests are
comfortable and productive, whether they are staying a few
days or a few months. Each of the brand’s 45 hotels offers
complimentary continental breakfast, integrated laundry
and exercise facility, recycling and sustainability initiatives
and a pet-friendly policy.
Hilton Grand Vacations: Hilton Grand Vacations (“HGV”) is
our timeshare brand. Ownership of a deeded real estate
interest with club membership points provides members
with a lifetime of vacation advantages and the comfort and
convenience of residential-style resort accommodations in
select, renowned vacation destinations. Each of our 44 club
properties provides a distinctive setting, while signature
elements remain consistent, such as high-quality guest service,
spacious units and extensive on-property amenities.
Our Customer Loyalty Program
Hilton HHonors is our award-winning guest loyalty program
that supports our portfolio of 12 brands and our entire
system of hotels and timeshare properties. The program
generates significant repeat business by rewarding guests
with points for each stay at any of our more than 4,300
hotels worldwide, which are then redeemable for free hotel
nights and other rewards. Members also can transact with
over 200 partners, including airlines, rail and car rental
companies, credit card providers and others. The program
provides targeted marketing, promotions and customized
guest experiences to approximately 44 million members.
Our Hilton HHonors members represented approximately
50 percent of our system-wide occupancy and contributed
hotel-level revenues to us and our hotel owners of over
$ 13 billion during the year ended December 31, 2014.
Affiliation with our loyalty programs encourages members
to allocate more of their travel spending to our hotels. The
percentage of travel spending we capture from loyalty
members increases as they move up the tiers of our program.
The program is funded by contributions from eligible
revenues generated by Hilton HHonors members and
collected by us from hotels in our system. These funds are
applied to reimburse hotels and partners for Hilton HHonors
points redemptions and to pay for program administrative
expenses and marketing initiatives that support the program.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
7
Our Businesses
We operate our business across three segments: (1) management and franchise; (2) ownership; and (3) timeshare. For more
information regarding our segments, see “Part II—Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations” and Note 24: “Business Segments” in our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
As of December 31, 2014, our system included the following properties and rooms, by type, brand and region:
Owned/Leased(1)
Managed
Franchised
Total
Hotels
Rooms
Hotels
Rooms
Hotels
Rooms
Hotels
Rooms
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Europe
Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Conrad Hotels & Resorts
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Europe
Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Europe
Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Curio—A Collection by Hilton
U.S.
DoubleTree by Hilton
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Europe
Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Embassy Suites Hotels
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Hilton Garden Inn
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Europe
Middle East and Africa
Asia Pacific
Hampton Hotels
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Europe
Asia Pacific
Homewood Suites by Hilton
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Home2 Suites by Hilton
U.S.
Americas (excluding U.S.)
Other
Lodging
Hilton Grand Vacations
Total
2
—
2
—
—
—
—
1
1
—
23
3
71
6
8
—
11
—
—
—
—
10
—
2
—
—
—
—
1
—
—
—
—
—
1,602
—
463
—
—
—
—
191
614
—
21,110
1,836
18,425
2,276
3,954
—
4,268
—
—
—
—
2,523
—
290
—
—
—
—
130
—
—
—
—
—
11
1
4
3
2
4
—
2
2
11
42
22
54
44
59
1
29
3
13
7
35
42
3
2
6
18
1
6
50
7
7
—
28
2
5,324
248
898
703
431
1,335
—
705
641
3,419
24,833
7,585
15,909
14,007
22,029
—
1
—
—
—
—
1
1
—
1
174
18
27
1
8
—
984
—
—
—
—
294
256
—
636
52,624
5,500
7,568
410
2,981
13
2
6
3
2
4
1
4
3
12
239
43
152
51
75
6,926
1,232
1,361
703
431
1,335
294
1,152
1,255
4,055
98,567
14,921
41,902
16,693
28,964
998
4
2,172
5
3,170
8,521
637
3,848
1,464
9,997
11,118
653
246
808
3,292
180
920
6,238
837
1,091
—
3,173
224
252
13
41
4
2
159
5
542
24
17
—
—
61,109
2,421
7,161
488
965
36,576
1,270
73,988
3,683
2,688
—
—
292
16
54
11
37
211
8
546
30
35
1
6
73,898
3,058
11,009
1,952
10,962
50,217
1,923
74,524
4,491
5,980
180
920
1,855
60
24
1
179,532
7,404
3,610
72
1,906
67
31
1
185,900
8,241
4,701
72
314
15
34,960
1,699
342
17
38,133
1,923
—
—
3
144
—
144
—
—
1,272
58,954
—
58,954
—
1
4
526
44
570
—
97
1,225
153,634
6,794
160,428
43
1
—
3,608
—
3,608
4,502
127
—
495,680
—
495,680
43
2
7
4,278
44
4,322
4,502
224
2,497
708,268
6,794
715,062
(1) Includes hotels owned or leased by entities in which we own a noncontrolling interest.
8
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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Management and Franchise
Through our management and franchise segment we
manage hotels and timeshare properties and license our
brands to franchisees. This segment generates its revenue
primarily from fees charged to hotel owners and to home-
owners’ associations at timeshare properties. We grow our
management and franchise business by attracting owners
to become a part of our system and participate in our brands
and commercial services to support their hotel properties.
These contracts require little or no capital investment
to initiate on our part, and provide significant return on
investment for us as fees are earned.
Hotel and Timeshare Management
Our core management services consist of operating hotels
under management agreements for the benefit of third par-
ties, who either own or lease the hotels and the associated
personal property. Terms of our management agreements
vary, but our fees generally consist of a base management
fee based on a percentage of each hotel’s gross revenue, and
we also may earn an incentive fee based on gross operating
profits, cash flow or a combination thereof. In general, the
owner pays all operating and other expenses and reimburses
our out-of-pocket expenses. In turn, our managerial discretion
typically is subject to approval by the owner in certain major
areas, including the approval of annual operating and capital
expenditure budgets. Additionally, the owners generally pay
a monthly program fee based on a percentage of the total
gross room revenue that covers the costs of advertising and
marketing programs; internet, technology and reservation
systems expenses; and quality assurance program costs.
As of December 31, 2014, we managed 526 hotels with
153,634 rooms, excluding our owned and leased hotels.
The initial terms of our management agreements for
full-service hotels typically are 20 years. In certain cases
where we have entered into a franchise agreement as well
as a management agreement, we classify these hotels as
managed hotels in our portfolio. Extension options for our
management agreements are negotiated and vary, but
typically are more prevalent in full-service hotels. Typically
these agreements contain one or two extension options
that are either for 5 or 10 years and can be exercised at our
or the other party’s option or by mutual agreement.
Some of our management agreements provide early
termination rights to hotel owners upon certain events,
including the failure to meet certain financial or performance
criteria. Performance test measures typically are based upon
the hotel’s performance individually and/or in comparison to
specified competitive hotels. We often have a cure right by
paying an amount equal to the performance shortfall over a
specified period, although in some cases our cure rights
are limited.
In addition to the third-party owned hotels we manage,
as of December 31, 2014, we provided management services
for 44 timeshare properties owned by homeowners’
associations and 144 owned, leased and joint venture hotels
from which we recognized management fee revenues.
Franchising
We franchise our brand names, trade and service marks
and operating systems to hotel owners under franchise
agreements. We do not directly participate in the day-to-day
management or operation of franchised hotels and do
not employ the individuals working at these locations. We
conduct periodic inspections to ensure that brand standards
are maintained and consult with franchisees concerning
certain aspects of hotel operations. We approve the location
for new construction of franchised hotels, as well as certain
aspects of development. In some cases, we provide franchisees
with product improvement plans that must be completed
in accordance with brand standards to remain in our hotel
system. As of December 31, 2014, there were 3,608 franchised
hotels with 495,680 rooms.
Each franchisee pays us a franchise application fee.
Franchisees also pay a royalty fee, generally based on a
percentage of the hotel’s total gross room revenue (and a
percentage of food and beverage revenue in some brands),
as well as a monthly program fee based on a percentage
of the total gross room revenue that covers the costs of
advertising and marketing programs; internet, technology
and reservation systems expenses; and quality assurance
program costs. Franchisees also are responsible for various
other fees and charges, including payments for participation
in our Hilton HHonors reward program, training, consultation
and procurement of certain goods and services.
Our franchise agreements typically have initial terms
of approximately 20 years for new construction and
approximately 10 to 20 years for properties that are
converted from other brands. At the expiration of the initial
term, we may relicense the hotel to the franchisee, at our
or the hotel owner’s option or by mutual agreement, for an
additional term ranging from 10 to 15 years. We have the
right to terminate a franchise agreement upon specified
events of default, including nonpayment of fees or
noncompliance with brand standards. If a franchise
agreement is terminated by us because of a franchisee’s
default, the franchisee is contractually required to pay
us liquidated damages.
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Ownership
We are one of the largest hotel owners in the world based
upon the number of rooms at our owned, leased and joint
venture hotels. Our diverse global portfolio of owned and
leased properties includes a number of leading hotels in
major gateway cities such as New York City, London, San
Francisco, Chicago, São Paolo, Sydney and Tokyo. The port-
folio includes iconic hotels with significant underlying real
estate value, including the Hilton New York, Hilton Hawaiian
Village and the London Hilton on Park Lane. Real estate
investment was a critical component of the growth of our
business in our early years. Our real estate holdings grew
over time through new construction, purchases or leases of
hotels, investments in joint ventures and the acquisition of
other hotel companies. In recent years, we have expanded
our hotel system less through real estate investment and
more by increasing the number of management and fran-
chise agreements we have with third-party hotel owners.
We have focused on maximizing the cost efficiency
and profitability of the portfolio by, among other things,
implementing new labor management practices and systems
and reducing fixed costs. Through our disciplined approach
to asset management, we have developed and executed on
strategic plans for each of our hotels to enhance the market
position of each property, and at many of our hotels we have
renovated guest rooms and public spaces and added or
enhanced meeting and retail space to improve profitability.
At certain of our hotels, we are evaluating options for the
adaptive reuse of all or a portion of the property to residen-
tial, retail or timeshare in order to deploy our real estate to
its highest and best use. An example of this is the April 2014
sale of a previously non-income producing parcel of land at
the Hilton Hawaiian Village that had previously been used as
a loading dock, along with corresponding entitlements, in
connection with a planned timeshare development project
that will not require any capital investment by us. Further,
we have plans at the Hilton New York to redevelop the
hotel’s retail platform to include over 10,000 square feet
of street-level retail space and convert certain floors to
timeshare units, which we expect will increase the value of
the property. Additionally, in February 2015, we completed
the sale of the Waldorf Astoria New York for $1.95 billion
and have entered into a management agreement with the
buyer for a 100-year term. We used the proceeds from
the sale of the Waldorf Astoria New York to acquire five
properties for a total purchase price of $1.76 billion.
Timeshare
Our timeshare segment generates revenue from three
primary sources:
» Timeshare Sales—We market and sell timeshare
interests owned by Hilton and third parties. We also
source timeshare intervals through sales and marketing
agreements with third-party developers. This allows
us to sell timeshare intervals on behalf of third-party
developers in exchange for sales, marketing and
branding fees on interval sales, and to earn fees from
resort operations and the servicing of consumer loans
while deploying little up-front capital related to the
construction of the property.
» Resort Operations—We manage the HGV Club, receiving
enrollment fees, annual dues and transaction fees from
member exchanges for other vacation products. We
generate rental revenue from unit rentals of unsold
inventory and inventory made available due to ownership
exchanges under our HGV Club program. We also
earn revenue from retail and spa outlets at our
timeshare properties.
» Financing—We provide consumer financing, which
includes interest income generated from the origination
of consumer loans to customers to finance their
purchase of timeshare intervals and revenue from
servicing the loans.
HGV’s primary product is the marketing and selling of
fee-simple timeshare interests deeded in perpetuity,
developed either by us or by third parties. This ownership
interest is an interest in real estate equivalent to annual
usage rights, generally for one week, at the timeshare resort
where the timeshare interval was purchased. Each purchaser
is automatically enrolled in the HGV Club, giving the
purchaser an annual allotment of Club Points that allow the
purchaser to exchange his or her annual usage rights for a
number of options, including: a priority reservation period to
stay at his or her home resort where his or her timeshare
interval is deeded, stays at any resort in the HGV system,
reservations for experiential travel such as cruises, conversion
to Hilton HHonors points for stays at our hotels and other
options, including stays at more than 5,000 resorts included
in the RCI timeshare vacation exchange network. In addition,
we operate the Hilton Club, which operates for owners of
timeshare intervals at the Hilton New York, but whose
members also enjoy exchange benefits with the HGV Club.
As of December 31, 2014, HGV managed a global system
of 44 resorts and the HGV Club and the Hilton Club had
more than 229,000 members in total.
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Traditionally, timeshare operators have funded 100 percent
of the investment necessary to acquire land and construct
timeshare properties. In 2010, we began sourcing timeshare
intervals through sales and marketing agreements with third-
party developers. These agreements enable us to generate
fees from the sales and marketing of the timeshare intervals
and club memberships and from the management of the
timeshare properties without requiring us to fund acquisition
and construction costs. Our supply of third-party developed
timeshare intervals was approximately 109,000, or 82 percent
of our total supply, as of December 31, 2014 and the
percentage of sales of timeshare intervals developed by third
parties was 59 percent for the year ended December 31, 2014.
Competition
We encounter active and robust competition as a hotel,
residential, resort and timeshare manager, franchisor and
developer. Competition in the hotel and lodging industry
generally is based on the attractiveness of the facility, location,
level of service, quality of accommodations, amenities, food
and beverage options and outlets, public spaces and other
guest services, consistency of service, room rate, brand repu-
tation and the ability to earn and redeem loyalty program
points through a global system. Our properties and brands
compete with other hotels, resorts, motels and inns in their
respective geographic markets or customer segments,
including facilities owned by local interests, individuals,
national and international chains, institutions, investment
and pension funds and real estate investment trusts
(“REITs”). We believe that our position as a multi-branded
manager, franchisor, owner and operator of hotels makes us
one of the largest and most geographically diverse lodging
companies in the world.
Our principal competitors include other branded and
independent hotel operating companies, national and
international hotel brands and ownership companies,
including hotel REITs. While local and independent brand
competitors vary, on a global scale our primary competitors
are firms such as Accor S.A., Carlson Rezidor Group,
Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, Hong Kong and
Shanghai Hotels, Limited, Hyatt Hotels Corporation,
Intercontinental Hotel Group, Marriott International,
Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation.
In the timeshare business, we compete with other hotel and
resort timeshare operators for sales of timeshare intervals
based principally on location, quality of accommodations,
price, financing terms, quality of service, terms of property
use and opportunity for timeshare owners to exchange into
time at other timeshare properties or other travel rewards.
In addition, we compete based on brand name recognition
and reputation, as well as with national and independent
timeshare resale companies and owners reselling existing
timeshare intervals, which could reduce demand or prices for
sales of new timeshare intervals. Our primary competitors in
the timeshare space include Hyatt Residence Club, Marriott
Vacations Worldwide Corp., Starwood Vacation Ownership
and Wyndham Vacation Resorts.
Seasonality
The hospitality industry is seasonal in nature. The periods
during which our lodging properties experience higher
revenues vary from property to property, depending prin-
cipally upon location and the customer-base served. We
generally expect our revenues to be lower in the first quarter
of each year than in each of the three subsequent quarters,
with the fourth quarter generally being the highest.
Cyclicality
The hospitality industry is cyclical and demand generally
follows, on a lagged basis, key macroeconomic indicators.
There is a history of increases and decreases in demand for
hotel rooms, in occupancy levels and in room rates realized
by owners of hotels through economic cycles. The combi-
nation of changes in economic conditions and in the supply
of hotel rooms can result in significant volatility in results
for owners and managers of hotel properties. The costs of
running a hotel tend to be more fixed than variable. As a
result, in an environment of declining revenues the rate of
decline in earnings can be higher than the rate of decline in
revenues. The vacation ownership business also is cyclical
as the demand for vacation ownership units is affected by
the availability and cost of financing for purchases of
vacation ownership units, as well as general economic
conditions and the relative health of the housing market.
Intellectual Property
In the highly competitive hospitality industry in which we
operate, trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos and
patents are very important to the success of our business.
We have a significant number of trademarks, service marks,
trade names, logos, patents and pending registrations and
expend significant resources each year on surveillance, regis-
tration and protection of our trademarks, service marks, trade
names, logos and patents, which we believe have become
synonymous in the hospitality industry with a reputation for
excellence in service and authentic hospitality.
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Government Regulation
Our business is subject to various foreign and U.S. federal
and state laws and regulations, including: laws and regulations
that govern the offer and sale of franchises, many of which
impose substantive requirements on franchise agreements
and require that certain materials be registered before
franchises can be offered or sold in a particular state; and
extensive state and federal laws and regulations relating to
our timeshare business, primarily relating to the sale and
marketing of timeshare intervals.
In addition, a number of states regulate the activities of
hospitality properties and restaurants, including safety and
health standards, as well as the sale of liquor at such properties,
by requiring licensing, registration, disclosure statements
and compliance with specific standards of conduct. Operators
of hospitality properties also are subject to laws governing
their relationship with employees, including minimum wage
requirements, overtime, working conditions and work per-
mit requirements. Our franchisees are responsible for their
own compliance with laws, including with respect to their
employee, minimum wage requirements, overtime, working
conditions and work permit requirements. Compliance with,
or changes in, these laws could reduce the revenue and
profitability of our properties and could otherwise adversely
affect our operations.
We also manage and own hotels with casino gaming
operations as part of or adjacent to the hotels. However,
with the exception of casinos at certain of our properties in
Puerto Rico and one property in Egypt, third parties manage
and operate the casinos. We hold and maintain the casino
gaming license and manage the casinos located in Puerto Rico
and Egypt and employ third-party compliance con sultants
and service providers. As a result, our business operations at
these facilities are subject to the licensing and regulatory
control of the local regulatory agency responsible for gaming
licenses and operations in those jurisdictions.
Finally, as an international owner, operator and franchisor of
hospitality properties in 94 countries and territories, we also
are subject to the local laws and regulations in each country
in which we operate, including employment laws and prac-
tices, privacy laws, tax laws, which may provide for tax rates
that exceed those of the U.S. and which may provide that
our foreign earnings are subject to withholding requirements
or other restrictions, unexpected changes in regulatory
requirements or monetary policy and other potentially
adverse tax consequences.
Environmental Matters
We are subject to certain requirements and potential liabilities
under various foreign and U.S. federal, state and local envi-
ronmental, health and safety laws and regulations and incur
costs in complying with such requirements. These laws
and regulations govern actions including air emissions, the
use, storage and disposal of hazardous and toxic substances,
and wastewater disposal. In addition to investigation and
remediation liabilities that could arise under such laws,
we may also face personal injury, property damage, fines
or other claims by third parties concerning environmental
compliance or contamination. In addition to our hotel
accommodations, we operate a number of laundry facilities
located in certain areas where we have multiple properties.
We use and store hazardous and toxic substances, such as
cleaning materials, pool chemicals, heating oil and fuel for
back-up generators at some of our facilities, and we gener-
ate certain wastes in connection with our operations. Some
of our properties include older buildings, and some may
have, or may historically have had, dry-cleaning facilities
and underground storage tanks for heating oil and back-up
generators. We have from time to time been responsible for
investigating and remediating contamination at some of our
facilities, such as contamination that has been discovered
when we have removed underground storage tanks, and we
could be held responsible for any contamination resulting
from the disposal of wastes that we generate, including at
locations where such wastes have been sent for disposal.
In some cases, we may be entitled to indemnification from
the party that caused the contamination, or pursuant to our
management or franchise agreements, but there can be no
assurance that we would be able to recover all or any costs
we incur in addressing such problems. From time to time,
we may also be required to manage, abate, remove or
contain mold, lead, asbestos-containing materials, radon
gas or other hazardous conditions found in or on our
properties. We have implemented an on-going operations
and maintenance plan at each of our owned and operated
properties that seeks to identify and remediate these
conditions as appropriate. Although we have incurred, and
expect that we will continue to incur, costs relating to the
investigation, identification and remediation of hazardous
materials known or discovered to exist at our properties,
those costs have not had, and are not expected to have,
a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results
of operations or cash flow.
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Insurance
We maintain insurance coverage for general liability,
property including business interruption, terrorism, workers’
compensation and other risks with respect to our business
for all of our owned hotels. Most of our insurance policies
are written with self-insured retentions or deductibles that
are common in the insurance market for similar risks. These
policies provide coverage for claim amounts that exceed
our self-insured retentions or deductibles. Our insurance
provides coverage related to any claims or losses arising out
of the design, development and operation of our hotels.
U.S. hotels that we manage are permitted to participate
in our insurance programs by mutual agreement with our
hotel owners or, if not participating, must purchase insurance
programs consistent with our requirements. U.S. franchised
hotels are not permitted to participate in our insurance
programs but rather must purchase insurance programs
consistent with our requirements. Non-U.S. managed and
franchised hotels are required to participate in certain of
our insurance programs. All other insurance programs
purchased by hotel owners must meet our requirements.
In addition, our management and franchise agreements
typically include provisions requiring the owner of the hotel
property to indemnify us against losses arising from the
design, development and operation of our hotels.
History
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. was incorporated in
Delaware in March 2010. In 1919, our founder Conrad
Hilton purchased his first hotel in Cisco, Texas. Through
our predecessors, we commenced operations in 1946 when
our subsidiary Hilton Hotels Corporation, later renamed
Hilton Worldwide, Inc., was incorporated in Delaware.
Employees
As of December 31, 2014, more than 157,000 people were
employed at our managed, owned, leased and timeshare
properties and corporate locations.
As of December 31, 2014, approximately 30 percent of our
employees globally (or 31 percent of our employees in the
U.S.) were covered by various collective bargaining agreements
generally addressing pay rates, working hours, other terms
and conditions of employment, certain employee benefits
and orderly settlement of labor disputes.
Where You Can Find More Information
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy
statements and other information with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Our SEC filings are available
to the public over the internet at the SEC’s website at
http://www.sec.gov. Our SEC filings are also available on
our website at http://www.hiltonworldwide.com as soon as
reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished
to the SEC. You may also read and copy any filed document
at the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. at
100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the
SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about
public reference rooms.
We maintain an internet site at
http://www.hiltonworldwide.com. Our website and the
information contained on or connected to that site are not
incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other information in this Annual Report
on Form 10-K, the following risk factors should be considered
carefully in evaluating our company and our business.
Risks Related to Our Business
and Industry
We are subject to the business, financial and operating risks
inherent to the hospitality industry, any of which could reduce
our revenues and limit opportunities for growth.
Our business is subject to a number of business, financial
and operating risks inherent to the hospitality industry,
including:
» significant competition from multiple hospitality
providers in all parts of the world;
» changes in operating costs, including energy, food,
employee compensation and benefits and insurance;
» increases in costs due to inflation that may not be fully
offset by price and fee increases in our business;
» changes in tax and governmental regulations that
influence or set wages, prices, interest rates or
construction and maintenance procedures and costs;
» the costs and administrative burdens associated with
complying with applicable laws and regulations;
» the costs or desirability of complying with local practices
and customs;
» significant increases in cost for health care coverage
for employees and potential government regulation
with respect to health care coverage;
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» shortages of labor or labor disruptions;
» the ability of third-party internet and other travel
intermediaries to attract and retain customers;
» the availability and cost of capital necessary for us and
third-party hotel owners to fund investments, capital
expenditures and service debt obligations;
» delays in or cancellations of planned or future
development or refurbishment projects;
» the quality of services provided by franchisees;
» the financial condition of third-party property owners,
developers and joint venture partners;
» relationships with third-party property owners,
developers and joint venture partners, including the risk
that owners may terminate our management, franchise
or joint venture agreements;
» cyclical over-building in the hotel and timeshare industries;
» changes in desirability of geographic regions of the
hotels or timeshare resorts in our business, geographic
concentration of our operations and customers and
shortages of desirable locations for development;
» changes in the supply and demand for hotel services
(including rooms, food and beverage and other products
and services) and vacation ownership services and
products; and
» decreases in the frequency of business travel that
may result from alternatives to in-person meetings,
including virtual meetings hosted online or over
private teleconferencing networks.
Any of these factors could increase our costs or limit or
reduce the prices we are able to charge for hospitality
products and services, or otherwise affect our ability to
maintain existing properties or develop new properties.
As a result, any of these factors can reduce our revenues
and limit opportunities for growth.
Macroeconomic and other factors beyond our control can
adversely affect and reduce demand for our products and services.
Macroeconomic and other factors beyond our control can
reduce demand for hospitality products and services, including
demand for rooms at properties that we manage, franchise,
own, lease or develop, as well as demand for timeshare
properties. These factors include, but are not limited to:
» changes in general economic conditions, including
low consumer confidence, unemployment levels and
depressed real estate prices resulting from the severity
and duration of any downturn in the U.S. or global
economy;
» war, political conditions or civil unrest, terrorist activities
or threats and heightened travel security measures
instituted in response to these events;
» decreased corporate or government travel-related
budgets and spending, as well as cancellations,
deferrals or renegotiations of group business such as
industry conventions;
» statements, actions, or interventions by governmental
officials related to travel and corporate travel-related
activities and the resulting negative public perception
of such travel and activities;
» the financial and general business condition of the
airline, automotive and other transportation-related
industries and its effect on travel, including decreased
airline capacity and routes;
» conditions that negatively shape public perception of
travel, including travel-related accidents and outbreaks
of pandemic or contagious diseases, such as Ebola, avian
flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and H1N1
(swine flu);
» cyber-attacks;
» climate change or availability of natural resources;
» natural or man-made disasters, such as earthquakes,
tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons, floods, vol-
canic eruptions, oil spills and nuclear incidents;
» changes in the desirability of particular locations or
travel patterns of customers; and
» organized labor activities, which could cause a diversion
of business from hotels involved in labor negotiations
and loss of business for our hotels generally as a result
of certain labor tactics.
Any one or more of these factors could limit or reduce
overall demand for our products and services or could
negatively affect our revenue sources, which could adversely
affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
Contraction in the global economy or low levels of economic
growth could adversely affect our revenues and profitability as
well as limit or slow our future growth.
Consumer demand for our services is closely linked to
the performance of the general economy and is sensitive
to business and personal discretionary spending levels.
Decreased global or regional demand for hospitality products
and services can be especially pronounced during periods of
economic contraction or low levels of economic growth, and
the recovery period in our industry may lag overall economic
improvement. Declines in demand for our products and
services due to general economic conditions could negatively
affect our business by decreasing the revenues and profit-
ability of our owned properties, limiting the amount of
fee revenues we are able to generate from our managed
and franchised properties and reducing overall demand for
timeshare intervals. In addition, many of the expenses
associated with our business, including personnel costs,
interest, rent, property taxes, insurance and utilities, are
relatively fixed. During a period of overall economic
weakness, if we are unable to meaningfully decrease these
costs as demand for our hotels and timeshare properties
decreases, our business operations and financial
performance may be adversely affected.
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Competition for timeshare sales
We compete with other timeshare operators for sales of
timeshare intervals based principally on location, quality of
accommodations, price, financing terms, quality of service,
terms of property use, opportunity for timeshare owners to
exchange into time at other timeshare properties or other
travel rewards as well as brand name recognition and
reputation. Our ability to attract and retain purchasers of
timeshare intervals depends on our success in distinguishing
the quality and value of our timeshare offerings from those
offered by others. If we are unable to do so, our ability to
compete effectively for sales of timeshare intervals could be
adversely affected.
Any deterioration in the quality or reputation of our brands
could have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial
condition or results of operations.
Our brands and our reputation are among our most
important assets. Our ability to attract and retain guests
depends, in part, on the public recognition of our brands and
their associated reputation. In addition, the success of our
hotel owners’ businesses and their ability to make payments
to us may depend on the strength and reputation of our
brands. If our brands become obsolete or consumers view
them as unfashionable or lacking in consistency and quality,
we may be unable to attract guests to our hotels, and may
further be unable to attract or retain our hotel owners.
Changes in ownership or management practices, the
occurrence of accidents or injuries, natural disasters, crime,
individual guest notoriety or similar events at our managed,
owned, leased or timeshare properties can harm our
reputation, create adverse publicity and cause a loss of
consumer confidence in our business. Because of the global
nature of our brands and the broad expanse of our business
and hotel locations, events occurring in one location could
negatively affect the reputation and operations of otherwise
successful individual locations. In addition, the recent
expansion of social media has compounded the potential
scope of negative publicity. We also could face legal claims
related to negative events, along with resulting adverse
publicity. If the perceived quality of our brands declines, or if
our reputation is damaged, our business, financial condition
or results of operations could be adversely affected.
The hospitality industry is subject to seasonal and cyclical
volatility, which may contribute to fluctuations in our results
of operations and financial condition.
The hospitality industry is seasonal in nature. The periods
during which our lodging properties experience higher reve-
nues vary from property to property, depending principally
upon location and the customer base served. We generally
expect our revenues to be lower in the first quarter of each
year than in each of the three subsequent quarters with the
fourth quarter generally being the highest. In addition, the
hospitality industry is cyclical and demand generally follows
the general economy on a lagged basis. The seasonality and
cyclicality of our industry may contribute to fluctuations in
our results of operations and financial condition.
Because we operate in a highly competitive industry,
our revenues or profits could be harmed if we are unable
to compete effectively.
The segments of the hospitality industry in which we
operate are subject to intense competition. Our principal
competitors are other operators of luxury, full-service and
focused-service hotels and timeshare properties, including
other major hospitality chains with well-established and
recognized brands. We also compete against smaller hotel
chains, independent and local hotel owners and operators
and independent timeshare operators. If we are unable to
compete successfully, our revenues or profits may decline.
Competition for hotel guests
We face competition for individual guests, group reservations
and conference business. We compete for these customers
based primarily on brand name recognition and reputation,
as well as location, room rates, property size and availability
of rooms and conference space, quality of the accommoda-
tions, customer satisfaction, amenities and the ability to earn
and redeem loyalty program points. Our competitors may
have greater financial and marketing resources and more
efficient technology platforms, which could allow them to
improve their properties and expand and improve their
marketing efforts in ways that could affect our ability to
compete for guests effectively.
Competition for management and franchise agreements
We compete to enter into management and franchise
agreements. Our ability to compete effectively is based
primarily on the value and quality of our management
services, brand name recognition and reputation, our ability
and willingness to invest capital, availability of suitable
properties in certain geographic areas, and the overall
economic terms of our agreements and the economic
advantages to the property owner of retaining our man-
agement services and using our brands. If the properties
that we manage or franchise perform less successfully than
those of our competitors, if we are unable to offer terms
as favorable as those offered by our competitors, or if the
availability of suitable properties is limited, our ability to
compete effectively for new management or franchise
agreements could be reduced.
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Our management and franchise business is subject to risks
related to doing business with third-party hotel owners that
could adversely affect our reputation, operational results or
prospects for growth.
Unless we maintain good relationships with third-party hotel
owners and renew or enter into new management and franchise
agreements, we may be unable to expand our presence and our
business, financial condition and results of operations may suffer.
Our management and franchise business depends on our
ability to establish and maintain long-term, positive rela-
tionships with third-party property owners and our ability
to enter into new and renew management and franchise
agreements. Although our management and franchise
contracts are typically long-term arrangements, hotel
owners may be able to terminate the agreements under
certain circumstances, including the failure to meet specified
financial or performance criteria. Our ability to meet these
financial and performance criteria is subject to, among other
things, risks common to the overall hotel industry, including
factors outside of our control. In addition, negative manage-
ment and franchise pricing trends could adversely affect our
ability to negotiate with hotel owners. If we fail to maintain
and renew existing management and franchise agreements,
and enter into new agreements on favorable terms, we may
be unable to expand our presence and our business, financial
condition and results of operations may suffer.
Our management and franchise business is subject to real estate
investment risks for third-party owners that could adversely
affect our operational results and our prospects for growth.
Growth of our management and franchise business is
affected, and may potentially be limited, by factors influencing
real estate development generally, including site availability,
financing, planning, zoning and other local approvals. In
addition, market factors such as projected room occupancy,
changes in growth in demand compared to projected supply,
geographic area restrictions in management and franchise
agreements, costs of construction and anticipated room
rate structure, if not managed effectively by our third-party
owners could adversely affect the growth of our
management and franchise business.
If our third-party property owners are unable to repay or
refinance loans secured by the mortgaged properties, or to obtain
financing adequate to fund current operations or growth plans,
our revenues, profits and capital resources could be reduced and
our business could be harmed.
Many of our third-party property owners pledged their
properties as collateral for mortgage loans entered into at
the time of development, purchase or refinancing. If our
third-party property owners are unable to repay or refinance
maturing indebtedness on favorable terms or at all, their
lenders could declare a default, accelerate the related debt
and repossess the property. A repossession could result in
the termination of our management or franchise agreement
or eliminate revenues and cash flows from the property. In
addition, the owners of managed and franchised hotels
depend on financing to buy, develop and improve hotels and
in some cases, fund operations during down cycles. Our
hotel owners’ inability to obtain adequate funding could
materially adversely affect the maintenance and improve-
ment plans of existing hotels, as well as result in the delay or
stoppage of the development of our existing pipeline.
If third-party property owners fail to make investments necessary
to maintain or improve their properties, guest preference for Hilton
brands and reputation and performance results could suffer.
Substantially all of our management and franchise
agreements require third-party property owners to comply
with quality and reputation standards of our brands. This
includes requirements related to the physical condition,
safety standards and appearance of the properties as well
as the service levels provided by hotel employees. These
standards may evolve with customer preference, or we may
introduce new requirements over time. If our property
owners fail to make investments necessary to maintain or
improve the properties in accordance with our standards,
guest preference for our brands could diminish. In addition,
if third-party property owners fail to observe standards or
meet their contractual requirements, we may elect to
exercise our termination rights, which would eliminate
revenues from these properties and cause us to incur
expenses related to terminating these contracts. We may
be unable to find suitable or offsetting replacements
for any terminated relationships.
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Contractual and other disagreements with third-party property
owners could make us liable to them or result in litigation costs
or other expenses.
Our management and franchise agreements require us and
our hotel owners to comply with operational and performance
conditions that are subject to interpretation and could result
in disagreements. Any dispute with a hotel owner could be
very expensive for us, even if the outcome is ultimately in our
favor. We cannot predict the outcome of any arbitration or
litigation, the effect of any negative judgment against us or
the amount of any settlement that we may enter into with
any third party. Furthermore, specific to our industry, some
courts have applied principles of agency law and related
fiduciary standards to managers of third-party hotel prop-
erties, which means that property owners may assert the
right to terminate agreements even where the agreements
do not expressly provide for termination. Our fees from any
terminated property would be eliminated, and accordingly
may negatively affect our results of operations.
The risks resulting from significant investments in owned and
leased real estate could increase our costs, reduce our profits
and limit our ability to respond to market conditions.
We own or lease a substantial amount of real property,
which subjects us to various risks that may not be applicable
to managed or franchised properties, including:
» governmental regulations relating to real estate
ownership or operations, including tax, environmental,
zoning and eminent domain laws;
The negative effect on profitability and cash flow from
declines in revenues is more pronounced in owned proper-
ties because we, as the owner, bear the risk of their high
fixed-cost structure. Further, during times of economic dis-
tress, declining demand and declining earnings often result
in declining asset values, and we may not be able to sell
properties on favorable terms or at all. Accordingly, we may
not be able to adjust our owned property portfolio promptly
in response to changes in economic or other conditions.
Our efforts to develop, redevelop or renovate our owned and
leased properties could be delayed or become more expensive.
Certain of our owned and leased properties were constructed
more than a century ago. The condition of aging properties
could negatively affect our ability to attract guests or result
in higher operating and capital costs, either of which could
reduce revenues or profits from these properties. There can
be no assurance that our planned replacements and repairs
will occur, or even if completed, will result in improved per-
formance. In addition, these efforts are subject to a number
of risks, including:
» construction delays or cost overruns (including labor
and materials);
» obtaining zoning, occupancy and other required permits
or authorizations;
» changes in economic conditions that may result in
weakened or lack of demand for improvements that
we make or negative project returns;
» governmental restrictions on the size or kind
» loss in value of real estate due to changes in
of development;
market conditions or the area in which real estate
is located;
» increased potential civil liability for accidents or other
occurrences on owned or leased properties;
» the ongoing need for owner-funded capital
improvements and expenditures to maintain or
upgrade properties;
» volatility in the debt and capital markets that
may limit our ability to raise capital for projects
or improvements;
» lack of availability of rooms or meeting spaces for
revenue-generating activities during construction,
modernization or renovation projects;
» force majeure events, including earthquakes, tornadoes,
» periodic total or partial closures due to renovations and
hurricanes, floods or tsunamis; and
facility improvements;
» design defects that could increase costs.
» risks associated with mortgage debt, including the
possibility of default, fluctuating interest rate
levels and uncertainties in the availability of
replacement financing;
» fluctuations in real estate values or potential
impairments in the value of our assets; and
» the relative illiquidity of real estate compared to some
other assets.
If our properties are not updated to meet guest preferences,
if properties under development or renovation are delayed in
opening as scheduled, or if renovation investments adversely
affect or fail to improve performance, our operations and
financial results could be negatively affected.
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Our properties may not be permitted to be rebuilt if destroyed.
Certain of our properties may qualify as legally-permissible
nonconforming uses and improvements, including certain
of our iconic and most profitable properties. If a substantial
portion of any such property were to be destroyed by fire
or other casualty, we might not be permitted to rebuild
that property as it now exists, regardless of the availability
of insurance proceeds. Any loss of this nature, whether
insured or not, could materially adversely affect our results
of operations and prospects.
Although our joint ventures may generate positive cash
flow, in some cases they may be unable to distribute that
cash to the joint venture partners. Additionally, in some
cases our joint venture partners control distributions and
may choose to leave capital in the joint venture rather than
distribute it. Because our ability to generate liquidity from
our joint ventures depends in part on their ability to distrib-
ute capital to us, our failure to receive distributions from our
joint venture partners could reduce our cash flow return on
these investments.
Our timeshare business is subject to risks associated
with regulation, third-party owners and providing financing
to purchasers.
The timeshare business is subject to extensive regulation.
We develop, manage, market and sell timeshare intervals.
Certain of these activities are subject to extensive state
regulation in both the state in which the timeshare property
is located and the states in which the timeshare property is
marketed and sold. Federal regulation of certain marketing
practices also applies. In addition, because we provide
financing to some purchasers of timeshare intervals and
also service the resulting loans as well as the loans on
inventory sold by third-party developers for which we provide
marketing services, we are subject to various federal and
state regulations, including those requiring disclosure to
borrowers regarding the terms of their loans as well as
settlement, servicing and collection of loans. If we fail to
comply with applicable federal, state and local laws in con-
nection with our timeshare business, we may be unable to
offer timeshare intervals or associated financing in certain
areas, which could result in a decline in timeshare revenues.
A decline in timeshare interval inventory or our failure to enter
into and maintain timeshare management agreements may have
an adverse effect on our business or results of operations.
In addition to timeshare interval supply from our owned
timeshare properties, we source interval supply through sales
and marketing agreements with third-party developers. If
we fail to develop timeshare properties or are unsuccessful
in entering into new agreements with third-party develop-
ers, we may experience a decline in timeshare interval supply
available to be sold by us, which could result in a decrease in
our revenues. In addition, a decline in timeshare interval
supply could result in both a decrease of financing revenues
that are generated from purchasers of timeshare intervals and
fee revenues that are generated by providing management,
loan and collection services to the timeshare properties.
We have investments in joint venture projects, which limits our
ability to manage third-party risks associated with these projects.
In most cases, we are minority participants and do not
control the decisions of the joint ventures in which we are
involved. Therefore, joint venture investments may involve
risks such as the possibility that a co-venturer in an invest-
ment might become bankrupt, be unable to meet its
capital contribution obligations, have economic or business
interests or goals that are inconsistent with our business
interests or goals or take actions that are contrary to our
instructions or to applicable laws and regulations. In addition,
we may be unable to take action without the approval of
our joint venture partners, or our joint venture partners
could take actions binding on the joint venture without our
consent. Consequently, actions by a co-venturer or other
third-party could expose us to claims for damages, financial
penalties and reputational harm, any of which could
adversely affect our business and operations. In addition, we
may agree to guarantee indebtedness incurred by a joint
venture or co-venturer or provide standard indemnifications
to lenders for loss liability or damage occurring as a result
of our actions or actions of the joint venture or other
co-venturers. Such a guarantee or indemnity may be on
a joint and several basis with a co-venturer, in which case
we may be liable in the event that our co-venturer defaults
on its guarantee obligation. The non-performance of a
co-venturer’s obligations may cause losses to us in excess
of the capital we initially may have invested or committed.
Preparing our financial statements requires us to have
access to information regarding the results of operations,
financial position and cash flows of our joint ventures. Any
deficiencies in our joint ventures’ internal controls over
financial reporting may affect our ability to report our
financial results accurately or prevent or detect fraud. Such
deficiencies also could result in restatements of, or other
adjustments to, our previously reported or announced oper-
ating results, which could diminish investor confidence and
reduce the market price for our shares. Additionally, if our
joint ventures are unable to provide this information for any
meaningful period or fail to meet expected deadlines, we
may be unable to satisfy our financial reporting obligations
or timely file our periodic reports.
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If purchasers default on the loans that we provide to finance
their purchases of timeshare intervals, the revenues and profits
that we derive from the timeshare business could be reduced.
Providing secured financing to some purchasers of timeshare
intervals subjects us to the risk of purchaser default. As of
December 31, 2014, we had approximately $1,024 million of
timeshare financing receivables outstanding. If a purchaser
defaults under the financing that we provide, we could be
forced to write off the loan and reclaim ownership of the
timeshare interval. We may be unable to resell the property
in a timely manner or at the same price, or at all. Also, if a
purchaser of a timeshare interval defaults on the related
loan during the early part of the amortization period, we
may not have recovered the marketing, selling and general
and administrative costs associated with the sale of that
timeshare interval. If we are unable to recover any of the
principal amount of the loan from a defaulting purchaser,
or if the allowances for losses from such defaults are
inadequate, the revenues and profits that we derive from
the timeshare business could be reduced.
Some of our existing development pipeline may not be developed
into new hotels, which could materially adversely affect our
growth prospects.
As of December 31, 2014, we had a total of 1,351 hotels in
our development pipeline, which we define as hotels under
construction or approved for development under one of
our brands. The commitments of owners and developers
with whom we have agreements are subject to numerous
conditions, and the eventual development and construction
of our pipeline not currently under construction is subject
to numerous risks, including, in certain cases, the owner’s or
developer’s ability to obtain adequate financing, obtaining
governmental or regulatory approvals and adequate
financing. As a result, our entire development pipeline may
not develop into new hotels that enter our system.
New hotel brands or non-hotel branded concepts that we
launch in the future may not be as successful as we anticipate,
which could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition or results of operations.
We introduced our newest brand, Canopy by Hilton, in
October 2014, opened our first Curio—A Collection by
Hilton hotel in August 2014, opened the first Herb N’
Kitchen Restaurant in 2013, opened our first Home2 Suites
by Hilton hotel in 2011 and launched the eforea: spa at
Hilton brand in 2010. We may continue to build our portfolio
by launching new hotel and non-hotel brands in the future.
In addition, the Hilton Garden Inn, DoubleTree by Hilton and
Hampton by Hilton brands have been expanding into new
jurisdictions outside the United States in recent years.
We may continue to expand existing brands into new
international markets. New hotel products or concepts or
brand expansions may not be accepted by hotel owners,
franchisees or customers and we cannot guarantee the level
of acceptance any new brand will have in the development
and consumer marketplaces. If new branded hotel products,
non-hotel branded concepts or brand expansions are not as
successful as we anticipate, we may not recover the costs
we incurred in their development or expansion, which could
have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition or results of operations.
Failures in, material damage to, or interruptions in our
information technology systems, software or websites and
difficulties in updating our existing software or developing
or implementing new software could have a material adverse
effect on our business or results of operations.
We depend heavily upon our information technology
systems in the conduct of our business. We own and license
or otherwise contract for sophisticated technology and sys-
tems for property management, procurement, reservations
and the operation of the Hilton HHonors customer loyalty
program. Such systems are subject to, among other things,
damage or interruption from power outages, computer and
telecommunications failures, computer viruses and natural
and man-made disasters. Although we have a cold disaster
recovery site in a separate location to back up our core
reservation, distribution and financial systems, substantially
all of our data center operations are currently located in a
single facility. Any loss or damage to our primary facility
could result in operational disruption and data loss as we
move production operations to our disaster recovery site.
Damage or interruption to our information systems may
require a significant investment to update, remediate
or replace with alternate systems, and we may suffer
interruptions in our operations as a result. In addition, costs
and potential problems and interruptions associated with
the implementation of new or upgraded systems and
technology or with maintenance or adequate support of
existing systems could also disrupt or reduce the efficiency
of our operations. Any material interruptions or failures in
our systems, including those that may result from our failure
to adequately develop, implement and maintain a robust
disaster recovery plan and backup systems could severely
affect our ability to conduct normal business operations and,
as a result, have a material adverse effect on our business
operations and financial performance.
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Even if we are fully compliant with legal standards and
contractual requirements, we still may not be able to prevent
security breaches involving sensitive data. The sophistication
of efforts by hackers to gain unauthorized access to infor-
mation systems has continued to increase in recent years.
Breaches, thefts, losses or fraudulent uses of customer,
employee or company data could cause consumers to lose
confidence in the security of our websites, mobile applications,
point of sale systems and other information technology
systems and choose not to purchase from us. Such security
breaches also could expose us to risks of data loss, business
disruption, litigation and other liability, any of which could
adversely affect our business.
We are exposed to risks and costs associated with protecting
the integrity and security of our guests’ personal data and other
sensitive information.
We are subject to various risks and costs associated with
the collection, handling, storage and transmission of sensitive
information, including those related to compliance with
U.S. and foreign data collection and privacy laws and other
contractual obligations, as well as those associated with
the compromise of our systems collecting such information.
We collect internal and customer data, including credit card
numbers and other personally identifiable information for a
variety of important business purposes, including managing
our workforce, providing requested products and services
and maintaining guest preferences to enhance customer
service and for marketing and promotion purposes. We
could be exposed to fines, penalties, restrictions, litigation,
reputational harm or other expenses, or other adverse
effects on our business, due to failure to protect our guests’
personal data and other sensitive information or failure to
maintain compliance with the various U.S. and foreign data
collection and privacy laws or with credit card industry
standards or other applicable data security standards.
In addition, states and the federal government have
recently enacted additional laws and regulations to protect
consumers against identity theft. These laws and similar
laws in other jurisdictions have increased the costs of doing
business, and failure on our part to implement appropriate
safeguards or to detect and provide prompt notice of
unauthorized access as required by some of these laws
could subject us to potential claims for damages and other
remedies. If we were required to pay any significant amounts
in satisfaction of claims under these laws, or if we were
forced to cease our business operations for any length of
time as a result of our inability to comply fully with any such
law, our business, operating results and financial condition
could be adversely affected.
We rely on third parties for the performance of a significant
portion of our information technology functions worldwide.
In particular, our reservation system relies on data commu-
nications networks operated by unaffiliated third parties.
The success of our business depends in part on maintaining
our relationships with these third parties and their continuing
ability to perform these functions and services in a timely
and satisfactory manner. If we experience a loss or disruption
in the provision of any of these functions or services, or they
are not performed in a satisfactory manner, we may have
difficulty in finding alternate providers on terms favorable to
us, in a timely manner or at all, and our business could be
adversely affected.
We rely on certain software vendors to maintain and
periodically upgrade many of these systems so that they can
continue to support our business. The software programs
supporting many of our systems were licensed to us by
independent software developers. The inability of these
developers or us to continue to maintain and upgrade
these information systems and software programs would
disrupt or reduce the efficiency of our operations if we were
unable to convert to alternate systems in an efficient and
timely manner.
We are vulnerable to various risks and uncertainties
associated with our websites and mobile applications,
including changes in required technology interfaces, website
and mobile application downtime and other technical
failures, costs and issues as we upgrade our website software
and mobile applications. Additional risks include computer
viruses, changes in applicable federal and state regulation,
security breaches, legal claims related to our website
operations and e-commerce fulfillment and other consumer
privacy concerns. Our failure to successfully respond to these
risks and uncertainties could reduce website and mobile
application sales and have a material adverse effect on our
business or results of operations.
Cyber-attacks could have a disruptive effect on our business.
From time to time we and third parties who serve us
experience cyber-attacks, attempted and actual breaches of
our or their information technology systems and networks
or similar events, which could result in a loss of sensitive
business or customer information, systems interruption or the
disruption of our operations. The techniques that are used
to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service
or sabotage systems change frequently and are difficult
to detect for long periods of time, and we are accordingly
unable to anticipate and prevent all data security incidents.
For example, in 2011 we were notified by Epsilon, our
database marketing vendor, that we were among a group
of companies served by Epsilon that were affected by a data
breach that resulted in an unauthorized third party gaining
access to Epsilon’s files that included names and e-mails of
certain of our customers. Since this notification we have
been subject to additional cyber-attacks and data breaches.
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We may seek to expand through acquisitions of and investments
in other businesses and properties, or through alliances, and we
may also seek to divest some of our properties and other assets.
These acquisition and disposition activities may be unsuccessful
or divert management’s attention.
We may consider strategic and complementary acquisitions
of and investments in other hotel or hospitality brands,
businesses, properties or other assets. Furthermore, we may
pursue these opportunities in alliance with existing or
prospective owners of managed or franchised properties.
In many cases, we will be competing for these opportunities
with third parties that may have substantially greater
financial resources than us. Acquisitions or investments in
brands, businesses, properties or assets as well as these
alliances are subject to risks that could affect our business,
including risks related to:
» issuing shares of stock that could dilute the interests
of our existing stockholders;
» spending cash and incurring debt;
» assuming contingent liabilities; or
» creating additional expenses.
We may not be able to identify opportunities or complete
transactions on commercially reasonable terms or at all or
we may not actually realize any anticipated benefits from
such acquisitions, investments or alliances. Similarly, we may
not be able to obtain financing for acquisitions or investments
on attractive terms or at all, or the ability to obtain financing
may be restricted by the terms of our indebtedness. In addi-
tion, the success of any acquisition or investment also will
depend, in part, on our ability to integrate the acquisition or
investment with our existing operations.
We may also divest certain properties or assets, and any
such divestments may yield lower than expected returns.
In some circumstances, sales of properties or other assets
may result in losses. Upon sales of properties or assets, we
may become subject to contractual indemnity obligations,
incur material tax liabilities or, as a result of required debt
repayment, face a shortage of liquidity. Finally, any acquisitions,
investments or dispositions could demand significant atten-
tion from management that would otherwise be available
for business operations, which could harm our business.
Failure to keep pace with developments in technology could
adversely affect our operations or competitive position.
The hospitality industry demands the use of sophisticated
technology and systems for property management, brand
assurance and compliance, procurement, reservation systems,
operation of our customer loyalty programs, distribution of
hotel resources to current and future customers and guest
amenities. These technologies may require refinements
and upgrades. The development and maintenance of these
technologies may require significant investment by us. As
various systems and technologies become outdated or new
technology is required, we may not be able to replace or
introduce them as quickly as needed or in a cost-effective
and timely manner. We may not achieve the benefits we
may have been anticipating from any new technology
or system.
Failure to comply with marketing and advertising laws, including
with regard to direct marketing, could result in fines or place
restrictions on our business.
We rely on a variety of direct marketing techniques, including
telemarketing, email marketing and postal mailings, and we
are subject to various laws and regulations in the U.S. and
internationally that govern marketing and advertising prac-
tices. Any further restrictions in laws, such as the Telephone
Consumer Protection Act of 1991, the Telemarketing Sales
Rule, CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, and various U.S. state laws,
new laws, or international data protection laws, such as the
EU member states’ implementation of proposed privacy
regulation, that govern these activities could adversely affect
current or planned marketing activities and cause us to
change our marketing strategy. If this occurs, we may not be
able to develop adequate alternative marketing strategies,
which could affect our ability to maintain relationships with
our customers and acquire new customers. We also obtain
access to names of potential customers from travel service
providers or other companies and we market to some
individuals on these lists directly or through other companies’
marketing materials. If access to these lists were prohibited
or otherwise restricted, our ability to develop new customers
and introduce them to products could be impaired.
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The cessation, reduction or taxation of program benefits of our
Hilton HHonors loyalty program could adversely affect the Hilton
brands and guest loyalty.
We manage the Hilton HHonors guest loyalty and rewards
program for the Hilton brands. Program members accu-
mulate points based on eligible stays and hotel charges and
redeem the points for a range of benefits including free
rooms and other items of value. The program is an important
aspect of our business and of the affiliation value for hotel
owners under management and franchise agreements.
System hotels (including, without limitation, third-party
hotels under management and franchise arrangements)
contribute a percentage of the guest’s charges to the
program for each stay of a program member. In addition to
the accumulation of points for future hotels stays at our
brands, Hilton HHonors arranges with third-party service
providers, such as airlines and rail companies, to exchange
monetary value represented by points for program awards.
Currently, the program benefits are not taxed as income to
members. If the program awards and benefits are materially
altered, curtailed or taxed such that a material number of
Hilton HHonors members choose to no longer participate
in the program, this could adversely affect our business.
Because we derive a portion of our revenues from operations
outside the United States, the risks of doing business
internationally could lower our revenues, increase our costs,
reduce our profits or disrupt our business.
We currently manage, franchise, own or lease hotels
and resorts in 94 countries and territories around the world.
Our operations outside the United States represented
approximately 25 percent of our revenues for each of the
years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013. We expect that
revenues from our international operations will continue
to account for an increasing portion of our total revenues.
As a result, we are subject to the risks of doing business
outside the United States, including:
» rapid changes in governmental, economic and
political policy, political or civil unrest, acts of
terrorism or the threat of international boycotts
or U.S. anti-boycott legislation;
» increases in anti-American sentiment and
the identification of the licensed brands as an
American brand;
» recessionary trends or economic instability in
international markets;
» changes in foreign currency exchange rates or currency
restructurings and hyperinflation or deflation in the
countries in which we operate;
» the presence and acceptance of varying levels of
business corruption in international markets and the
effect of various anti-corruption and other laws;
The growth of internet reservation channels could adversely
affect our business and profitability.
A significant percentage of hotel rooms for individual guests
are booked through internet travel intermediaries, to whom
we commit to pay various commissions and transaction fees
for sales of our rooms through their systems. If these bookings
increase, these intermediaries may be able to obtain higher
commissions, reduced room rates or other significant con-
cessions from us or our franchisees. Although our agreements
with many of these intermediaries limit transaction fees for
hotels, there can be no assurance that we will be able to
renegotiate these agreements upon their expiration with
terms as favorable as the provisions that existed before the
expiration, replacement or renegotiation. Moreover,
hospitality intermediaries generally employ aggressive
marketing strategies, including expending significant
resources for online and television advertising campaigns to
drive consumers to their websites. As a result, consumers
may develop brand loyalties to the intermediaries’ offered
brands, websites and reservations systems rather than to
the Hilton brands and systems. If this happens, our business
and profitability may be significantly affected as shifting
customer loyalties divert bookings away from our websites.
Internet travel intermediaries also have recently been
subject to regulatory scrutiny, particularly in Europe.
The outcome of this regulatory activity may affect our
ability to compete for direct bookings through our own
internet channels.
In addition, although internet travel intermediaries have
traditionally competed to attract individual consumers or
“transient” business rather than group and convention busi-
ness, they have recently expanded their business to include
marketing to large group and convention business. If that
growth continues, it could both divert group and convention
business away from our hotels and also increase our cost
of sales for group and convention business. Consolidation of
internet travel intermediaries, and the entry of major internet
companies into the internet travel bookings business, also
could divert bookings away from our websites and increase
our hotels’ cost of sales.
Our reservation system is an important component of our
business operations and a disruption to its functioning could
have an adverse effect on our performance and results.
We manage a global reservation system that communicates
reservations to our branded hotels when made by individuals
directly, either online or by telephone to our call centers, or
through intermediaries like travel agents, internet travel web
sites and other distribution channels. The cost, speed, efficacy
and efficiency of the reservation system are important aspects
of our business and are important considerations of hotel
owners in choosing to affiliate with our brands. Any failure
to maintain or upgrade, and any other disruption to our
reservation system may adversely affect our business.
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» the imposition of restrictions on currency conversion
or the transfer of funds or limitations on our ability to
repatriate non-U.S. earnings in a tax-efficient manner;
» the ability to comply with or effect of complying with
complex and changing laws, regulations and policies
of foreign governments that may affect investments or
operations, including foreign ownership restrictions,
import and export controls, tariffs, embargoes, increases
in taxes paid and other changes in applicable tax laws;
» uncertainties as to local laws regarding, and enforcement
of, contract and intellectual property rights;
» forced nationalization of our properties by local, state
or national governments; and
» the difficulties involved in managing an organization
doing business in many different countries.
These factors may adversely affect the revenues from and
the market value of our properties located in international
markets. While these factors and the effect of these factors
are difficult to predict, any one or more of them could lower
our revenues, increase our costs, reduce our profits or
disrupt our business operations.
Failure to comply with laws and regulations applicable to
our international operations may increase costs, reduce profits,
limit growth or subject us to broader liability.
Our business operations in countries outside the U.S. are
subject to a number of laws and regulations, including
restrictions imposed by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
(“FCPA”), as well as trade sanctions administered by the
Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). The FCPA is
intended to prohibit bribery of foreign officials and requires
us to keep books and records that accurately and fairly
reflect our transactions. OFAC administers and enforces
economic and trade sanctions based on U.S. foreign policy
and national security goals against targeted foreign states,
organizations and individuals. Although we have policies in
place designed to comply with applicable sanctions, rules
and regulations, it is possible that hotels we own or manage
in the countries and territories in which we operate may
provide services to persons subject to sanctions. Where we
have identified potential violations in the past, we have
taken appropriate remedial action including filing voluntary
disclosures to OFAC. In addition, some of our operations
may be subject to the laws and regulations of non-U.S.
jurisdictions, including the U.K.’s Bribery Act 2010, which
contains significant prohibitions on bribery and other corrupt
business activities, and other local anti-corruption laws in the
countries and territories in which we conduct operations.
If we fail to comply with these laws and regulations, we
could be exposed to claims for damages, financial penalties,
reputational harm and incarceration of employees or
restrictions on our operation or ownership of hotels and
other properties, including the termination of management,
franchising and ownership rights. In addition, in certain
circumstances, the actions of parties affiliated with us
(including our owners, joint venture partners, employees
and agents) may expose us to liability under the FCPA,
U.S. sanctions or other laws. These restrictions could
increase costs of operations, reduce profits or cause us to
forgo development opportunities that would otherwise
support growth.
In August 2012, Congress enacted the Iran Threat Reduction
and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (“ITRSHRA”), which
expands the scope of U.S. sanctions against Iran and Syria.
In particular, Section 219 of the ITRSHRA amended the
Exchange Act to require SEC-reporting companies to disclose
in their periodic reports specified dealings or transactions
involving Iran or other individuals and entities targeted by
certain OFAC sanctions engaged in by the reporting com-
pany or any of its affiliates. These companies are required
to separately file with the SEC a notice that such activities
have been disclosed in the relevant periodic report, and
the SEC is required to post this notice of disclosure on its
website and send the report to the U.S. President and certain
U.S. Congressional committees. The U.S. President thereafter
is required to initiate an investigation and, within 180 days
of initiating such an investigation with respect to certain
disclosed activities, to determine whether sanctions should
be imposed.
Under ITRSHRA, we are required to report if we or any
of our “affiliates” knowingly engaged in certain specified
activities during a period covered by one of our Annual
Reports on Form 10-K or Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
We have engaged in, and may in the future engage in,
activities that would require disclosure pursuant to Section 219
of ITRSHRA. In addition, because the SEC defines the term
“affiliate” broadly, we may be deemed to be a controlled
affiliate of Blackstone, affiliates of Blackstone may also be
considered our affiliates. Other affiliates of Blackstone have
in the past and may in the future be required to make
disclosures pursuant to ITRSHRA, including the activities
discussed in the disclosures included on Exhibit 99.1 to this
Annual Report on Form 10-K, which disclosures are hereby
incorporated by reference herein. Disclosure of such activities
and any sanctions imposed on us or our affiliates as a result
of these activities could harm our reputation and brands and
have a negative effect on our results of operations.
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23
Labor shortages could restrict our ability to operate our
properties or grow our business or result in increased labor
costs that could adversely affect our results of operations.
Our success depends in large part on our ability to attract,
retain, train, manage, and engage employees. We employ or
manage approximately 157,000 individuals at our managed,
owned and leased hotels and corporate offices around the
world. If we are unable to attract, retain, train, manage and
engage skilled individuals, our ability to manage and staff
the managed, owned and leased hotels could be impaired,
which could reduce customer satisfaction. In addition, the
inability of our franchisees to attract, retain, train, manage
and engage skilled employees for the franchised hotels
could adversely affect the reputation of our brands. Staffing
shortages in various parts of the world also could hinder our
ability to grow and expand our businesses. Because payroll
costs are a major component of the operating expenses at
our hotels and our franchised hotels, a shortage of skilled
labor could also require higher wages that would increase
labor costs, which could adversely affect our results of oper-
ations. Additionally, increase in minimum wage rates could
increase costs and reduce profits for us and our franchisees.
Any failure to protect our trademarks and other intellectual
property could reduce the value of the Hilton brands and harm
our business.
The recognition and reputation of our brands are important
to our success. We have over 4,900 trademark registrations
in jurisdictions around the world for use in connection with
our services, plus at any given time, a number of pending
applications for trademarks and other intellectual property.
However, those trademark or other intellectual property
registrations may not be granted or the steps we take to
use, control or protect our trademarks or other intellectual
property in the U.S. and other jurisdictions may not always
be adequate to prevent third parties from copying or using
the trademarks or other intellectual property without
authorization. We may also fail to obtain and maintain
trademark protection for all of our brands in all jurisdictions.
For example, in certain jurisdictions, third parties have regis-
tered or otherwise have the right to use certain trademarks
that are the same as or similar to our trademarks, which
could prevent us from registering trademarks and opening
hotels in that jurisdiction. Third parties may also challenge
our rights to certain trademarks or oppose our trademark
applications. Defending against any such proceedings
may be costly, and if unsuccessful, could result in the loss
of important intellectual property rights. Obtaining and
maintaining trademark protection for multiple brands in
multiple jurisdictions is also expensive, and we may therefore
elect not to apply for or to maintain certain trademarks.
The loss of senior executives or key field personnel, such as
general managers, could significantly harm our business.
Our ability to maintain our competitive position depends
somewhat on the efforts and abilities of our senior executives.
Finding suitable replacements for senior executives could
be difficult. Losing the services of one or more of these senior
executives could adversely affect strategic relationships,
including relationships with third-party property owners,
joint venture partners and vendors, and limit our ability
to execute our business strategies.
We also rely on the general managers at each of our
managed, owned and leased hotels to manage daily opera-
tions and oversee the efforts of employees. These general
managers are trained professionals in the hospitality industry
and have extensive experience in many markets worldwide.
The failure to retain, train or successfully manage general
managers for our managed, owned and leased hotels could
negatively affect our operations.
Collective bargaining activity could disrupt our operations,
increase our labor costs or interfere with the ability of our
management to focus on executing our business strategies.
A significant number of our employees (approximately
30 percent) and employees of our hotel owners are covered
by collective bargaining agreements and similar agreements.
If relationships with our employees or employees of our
hotel owners or the unions that represent them become
adverse, the properties we manage, franchise, own or lease
could experience labor disruptions such as strikes, lockouts,
boycotts and public demonstrations. A number of our col-
lective bargaining agreements, representing approximately
nine percent of our organized employees, have expired
and are in the process of being renegotiated, and we may
be required to negotiate additional collective bargaining
agreements in the future if more employees become
unionized. Labor disputes, which may be more likely when
collective bargaining agreements are being negotiated, could
harm our relationship with our employees or employees of
our hotel owners, result in increased regulatory inquiries and
enforcement by governmental authorities and deter guests.
Further, adverse publicity related to a labor dispute could
harm our reputation and reduce customer demand for our
services. Labor regulation and the negotiation of new or
existing collective bargaining agreements could lead to
higher wage and benefit costs, changes in work rules that
raise operating expenses, legal costs and limitations on
our ability or the ability of our third-party property owners
to take cost saving measures during economic downturns.
We do not have the ability to control the negotiations of
collective bargaining agreements covering unionized labor
employed by many third-party property owners. Increased
unionization of our workforce, new labor legislation or
changes in regulations could disrupt our operations, reduce
our profitability or interfere with the ability of our
management to focus on executing our business strategies.
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Our intellectual property is also vulnerable to unauthorized
copying or use in some jurisdictions outside the U.S., where
local law, or lax enforcement of law, may not provide ade-
quate protection. If our trademarks or other intellectual
property are improperly used, the value and reputation of
the Hilton brands could be harmed. There are times where
we may need to resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual
property rights. Litigation of this type could be costly, force
us to divert our resources, lead to counterclaims or other
claims against us or otherwise harm our business or reputation.
In addition, we license certain of our trademarks to third
parties. For example, we grant our franchisees a right to use
certain of our trademarks in connection with their operation
of the applicable property. If a franchisee or other licensee
fails to maintain the quality of the goods and services used in
connection with the licensed trademarks, our rights to, and
the value of, our trademarks could potentially be harmed.
Failure to maintain, control and protect our trademarks and
other intellectual property could likely adversely affect our
ability to attract guests or third-party owners, and could
adversely affect our results.
In addition, we license the right to use certain intellectual
property from unaffiliated third parties, including the right
to grant sublicenses to franchisees. If we are unable to use
this intellectual property, our ability to generate revenue
from such properties may be diminished.
Third-party claims that we infringe intellectual property rights of
others could subject us to damages and other costs and expenses.
Third parties may make claims against us for infringing their
patent, trademark, copyright or other intellectual property
rights or for misappropriating their trade secrets. We have
been and are currently party to a number of such claims and
may receive additional claims in the future. Any such claims,
even those without merit, could:
» be expensive and time consuming to defend, and result
in significant damages;
» force us to stop using the intellectual property that
is being challenged or to stop providing products or
services that use the challenged intellectual property;
» force us to redesign or rebrand our products
or services;
» require us to enter into royalty, licensing, co-existence
or other agreements to obtain the right to use a third
party’s intellectual property; and
» limit the use or the scope of our intellectual property
or other rights.
In addition, we may be required to indemnify third-party
owners of the hotels that we manage for any losses they
incur as a result of any infringement claims against them.
All necessary royalty, licensing or other agreements may
not be available to us on acceptable terms. Any adverse
results associated with third-party intellectual property
claims could negatively affect our business.
Exchange rate fluctuations and foreign exchange hedging
arrangements could result in significant foreign currency gains
and losses and affect our business results.
Conducting business in currencies other than the U.S. dollar
subjects us to fluctuations in currency exchange rates that
could have a negative effect on our financial results. We earn
revenues and incur expenses in foreign currencies as part
of our operations outside of the U.S. As a result, fluctuations
in currency exchange rates may significantly increase the
amount of U.S. dollars required for foreign currency expenses
or significantly decrease the U.S. dollars received from foreign
currency revenues. We also have exposure to currency
translation risk because, generally, the results of our business
outside of the U.S. are reported in local currency and then
translated to U.S. dollars for inclusion in our consolidated
financial statements. As a result, changes between the foreign
exchange rates and the U.S. dollar will affect the recorded
amounts of our foreign assets, liabilities, revenues and
expenses and could have a negative effect on our financial
results. Our exposure to foreign currency exchange rate
fluctuations will grow if the relative contribution of our
operations outside the U.S. increases.
To attempt to mitigate foreign currency exposure, we
may enter into foreign exchange hedging agreements with
financial institutions. However, these hedging agreements
may not eliminate foreign currency risk entirely and involve
costs and risks of their own in the form of transaction costs,
credit requirements and counterparty risk.
If the insurance that we or our owners carry does not sufficiently
cover damage or other potential losses or liabilities to third
parties involving properties that we manage, franchise or own,
our profits could be reduced.
We operate in certain areas where the risk of natural
disaster or other catastrophic losses vary, and the occasional
incidence of such an event could cause substantial damage
to us, our owners or the surrounding area. We carry, and we
require our owners to carry, insurance from solvent insurance
carriers that we believe is adequate for foreseeable first- and
third-party losses and with terms and conditions that are
reasonable and customary. Nevertheless, market forces
beyond our control could limit the scope of the insurance
coverage that we and our owners can obtain or may
otherwise restrict our or our owners’ ability to buy insurance
coverage at reasonable rates. In the event of a substantial
loss, the insurance coverage that we and/or our owners
carry may not be sufficient to pay the full value of our financial
obligations, our liabilities or the replacement cost of any
lost investment or property. Because certain types of losses
are uncertain, they may be uninsurable or prohibitively
expensive. In addition, there are other risks that may fall
outside the general coverage terms and limits of our policies.
In some cases, these factors could result in certain losses
being completely uninsured. As a result, we could lose some
or all of the capital we have invested in a property, as well
as the anticipated future revenues, profits, management fees
or franchise fees from the property.
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Terrorism insurance may not be available at commercially
reasonable rates or at all.
Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in
New York City and the Washington, D.C. area, Congress
passed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002, which
established the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program (the
“Program”) to provide insurance capacity for terrorist acts.
The Program expired at the end of 2014 but was reauthorized,
with some adjustments to its provisions, in January 2015
for six years through December 31, 2020. We carry, and we
require our owners and our franchisees to carry, insurance
from solvent insurance carriers to respond to both first-party
and third-party liability losses related to terrorism. We
purchase our first-party property damage and business
interruption insurance from a stand-alone market in place of
and to supplement insurance from government run pools. If
the Program is not extended or renewed upon its expiration
in 2020, or if there are changes to the Program that would
negatively affect insurance carriers, premiums for terrorism
insurance coverage will likely increase and/or the terms
of such insurance may be materially amended to increase
stated exclusions or to otherwise effectively decrease the
scope of coverage available, perhaps to the point where
it is effectively unavailable.
Terrorist attacks and military conflicts may adversely affect
the hospitality industry.
The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon on September 11, 2001 underscore the possibility
that large public facilities or economically important assets
could become the target of terrorist attacks in the future.
In particular, properties that are well-known or are located in
concentrated business sectors in major cities where our hotels
are located may be subject to the risk of terrorist attacks.
The occurrence or the possibility of terrorist attacks or
military conflicts could:
» cause damage to one or more of our properties that
may not be fully covered by insurance to the value
of the damages;
» cause all or portions of affected properties to be
shut down for prolonged periods, resulting in a loss
of income;
» generally reduce travel to affected areas for tourism and
business or adversely affect the willingness of customers
to stay in or avail themselves of the services of the
affected properties;
» expose us to a risk of monetary claims arising out of
death, injury or damage to property caused by any such
attacks; and
» result in higher costs for security and insurance
premiums or diminish the availability of insurance
coverage for losses related to terrorist attacks,
particularly for properties in target areas, all of which
could adversely affect our results.
The occurrence of a terrorist attack with respect to one of
our properties could directly and materially adversely affect
our results of operations. Furthermore, the loss of any of
our well-known buildings could indirectly affect the value
of our brands, which would in turn adversely affect our
business prospects.
Changes in U.S. federal, state and local or foreign tax law,
interpretations of existing tax law, or adverse determinations
by tax authorities, could increase our tax burden or otherwise
adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.
We are subject to taxation at the federal, state or provincial
and local levels in the U.S. and various other countries and
jurisdictions. Our future effective tax rate could be affected
by changes in the composition of earnings in jurisdictions
with differing tax rates, changes in statutory rates and other
legislative changes, changes in the valuation of our deferred
tax assets and liabilities, or changes in determinations
regarding the jurisdictions in which we are subject to tax.
From time to time, the U.S. federal, state and local and
foreign governments make substantive changes to tax rules
and their application, which could result in materially higher
corporate taxes than would be incurred under existing
tax law and could adversely affect our financial condition
or results of operations.
We are subject to ongoing and periodic tax audits and
disputes in U.S. federal and various state, local and foreign
jurisdictions. In particular, our consolidated U.S. federal
income tax returns for the fiscal years ended December 31,
2006 and October 24, 2007 are under audit by the Internal
Revenue Service (“IRS”), and the IRS has proposed adjustments
to increase our taxable income based on several assertions
involving intercompany loans, our Hilton HHonors guest
loyalty and reward program and our foreign-currency
denominated loans issued by one of our subsidiaries. In total,
the proposed adjustments sought by the IRS would result
in U.S. federal tax owed of approximately $696 million,
excluding interest and penalties and potential state income
taxes. We disagree with the IRS’s position on each of the
assertions and intend to vigorously contest them. Additionally,
during 2014, the IRS commenced its audit of tax years
December 2007 through 2010. See Note 19: “Income Taxes”
in our audited consolidated financial statements included
elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional
information. An unfavorable outcome from any tax audit
could result in higher tax costs, penalties and interest,
thereby adversely affecting our financial condition or results
of operations.
Changes to accounting rules or regulations may adversely affect
our financial condition and results of operations.
New accounting rules or regulations and varying
interpretations of existing accounting rules or regulations
have occurred and may occur in the future. A change in
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accounting rules or regulations may require retrospective
application and affect our reporting of transactions com-
pleted before the change is effective, and future changes
to accounting rules or regulations or the questioning
of current accounting practices may adversely affect our
financial condition and results of operations. See Note 2:
“Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant
Accounting Policies” in our audited consolidated financial
statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on
Form 10-K for a summary of accounting standards issued
but not yet adopted. Additionally, in 2013, the Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), issued a revised
exposure draft outlining proposed changes to current lease
accounting in FASB Accounting Standards Codification
Topic 840, Leases. The proposed accounting standards
update, if ultimately adopted in its current form, could result
in significant changes to current accounting, including the
capitalization of leases on the balance sheet that currently
are recorded off-balance sheet as operating leases. While
this change would not affect the cash flow related to our
leased hotels and other leased assets, it could adversely
affect our balance sheet and could therefore affect our
ability to raise financing from banks or other sources.
Changes to estimates or projections used to assess the fair value
of our assets, or operating results that are lower than our current
estimates at certain locations, may cause us to incur impairment
losses that could adversely affect our results of operations.
Our total assets include goodwill, intangible assets with
indefinite lives, other intangible assets with finite useful lives
and substantial amounts of long-lived assets, principally
property and equipment, including hotel properties. We
evaluate our goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite
lives for impairment on an annual basis or at other times
during the year if events or circumstances indicate that it is
more likely than not that the fair value is below the carrying
value. We evaluate intangible assets with finite useful lives
and long-lived assets for impairment when circumstances
indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.
Our evaluation of impairment requires us to make certain
estimates and assumptions including projections of future
results. After performing our evaluation for impairment,
including an analysis to determine the recoverability of
long-lived assets, we will record an impairment loss when
the carrying value of the underlying asset, asset group or
reporting unit exceeds its fair value. If the estimates or
assumptions used in our evaluation of impairment change,
we may be required to record additional impairment
losses on certain of these assets. If these impairment
losses are significant, our results of operations would
be adversely affected.
Governmental regulation may adversely affect the operation
of our properties.
In many jurisdictions, the hotel industry is subject to extensive
foreign or U.S. federal, state and local governmental
regu lations, including those relating to the service of
alcoholic beverages, the preparation and sale of food and
those relating to building and zoning requirements. We are
also subject to licensing and regulation by foreign or U.S.
state and local departments relating to health, sanitation,
fire and safety standards, and to laws governing our rela-
tionships with employees, including minimum wage
requirements, overtime, working conditions status and
citizenship requirements. In addition, the National Labor
Relations Board may revise its standard for joint employee
relationships, which could increase our risk of being
considered a joint employer with our franchisees. We or our
third-party owners may be required to expend funds to
meet foreign or U.S. federal, state and local regulations in
connection with the continued operation or remodeling of
certain of our properties. The failure to meet the requirements
of applicable regulations and licensing requirements, or
publicity resulting from actual or alleged failures, could have
an adverse effect on our results of operations.
Foreign or U.S. environmental laws and regulations may cause
us to incur substantial costs or subject us to potential liabilities.
We are subject to certain compliance costs and potential
l iabilities under various foreign and U.S. federal, state and
local environmental, health and safety laws and regulations.
These laws and regulations govern actions including air
emissions, the use, storage and disposal of hazardous and
toxic substances, and wastewater disposal. Our failure to
comply with such laws, including any required permits or
licenses, could result in substantial fines or possible revo-
cation of our authority to conduct some of our operations.
We could also be liable under such laws for the costs of
investigation, removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic
substances at our currently or formerly owned, leased or
operated real property (including managed and franchised
properties) or at third-party locations in connection with
our waste disposal operations, regardless of whether or
not we knew of, or caused, the presence or release of such
substances. From time to time, we may be required to
remediate such substances or remove, abate or manage
asbestos, mold, radon gas, lead or other hazardous conditions
at our properties. The presence or release of such toxic or
hazardous substances could result in third-party claims for
personal injury, property or natural resource damages,
business interruption or other losses. Such claims and
the need to investigate, remediate or otherwise address
hazardous, toxic or unsafe conditions could adversely affect
our operations, the value of any affected real property,
or our ability to sell, lease or assign our rights in any such
property, or could otherwise harm our business or reputation.
Environmental, health and safety requirements have also
become increasingly stringent, and our costs may increase
as a result. New or revised laws and regulations or new
interpretations of existing laws and regulations, such as
those related to climate change, could affect the operation
of our properties or result in significant additional expense
and operating restrictions on us.
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The cost of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
and similar legislation outside of the U.S. may be substantial.
We are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”)
and similar legislation in certain jurisdictions outside of the
U.S. Under the ADA all public accommodations are required
to meet certain federal requirements related to access
and use by disabled persons. These regulations apply to
accommodations first occupied after January 26, 1993;
public accommodations built before January 26, 1993 are
required to remove architectural barriers to disabled access
where such removal is “readily achievable.” The regulations
also mandate certain operational requirements that hotel
operators must observe. The failure of a property to comply
with the ADA could result in injunctive relief, fines, an award
of damages to private litigants or mandated capital expen-
ditures to remedy such noncompliance. Any imposition of
injunctive relief, fines, damage awards or capital expenditures
could adversely affect the ability of an owner or franchisee
to make payments under the applicable management or
franchise agreement or negatively affect the reputation of
our brands. In November 2010, we entered into a settlement
with the U.S. Department of Justice related to compliance
with the ADA. Under the terms of the settlement, until
March 2015 we must: ensure compliance with ADA
regulations at our owned and joint venture (in which we
own more than a 50 percent interest) properties built after
January 26, 1993; require owners of managed or franchised
hotels built after January 26, 1993 that enter into a new
management or franchise agreement, experience a change
in ownership, or renew or extend a management or
franchise agreement, to conduct a survey of its facilities and
to certify that the hotel complies with the ADA; ensure that
new hotels constructed in our system are compliant with
ADA regulations; provide ADA training to our employees;
improve the accessibility of our websites and reservations
system for individuals with disabilities; appoint a national ADA
compliance officer; and appoint an ADA contact on-site at
each hotel. If we fail to comply with the requirements of the
ADA and our related consent decree, we could be subject
to fines, penalties, injunctive action, reputational harm and
other business effects which could materially and negatively
affect our performance and results of operations.
Casinos featured on certain of our properties are subject to
gaming laws, and noncompliance could result in the revocation
of the gaming licenses.
Several of our properties feature casinos, most of which
are operated by third parties. Factors affecting the economic
performance of a casino property include:
» location, including proximity to or easy access from
major population centers;
» appearance;
» local, regional or national economic conditions;
» the existence or construction of competing casinos;
» dependence on tourism; and
» governmental regulation.
Jurisdictions in which our properties containing casinos are
located, including Puerto Rico and Egypt have laws and
regulations governing the conduct of casino gaming. These
jurisdictions generally require that the operator of a casino
must be found suitable and be registered. Once issued, a
registration remains in force until revoked. The law defines
the grounds for registration, as well as revocation or suspen-
sion of such registration. The loss of a gaming license for any
reason would have a material adverse effect on the value of
a casino property and could reduce fee income associated
with such operations and consequently negatively affect our
business results.
We are subject to risks from litigation filed by or against us.
Legal or governmental proceedings brought by or on behalf
of franchisees, third-party owners of managed properties,
employees or customers may adversely affect our financial
results. In recent years, a number of hospitality companies
have been subject to lawsuits, including class action lawsuits,
alleging violations of federal laws and regulations regarding
workplace and employment matters, consumer protection
claims and other commercial matters. A number of these
lawsuits have resulted in the payment of substantial damages
by the defendants. Similar lawsuits have been and may be
instituted against us from time to time, and we may incur
substantial damages and expenses resulting from lawsuits of
this type, which could have a material adverse effect on our
business. At any given time, we may be engaged in lawsuits
involving third-party owners of our hotels. Similarly, we may
from time to time institute legal proceedings on behalf of
ourselves or others, the ultimate outcome of which could
cause us to incur substantial damages and expenses, which
could have a material adverse effect on our business.
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Risks Related to Our Indebtedness
Our substantial indebtedness and other contractual obligations
could adversely affect our financial condition, our ability to raise
additional capital to fund our operations, our ability to operate
our business, our ability to react to changes in the economy or
our industry and our ability to pay our debts and could divert our
cash flow from operations for debt payments.
We have a significant amount of indebtedness. As of
December 31, 2014, our total indebtedness was approximately
$11.7 billion, including $879 million of non-recourse debt,
and our contractual debt maturities of our long-term debt
and non-recourse debt for the years ending December 31,
2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively, were $136 million,
$238 million and $355 million. Our substantial debt and
other contractual obligations could have important
consequences, including:
» requiring a substantial portion of cash flow from
operations to be dedicated to the payment of principal
and interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing
our ability to use our cash flow to fund our operations,
capital expenditures and pursue future
business opportunities;
» increasing our vulnerability to adverse economic,
industry or competitive developments;
» exposing us to increased interest expense, as our degree
of leverage may cause the interest rates of any future
indebtedness (whether fixed or floating rate interest)
to be higher than they would be otherwise;
» exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates
because certain of our indebtedness is at variable rates
of interest;
» making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations
with respect to our indebtedness, and any failure to
comply with the obligations of any of our debt instru-
ments, including restrictive covenants, could result in
an event of default that accelerates our obligation to
repay indebtedness;
» restricting us from making strategic acquisitions or
causing us to make non-strategic divestitures;
» limiting our ability to obtain additional financing for
working capital, capital expenditures, product development,
satisfaction of debt service requirements, acquisitions
and general corporate or other purposes; and
» limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to,
changes in our business or market conditions and
placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to
our competitors who may be better positioned to take
advantage of opportunities that our leverage prevents
us from exploiting.
We are a holding company, and substantially all of our
consolidated assets are owned by, and most of our business
is conducted through, our subsidiaries. Revenues from
these subsidiaries are our primary source of funds for debt
payments and operating expenses. If our subsidiaries are
restricted from making distributions to us, that may impair
our ability to meet our debt service obligations or otherwise
fund our operations. Moreover, there may be restrictions on
payments by subsidiaries to their parent companies under
applicable laws, including laws that require companies to
maintain minimum amounts of capital and to make pay-
ments to stockholders only from profits. As a result, although
a subsidiary of ours may have cash, we may not be able
to obtain that cash to satisfy our obligation to service our
outstanding debt or fund our operations.
Certain of our debt agreements impose significant operating
and financial restrictions on us and our subsidiaries, which may
prevent us from capitalizing on business opportunities.
The indenture that governs our senior notes, the credit
agreement that governs our senior secured credit facilities
and the agreements that govern our commercial mortgage-
backed securities loan impose significant operating and
financial restrictions on us. These restrictions limit our ability
and/or the ability of our subsidiaries to, among other things:
» incur or guarantee additional debt or issue disqualified
stock or preferred stock;
» pay dividends (including to us) and make other
distributions on, or redeem or repurchase, capital stock;
» make certain investments;
» incur certain liens;
» enter into transactions with affiliates;
» merge or consolidate;
» enter into agreements that restrict the ability of
restricted subsidiaries to make dividends or other
payments to the issuers;
» designate restricted subsidiaries as unrestricted
subsidiaries; and
» transfer or sell assets.
In addition, if, on the last day of any period of four consecutive
quarters on or after June 30, 2014, the aggregate principal
amount of revolving credit loans, swing line loans and/or
letters of credit (excluding up to $50 million of letters of
credit and certain other letters of credit that have been cash
collateralized or back-stopped) that are issued and/or
outstanding is greater than 25 percent of the revolving
credit facility, the credit agreement will require us to
maintain a consolidated first lien net leverage ratio not to
exceed 7.9 to 1.0. Our subsidiaries’ mortgage-backed
loans also require them to maintain certain debt service
coverage ratios and minimum net worth requirements.
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 29
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
29
As a result of these restrictions, we are limited as to how
we conduct our business and we may be unable to raise
additional debt or equity financing to compete effectively
or to take advantage of new business opportunities. The
terms of any future indebtedness we may incur could include
more restrictive covenants. We may not be able to maintain
compliance with these covenants in the future and, if we
fail to do so, we may not be able to obtain waivers from the
lenders and/or amend the covenants.
Our failure to comply with the restrictive covenants described
above, as well as other terms of our other indebtedness
and/or the terms of any future indebtedness from time to
time, could result in an event of default, which, if not cured
or waived, could result in our being required to repay these
borrowings before their due date. If we are forced to refinance
these borrowings on less favorable terms or are unable to
refinance these borrowings, our results of operations and
financial condition could be adversely affected.
Servicing our indebtedness will require a significant amount
of cash. Our ability to generate sufficient cash depends on many
factors, some of which are not within our control.
Our ability to make payments on our indebtedness and to
fund planned capital expenditures will depend on our ability
to generate cash in the future. To a certain extent, this is
subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative,
regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control.
If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow to service
our debt and meet our other commitments, we may need
to restructure or refinance all or a portion of our debt, sell
material assets or operations or raise additional debt or
equity capital. We may not be able to effect any of these
actions on a timely basis, on commercially reasonable terms
or at all, and these actions may not be sufficient to meet our
capital requirements. In addition, the terms of our existing
or future debt arrangements may restrict us from effecting
any of these alternatives.
Despite our current level of indebtedness, we may be able to
incur substantially more debt and enter into other transactions,
which could further exacerbate the risks to our financial
condition described above.
We may be able to incur significant additional indebtedness
in the future. Although the credit agreements and indentures
that govern substantially all of our indebtedness contain
restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness and
entering into certain types of other transactions, these
restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and
exceptions. Additional indebtedness incurred in compliance
with these restrictions could be substantial. These restrictions
also do not prevent us from incurring obligations, such as
trade payables, that do not constitute indebtedness as defined
under our debt instruments. To the extent new debt is added
to our current debt levels, the substantial leverage risks
described in the preceding two risk factors would increase.
30
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
Risks Related to Ownership
of Our Common Stock
Our Sponsor and its affiliates control us and their interests may
conflict with ours or yours in the future.
Our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially owned
approximately 55.3 percent of our common stock as of
February 9, 2015. Moreover, under our bylaws and the
stockholders’ agreement with our Sponsor and its affiliates,
for so long as our existing owners and their affiliates retain
significant ownership of us, we have agreed to nominate to
our board individuals designated by our Sponsor, whom we
refer to as the “Sponsor Directors.” Even when our Sponsor
and its affiliates cease to own shares of our stock represent-
ing a majority of the total voting power, for so long as our
Sponsor continues to own a significant percentage of our
stock our Sponsor will still be able to significantly influence
the composition of our board of directors and the approval
of actions requiring stockholder approval. Accordingly,
during that period of time, our Sponsor will have significant
influence with respect to our management, business plans
and policies, including the appointment and removal of our
officers. In particular, for so long as our Sponsor continues
to own a significant percentage of our stock, our Sponsor
will be able to cause or prevent a change of control of our
company or a change in the composition of our board of
directors and could preclude any unsolicited acquisition of our
company. The concentration of ownership could deprive you
of an opportunity to receive a premium for your shares of
common stock as part of a sale of our company and ultimately
might affect the market price of our common stock.
Our Sponsor and its affiliates engage in a broad spectrum of
activities, including investments in real estate generally and
in the hospitality industry in particular. In the ordinary course
of their business activities, our Sponsor and its affiliates may
engage in activities where their interests conflict with our
interests or those of our stockholders. For example, our
Sponsor owns interests in Extended Stay America, Inc. and
La Quinta Holdings Inc., and certain other investments in the
hotel industry that compete directly or indirectly with us. In
addition, affiliates of our Sponsor directly and indirectly own
hotels that we manage or franchise, and they may in the
future enter into other transactions with us, including hotel
or timeshare development projects, that could result in their
having interests that could conflict with ours. Our amended
and restated certificate of incorporation provides that none
of our Sponsor, any of its affiliates or any director who is not
employed by us (including any non-employee director who
serves as one of our officers in both his or her director and
officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to
refrain from engaging, directly or indirectly, in the same
business activities or similar business activities or lines of
business in which we operate. Our Sponsor also may pursue
acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to
our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities
may be unavailable to us. In addition, Blackstone may have
an interest in pursuing acquisitions, divestitures and other
transactions that, in its judgment, could enhance its investment,
even though such transactions might involve risks to you.
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 30
3/17/15 9:33 AM
We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of
New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) rules and, as a result,
qualify for, and rely on, exemptions from certain corporate
governance requirements. Our stockholders do not have
the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies
that are subject to those requirements.
Affiliates of our Sponsor control a majority of the combined
voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors. As a result, we are a
“controlled company” within the meaning of NYSE corporate
governance standards. Under these rules, a “controlled
company” may elect not to comply with certain corporate
governance standards such as requirements that within one
year of the date of NYSE listing, a company have:
» a board that is composed of a majority of “independent
directors,” as defined under NYSE rules;
» a compensation committee that is composed entirely
of independent directors; and
» a nominating and corporate governance committee
that is composed entirely of independent directors.
We do not have a majority of independent directors on
our board. In addition, although we have a fully independent
audit committee and have independent director represen-
tation on our compensation and nominating and corporate
governance committees, our compensation and nominating
and corporate governance committees do not consist
entirely of independent directors. We intend to continue to
utilize these “controlled company” exemptions. Accordingly,
our stockholders do not have the same protections afforded
to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the
NYSE corporate governance requirements.
Because we do not currently pay any cash dividends on our
common stock, you may not receive any return on investment
unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than
what you paid for it.
We do not currently pay any cash dividends on our common
stock. The declaration, amount and payment of any future
dividends on shares of common stock will be at the sole
discretion of our board of directors. Our board of directors
may take into account general and economic conditions, our
financial condition and results of operations, our available
cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital require-
ments, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions
and implications on the payment of dividends by us to our
stockholders or by our subsidiaries to us and such other
factors as our board of directors may deem relevant. In
addition, our ability to pay dividends is limited by our senior
secured credit facility and our senior notes and may be
limited by covenants of other indebtedness we or our
subsidiaries incur in the future. As a result, you may not
receive any return on an investment in our common
stock unless you sell our common stock for a price greater
than what you paid for it.
Future issuances of common stock by us, and the availability for
resale of shares held by our pre-IPO investors, may cause the
market price of our common stock to decline.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock
in the public market, or the perception that these sales could
occur, could substantially decrease the market price of our
common stock. After the expiration or earlier waiver or ter-
mination of the lock-up period described below, substantially
all of the outstanding shares of our common stock will be
available for resale in the public market. Registration of the
sale of these shares of our common stock would permit their
sale into the market immediately. The market price of our
common stock could drop significantly if the holders of these
shares sell them or are perceived by the market as intending
to sell them. In addition, our Sponsor has pledged substantially
all of the shares of our common stock held by it pursuant to
a margin loan agreement and any foreclosure upon those
shares could result in sales of a substantial number of shares
of our common stock in the public market, which could
substantially decrease the market price of our common stock.
Pursuant to a registration rights agreement, we have
granted our Sponsor and certain management stockholders
the right to cause us, in certain instances, at our expense, to
file registration statements under the Securities Act covering
resales of our common stock held by them. These shares
represented approximately 56.1 percent of our outstanding
common stock as of February 9, 2015. These shares also
may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act,
depending on their holding period and subject to restrictions
in the case of shares held by persons deemed to be our
affiliates. As restrictions on resale end or if these stockholders
exercise their registration rights, the market price of our
stock could decline if the holders of restricted shares sell them
or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them.
Former members of Hilton Global Holdings LLC (“HGH”),
including our Sponsor, who received, in the aggregate,
approximately 829,481,530 shares of our common stock
from HGH in connection with our initial public offering are
currently prohibited from transferring one third of the shares
they received (approximately 276,493,843 shares) until June 11,
2015; however, these transfer restrictions are subject to
certain exceptions and may be waived, modified or amended
at any time. As restrictions on resale end, the market price
of our shares of common stock could drop significantly if the
holders of these restricted shares sell them or are perceived
by the market as intending to sell them. These factors could
also make it more difficult for us to raise additional funds
through future offerings of our shares of common stock or
other securities.
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 31
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
31
Further, as a Delaware corporation, we are also subject
to provisions of Delaware law, which may impair a takeover
attempt that our stockholders may find beneficial. These
anti-takeover provisions and other provisions under
Delaware law could discourage, delay or prevent a transac-
tion involving a change in control of our company, including
actions that our stockholders may deem advantageous,
or negatively affect the trading price of our common stock.
These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and
make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to
elect directors of your choosing and to cause us to take
other corporate actions you desire.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
As of February 9, 2015, we had 7,197,925 of equity-based
awards to be issued upon vesting or exercise of outstanding
options and an aggregate of 72,792,531 shares of common
stock available for future issuance under the 2013 Omnibus
Incentive Plan. We filed a registration statement on Form S-8
under the Securities Act to register shares of our common
stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
shares of our common stock issued pursuant to our 2013
Omnibus Incentive Plan. Accordingly, shares registered
under such registration statements will be available for sale
in the open market.
Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and
Delaware law might discourage or delay acquisition attempts
for us that you might consider favorable.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation
and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that
may make the merger or acquisition of our company
more difficult without the approval of our board of directors.
Among other things:
» although we do not have a stockholder rights plan,
and would either submit any such plan to stockholders
for ratification or cause such plan to expire within a
year, these provisions would allow us to authorize the
issuance of undesignated preferred stock in connection
with a stockholder rights plan or otherwise, the terms
of which may be established and the shares of which
may be issued without stockholder approval, and which
may include super voting, special approval, dividend, or
other rights or preferences superior to the rights of the
holders of common stock;
» these provisions prohibit stockholder action by written
consent from and after the date on which the parties to
our stockholders agreement cease to beneficially own
at least 40 percent of the total voting power of all then
outstanding shares of our capital stock unless such
action is recommended by all directors then in office;
» these provisions provide that the board of directors is
expressly authorized to make, alter or repeal our bylaws
and that our stockholders may only amend our bylaws
with the approval of 80 percent or more of all the out-
standing shares of our capital stock entitled to vote; and
» these provisions establish advance notice requirements
for nominations for elections to our board or for
proposing matters that can be acted upon by
stockholders at stockholder meetings.
32
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 32
3/17/15 9:33 AM
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Hotel Properties
Owned or Controlled Hotels
As of December 31, 2014, we owned a majority or controlling financial interest in the following 52 hotels, representing
28,156 rooms.
Property
Location
Rooms
Ownership
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
The Waldorf Astoria New York(1)
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa
Hilton New York
Hilton San Francisco Union Square
Hilton New Orleans Riverside
Hilton Chicago
Hilton Waikoloa Village
Caribe Hilton
Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Hilton Boston Logan Airport
Hilton Sydney
Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort
Hilton Miami Airport
Hilton Atlanta Airport
Hilton São Paulo Morumbi
Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center
Hilton Oakland Airport
Hilton Paris Orly Airport
Hilton Durban
Hilton New Orleans Airport
Hilton Short Hills
Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Hilton Blackpool
Hilton Rotterdam
Hilton Suites Chicago/Oak Brook
Hilton Belfast
Hilton London Islington
Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor
Hilton Coylumbridge
Hilton Bath City
Hilton Nuremberg
Hilton Milton Keynes
Hilton Templepatrick Hotel & Country Club
Hilton Sheffield
DoubleTree by Hilton
DoubleTree Hotel Crystal City – National Airport
DoubleTree Hotel San Jose
DoubleTree Hotel Ontario Airport
DoubleTree Spokane – City Center
Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort Santa Barbara
Embassy Suites Hotels
Embassy Suites Washington D.C.
Embassy Suites Parsippany
Embassy Suites Kansas City – Plaza
Embassy Suites Austin – Downtown/Town Lake
Embassy Suites Atlanta – Perimeter Center
Embassy Suites San Rafael – Marin County
Embassy Suites Kansas City – Overland Park
Embassy Suites Phoenix – Airport at 24th Street
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn LAX/El Segundo
Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Oak Brook
Hampton Hotels
Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis – Shady Grove
(1) In February 2015, we sold this property.
New York, NY, USA
Honolulu, HI, USA
New York, NY, USA
San Francisco, CA, USA
New Orleans, LA, USA
Chicago, IL, USA
Waikoloa, HI, USA
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Chicago, IL, USA
Orlando, FL, USA
Boston, MA, USA
Sydney, Australia
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Miami, FL, USA
Atlanta, GA, USA
São Paulo, Brazil
McLean, VA, USA
Seattle, WA, USA
Oakland, CA, USA
Paris, France
Durban, South Africa
Kenner, LA, USA
Short Hills, NJ, USA
Schiphol, Netherlands
Blackpool, United Kingdom
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA
Belfast, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Coylumbridge, United Kingdom
Bath, United Kingdom
Nuremberg, Germany
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Templepatrick, United Kingdom
Sheffield, United Kingdom
Arlington, VA, USA
San Jose, CA, USA
Ontario, CA, USA
Spokane, WA, USA
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Washington, D.C., USA
Parsippany, NJ, USA
Kansas City, MO, USA
Austin, TX, USA
Atlanta, GA, USA
San Rafael, CA, USA
Overland Park, KS, USA
Phoenix, AZ, USA
El Segundo, CA, USA
Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA
Memphis, TN, USA
1,413
2,860
1,985
1,915
1,622
1,544
1,241
915
860
814
599
579
563
508
507
503
458
396
359
340
324
317
304
277
274
254
211
198
190
184
175
173
152
138
129
128
631
505
482
375
360
318
274
266
259
241
235
199
182
162
128
130
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
67%
10%
50%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 33
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
33
Joint Venture Hotels
As of December 31, 2014, we had a minority or noncontrolling financial interest in and operated the following 17 properties,
representing 8,398 rooms. We have a right of first refusal to purchase additional equity interests in certain of these joint ventures.
We manage each of the partially owned hotels for the entity owning the hotel.
Location
Rooms
Ownership
Property
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
The Waldorf Astoria Chicago
Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Conrad Cairo
Conrad Dublin
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Orlando – Orange County Convention Center
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Hilton Tokyo Bay
Hilton Berlin
Capital Hilton
Hilton Nagoya
Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines
Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa
Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik
DoubleTree by Hilton
DoubleTree Las Vegas Airport
DoubleTree Hotel Missoula/Edgewater
Embassy Suites Hotels
Embassy Suites Alexandria – Old Town
Embassy Suites Secaucus – Meadowlands
Chicago, IL, USA
Cairo, Egypt
Dublin, Ireland
Orlando, FL, USA
San Diego, CA, USA
Urayasu-shi, Japan
Berlin, Germany
Washington, D.C., USA
Nagoya, Japan
La Jolla, CA, USA
Flic-en-Flac, Mauritius
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Missoula, MT, USA
Alexandria, VA, USA
Secaucus, NJ, USA
189
614
191
1,417
1,190
817
601
547
448
394
193
147
190
171
288
261
740
15%
10%
48%
20%
25%
24%
40%
25%
24%
25%
20%
18%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
Other
Myrtle Beach Kingston Plantation (condo management company)
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Leased Hotels
As of December 31, 2014, we leased the following 75 hotels, representing 22,400 rooms.
Property
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
Waldorf Astoria Rome Cavalieri
Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Tokyo(1)
Hilton Ramses
Hilton London Kensington
Hilton Vienna
Hilton Tel Aviv
Hilton Osaka(1)
Hilton Istanbul
Hilton Salt Lake City
Hilton Munich Park
Hilton Munich City
London Hilton on Park Lane
Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona
Hilton Mainz
Hilton Trinidad & Conference Centre
Hilton London Heathrow Airport
Hilton Izmir
Hilton Addis Ababa
Hilton Vienna Danube
Hilton Frankfurt
34
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
Location
Rooms
Rome, Italy
Amsterdam, Netherlands
(Shinjuku-ku) Tokyo, Japan
Cairo, Egypt
London, United Kingdom
Vienna, Austria
Tel Aviv, Israel
Osaka, Japan
Istanbul, Turkey
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Munich, Germany
Munich, Germany
London, United Kingdom
Barcelona, Spain
Mainz, Germany
Port of Spain, Trinidad
London, United Kingdom
Izmir, Turkey
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Vienna, Austria
Frankfurt, Germany
370
93
811
771
601
579
562
523
499
499
484
480
453
433
431
418
398
380
372
367
342
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 34
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Leased Hotels (Continued)
Property
Hilton Brighton Metropole
Hilton Sandton
Hilton Brisbane
Hilton Glasgow
Hilton Milan
Hilton Ankara
Hilton Adana
Hilton Waldorf
Hilton Cologne
Hilton Slussen
Hilton Nairobi(1)
Hilton Madrid Airport
Hilton Parmelia Perth
Hilton London Canary Wharf
Hilton Amsterdam
Hilton Newcastle Gateshead
Hilton Vienna Plaza
Hilton Bonn
Hilton London Tower Bridge
Hilton London Stansted Airport
Hilton Manchester Airport
Hilton Basel
Hilton Bracknell
Hilton Antwerp
Hilton Reading
Hilton Leeds City
Hilton Watford
Hilton Mersin
Hilton Warwick/Stratford-upon-Avon
Hilton Leicester
Hilton Innsbruck
Hilton Nottingham
Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa
Hilton St. Anne’s Manor, Bracknell
Hilton Croydon
Hilton London Green Park
Hilton Cobham
Hilton Paris La Defense
Hilton East Midlands
Hilton Maidstone
Hilton Avisford Park, Arundel
Hilton Northampton
Hilton London Hyde Park
Hilton York
Hilton Mainz City
Hilton ParkSA Istanbul
Hilton Puckrup Hall, Tewkesbury
Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor
DoubleTree by Hilton
DoubleTree Hotel Seattle Airport
DoubleTree Hotel San Diego – Mission Valley
DoubleTree Hotel Sonoma Wine Country
DoubleTree Hotel Durango
Other
Scandic Hotel Sergel Plaza
The Trafalgar London
Location
Rooms
Brighton, United Kingdom
Sandton, South Africa
Brisbane, Australia
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Milan, Italy
Ankara, Turkey
Adana, Turkey
London, United Kingdom
Cologne, Germany
Stockholm, Sweden
Nairobi, Kenya
Madrid, Spain
Parmelia Perth, Australia
London, United Kingdom
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Vienna, Austria
Bonn, Germany
London, United Kingdom
Stansted, United Kingdom
Manchester, United Kingdom
Basel, Switzerland
Bracknell, United Kingdom
Antwerp, Belgium
Reading, United Kingdom
Leeds, United Kingdom
Watford, United Kingdom
Mersin, Turkey
Warwick, United Kingdom
Leicester, United Kingdom
Innsbruck, Austria
Nottingham, United Kingdom
Odawara City, Japan
Wokingham, United Kingdom
Croydon, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
Cobham, United Kingdom
Paris, France
Derby, United Kingdom
Maidstone, United Kingdom
Arundel, United Kingdom
Northampton, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
York, United Kingdom
Mainz, Germany
Istanbul, Turkey
Tewkesbury, United Kingdom
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Seattle, WA, USA
San Diego, CA, USA
Rohnert Park, CA, USA
Durango, CO, USA
Stockholm, Sweden
London, United Kingdom
340
329
319
319
319
310
308
298
296
289
287
284
284
282
271
254
254
252
245
239
230
220
215
210
210
208
200
186
181
179
176
176
173
170
168
163
158
153
152
146
140
139
132
131
127
117
112
97
850
300
245
159
403
129
(1) We own a majority or controlling financial interest, but less than a 100 percent interest, in entities that lease these properties.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
35
Corporate Headquarters and
Regional Offices
Our corporate headquarters are located at 7930 Jones
Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia 22102. These offices consist
of approximately 167,303 square feet of leased space. The
lease for this property initially expires on December 31, 2019,
with options to renew and increase the rentable square feet.
We also have corporate offices in Watford, England (Europe),
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Middle East & Africa) and
Singapore (Asia Pacific). Additionally, to support our opera-
tions, we have our Hilton HHonors and other commercial
services office in Addison, Texas, the Hilton Grand Vacations
headquarters in Orlando, Florida and timeshare sales offices in
Honolulu, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Nevada, New York City, New York,
Orlando, Florida, Tumon Bay, Guam and Tokyo, Japan.
Other non-operating real estate holdings include a
centralized operations center located in Memphis, Tennessee,
and a Hilton Reservations and Customer Care office in
Carrollton, Texas.
We believe that our existing office properties are in good
condition and are sufficient and suitable for the conduct of
our business. In the event we need to expand our operations,
we believe that suitable space will be available on
commercially reasonable terms.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are involved in various claims and lawsuits arising in the
ordinary course of business, some of which include claims for
substantial sums, including proceedings involving tort and
other general liability claims, employee claims, consumer
protection claims and claims related to our management of
certain hotel properties. Most occurrences involving liability,
claims of negligence and employees are covered by insur-
ance with solvent insurance carriers. For those matters not
covered by insurance, which include commercial matters,
we recognize a liability when we believe the loss is probable
and can be reasonably estimated. The ultimate results of
claims and litigation cannot be predicted with certainty. We
believe we have adequate reserves against such matters. We
currently believe that the ultimate outcome of such lawsuits
and proceedings will not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial
position, results of operations or liquidity. However, depend-
ing on the amount and timing, an unfavorable resolution of
some or all of these matters could materially affect our
future results of operations in a particular period.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON
EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
Our common stock began trading publicly on the NYSE
under the symbol “HLT” on December 12, 2013. Prior to that
time, there was no public market for our common stock. As
of February 9, 2015, there were approximately 63 holders
of record of our common stock. This stockholder figure does
not include a substantially greater number of holders whose
shares are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial
institutions. The following table sets forth the high and low
sales prices for our common stock as reported by the NYSE
for the indicated periods:
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2014
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
Stock Price
High
$23.10
$23.80
$25.92
$26.53
Low
$20.55
$20.96
$23.15
$20.72
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2013
Fourth Quarter (beginning December 12, 2013) $25.95
$21.15
Dividends
We do not currently pay dividends on our common stock.
Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will
be made at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors
and will depend on, among other things, our results of oper-
ations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual
restrictions and other factors that our Board of Directors
may deem relevant. Because we are a holding company
and have no direct operations, we will only be able to pay
dividends from funds we receive from our subsidiaries.
We did not declare or pay any dividends on our common
stock during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013
and 2012.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
During the quarter ended December 31, 2014, we did not
purchase any of our equity securities that are registered
under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.
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Securities Authorized for Issuance Under
Equity Compensation Plans
As of December 31, 2014
Number of securities Weighted-
to be issued
upon exercise
of outstanding
average
exercise price
of outstanding
options, warrants options, warrants
and rights(2)
and rights
Number of
securities remaining
available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation plans
Equity compensation
plan approved
by stockholders(1)
7,304,569
$7.58
72,686,932
(1) Relates only to the Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan
detailed below.
(2) Includes 6,318,441 shares that may be issued upon the vesting of restricted stock
units, which cannot be exercised for consideration.
On December 11, 2013, the Board of Directors and our then
sole stockholder adopted the 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan
under which 80,000,000 shares of common stock were
reserved. The 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan provides for the
granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted
stock, restricted stock units and other stock-based and
performance compensation awards to eligible employees,
officers, directors, consultants and advisors of Hilton. If an
award under the 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan terminates,
lapses or is settled without the payment of the full number
of shares subject to the award, the undelivered shares
may be granted again under the 2013 Omnibus Incentive
Plan. As of December 31, 2014, there were no equity
compensation plans not approved by Hilton stockholders.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
During the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, we did not sell any equity securities that were not registered under
the Securities Act.
Performance Graph
The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return since December 12, 2013, the date our common stock
began trading on the NYSE, with the S&P 500 Index (“S&P 500”) and the S&P Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines Index (“S&P Hotel”).
The graph assumes that the value of the investment in our common stock and each index was $100 on December 12, 2013 and
that all dividends and other distributions were reinvested.
Performance Graph
12/12/2013
12/31/2013
12/31/2014
Hilton Worldwide
S&P Hotel
S&P 500
$100.0
$100.0
$100.0
$103.5
$109.2
$104.1
$121.3
$132.8
$116.0
$140
$130
$120
$110
$100
$90
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
37
12/31/1412/31/13(cid:127)Hilton Worldwide (cid:127)S&P Hotel (cid:127)S&P 500
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
We derived the selected statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 and the selected
balance sheet data as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We derived the selected statement of operations data for the years ended December 31,
2011 and 2010 and the selected balance sheet data as of December 31, 2012 and 2011 from our audited consolidated financial
statements that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We derived the selected balance sheet data as of
December 31, 2010 from our unaudited consolidated financial statements that are not included in this Annual Report on
Form 10-K. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for any future period.
The selected consolidated financial data below should be read together with the consolidated financial statements including
the related notes thereto, and “Part II—Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of Operations” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(in millions, except per share data)
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
Year ended December 31,
Statement of Operations Data:
Revenues
Owned and leased hotels
Management and franchise fees and other
Timeshare
Other revenues from managed and franchised properties
Total revenues
Expenses
Owned and leased hotels
Timeshare
Depreciation and amortization
Impairment losses
General, administrative and other
Other expenses from managed and franchised properties
Total expenses
Operating income
Net income attributable to Hilton stockholders
Basic and diluted earnings per share
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic
Weighted average shares outstanding – diluted
$ 4,239
1,401
1,171
6,811
3,691
10,502
3,252
767
628
—
491
5,138
3,691
8,829
1,673
673
$ 4,046
1,175
1,109
$ 3,979
1,088
1,085
$ 3,898
1,014
944
$ 3,667
901
863
6,330
3,405
9,735
3,147
730
603
—
748
5,228
3,405
8,633
1,102
415
6,152
3,124
9,276
3,230
758
550
54
460
5,052
3,124
8,176
1,100
352
5,856
2,927
8,783
3,213
668
564
20
416
4,881
2,927
7,808
975
253
5,431
2,637
8,068
3,009
634
574
24
637
4,878
2,637
7,515
553
128
$
0.68
$
0.45
$
0.38
$
0.27
$
0.14
985
986
923
923
921
921
921
921
921
921
December 31,
(in millions)
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
Selected Balance Sheet Data:
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Total assets
Long-term debt(1)
Non-recourse timeshare debt(1)(2)
Non-recourse debt and capital lease obligations of consolidated
variable interest entities(1)
Total equity
(1) Includes current maturities.
$
566
202
26,125
10,813
631
$
594
266
26,562
11,755
672
$
755
550
27,066
15,575
—
$
781
658
27,312
16,311
—
$
796
619
27,750
16,995
—
248
4,714
296
4,276
420
2,155
481
1,702
541
1,544
(2) Includes our current and long-term maturities of our non-recourse timeshare financing receivables credit facility (“Timeshare Facility”) and our notes backed by timeshare financing
receivables (“Securitized Timeshare Debt”).
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION
AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition
and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our
consolidated financial statements and related notes included
elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
Our Business
Hilton is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality
companies in the world, with 4,322 hotels, resorts and time-
share properties comprising 715,062 rooms in 94 countries
and territories as of December 31, 2014. Our flagship full-
service Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand is the most recognized
hotel brand in the world. Our premier brand portfolio also
includes our luxury and lifestyle hotel brands, Waldorf Astoria
Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Canopy by
Hilton, our full-service hotel brands, Hilton Hotels & Resorts,
Curio—A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton and
Embassy Suites Hotels, our focused-service hotel brands,
Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by
Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton, and our timeshare
brand, Hilton Grand Vacations. We own or lease interests in
144 hotels, many of which are located in global gateway cities,
including iconic properties such as the Hilton New York,
Hilton Hawaiian Village and the London Hilton on Park Lane.
We have approximately 44 million members in our
award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors.
Segments and Regions
Management analyzes our operations and business by both
operating segments and geographic regions. Our operations
consist of three reportable segments that are based on
similar products or services: management and franchise;
ownership; and timeshare. The management and franchise
segment provides services, which include hotel management
and licensing of our brands to franchisees, as well as property
management at timeshare properties. This segment gen-
erates its revenue from management and franchise fees
charged to hotel owners, including our owned and leased
hotels, and to homeowners’ associations at timeshare
properties. As a manager of hotels and timeshare resorts,
we typically are responsible for supervising or operating the
property in exchange for management fees. As a franchisor
of hotels, we charge franchise fees in exchange for the use
of one of our brand names and related commercial services,
such as our reservation system, marketing and information
technology services. The ownership segment derives earnings
from providing hotel room rentals, food and beverage sales
and other services at our owned and leased hotels. The
timeshare segment consists of multi-unit vacation ownership
properties and generates revenue by marketing and selling
timeshare intervals owned by Hilton and third parties, resort
operations and providing consumer financing for the
timeshare intervals.
Geographically, management conducts business through
three distinct geographic regions: the Americas; Europe,
Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”); and Asia Pacific. The
Americas region includes North America, South America and
Central America, including all Caribbean nations. Although
the U.S. is included in the Americas, it is often analyzed
separately and apart from the Americas geographic region
and, as such, it is presented separately within the analysis
herein. The EMEA region includes Europe, which represents
the western-most peninsula of Eurasia stretching from
Ireland in the west to Russia in the east, and the Middle East
and Africa, which represents the Middle East region and all
African nations, including the Indian Ocean island nations.
Europe and the Middle East and Africa are often analyzed
separately by management. The Asia Pacific region includes
the eastern and southeastern nations of Asia, as well as
India, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific island nations.
As of December 31, 2014, approximately 76 percent of
our system-wide hotel rooms were located in the U.S. We
expect that the percentage of our hotel rooms outside the
U.S. will continue to increase in future years as hotels in our
pipeline open.
System Growth and Pipeline
Our management and franchise contracts are designed to
expand our business with limited or no capital investment.
The capital required to build and maintain hotels that we
manage or franchise is typically provided by the owner of the
respective hotel with minimal or no capital required by us
as the manager or franchisor. Additionally, prior to approving
the addition of new hotels to our management and franchise
development pipeline, we evaluate the economic viability
of the hotel based on the geographic location, the credit
quality of the third-party owner and other factors. As a
result, by increasing the number of management and
franchise agreements with third-party owners, we expect
to achieve a higher overall return on invested capital.
To support our growth strategy, we continue to expand
our development pipeline. As of December 31, 2014, we had
a total of 1,351 hotels in our development pipeline, repre-
senting approximately 230,000 rooms under construction
or approved for development throughout 79 countries
and territories. Of the rooms in the pipeline, approximately
129,000 rooms, representing 56 percent of the pipeline,
were located outside the U.S. As of December 31, 2014,
approximately 121,000 rooms, representing over half of our
development pipeline, were under construction. All of the
rooms in the pipeline and under construction are within our
management and franchise segment. We do not consider
any individual development project relating to properties
under our management and franchise segment to be
material to us.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
39
Recent Events
Sale of Waldorf Astoria New York
In February 2015, we completed the sale of the Waldorf
Astoria New York for a purchase price of $1.95 billion and the
existing Waldorf Astoria Loan of approximately $525 million
was repaid in full. We used the proceeds from the sale as
part of a tax deferred exchange of real property to acquire
five properties for a total purchase price of $1.76 billion,
including the assumption of a $450 million mortgage loan
secured by two of the acquired properties.
New Brands
In October 2014, we launched our newest brand: Canopy
by Hilton. This brand represents a new hotel concept that
redefines the lifestyle category, offering simple, guest-
directed service, thoughtful local choices and comfortable
spaces. As of February 12, 2015, 15 Canopy properties
comprising more than 2,500 rooms were in the pipeline
or had signed letters of intent.
In June 2014, we launched a new brand: Curio—A Collection
by Hilton. Created for travelers who seek local discovery
and experiences, Curio will consist of a carefully selected
collection of hotels that will retain their unique identity but
are expected to deliver the many benefits of our system,
including the Hilton HHonors guest loyalty program. As of
December 31, 2014, 5 properties comprising 3,170 rooms
were open and operating. As of February 12, 2015, 23 Curio
properties comprising more than 4,000 rooms were either
in the pipeline or had signed letters of intent to be included
in the collection.
Secondary Offerings
During the year ended December 31, 2014, certain selling
stockholders affiliated with Blackstone sold an aggregate
of 207,000,000 shares of our common stock (including
27,000,000 shares of common stock that sold pursuant
to the exercise in full of underwriters’ options to purchase
additional shares). We did not offer any shares of common
stock or receive any proceeds from the sale of shares in
these offerings, and none of our officers or directors sold
any shares of common stock beneficially owned by them
in these offerings.
Principal Components and Factors
Affecting our Results of Operations
Revenues
Principal Components
We primarily derive our revenues from the following
sources:
» Owned and leased hotels. Represents revenues derived
from hotel operations, including room rentals, food and
beverage sales and other ancillary goods and services.
These revenues are primarily derived from two categories
of customers: transient and group. Transient guests are
individual travelers who are traveling for business or
leisure. Our group guests are traveling for group events
that reserve rooms for meetings, conferences or social
functions sponsored by associations, corporate, social,
military, educational, religious or other organizations.
Group business usually includes a block of room
accommodations, as well as other ancillary services,
such as meeting facilities, catering and banquet services.
A majority of our food and beverage sales and other
ancillary services are provided to customers who are
also occupying rooms at our hotel properties. As a
result, occupancy affects all components of our owned
and leased hotel revenues.
» Management and franchise fees and other. Represents
revenues derived from management fees earned from
hotels and timeshare properties managed by us, franchise
fees received in connection with the franchising of our
brands and other revenue generated by the incidental
support of hotel operations for owned, leased, managed
and franchised properties and other rental income.
›
Terms of our management agreements vary, but our
fees generally consist of a base fee, which is typically
a percentage of each hotel’s gross revenue, and in
some cases an incentive fee, which is based on gross
operating profits, cash flow or a combination thereof.
Management fees from timeshare properties are
generally a fixed amount as stated in the management
agreement. Outside of the U.S., our fees are often
more dependent on hotel profitability measures, either
through a single management fee structure where
the entire fee is based on a profitability measure, or
because our two-tier fee structure is more heavily
weighted toward the incentive fee than the base fee.
Additionally, we receive one-time upfront fees upon
execution of certain management contracts. In
general, the hotel owner pays all operating and other
expenses and reimburses our out-of-pocket expenses.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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›
Under our franchise agreements, franchisees pay us
franchise fees which consist of initial application and
initiation fees for new hotels entering the system
and monthly royalty fees, generally calculated as a
percentage of room revenues. Royalty fees for our
full-service brands may also include a percentage of
gross food and beverage revenues and other revenues,
where applicable. In addition to the franchise appli-
cation and royalty fees, franchisees also generally pay
a monthly program fee based on a percentage of the
total gross room revenue that covers the cost of
advertising and marketing programs; internet,
technology and reservation system expenses; and
quality assurance program costs.
» Timeshare. Represents revenues derived from the sale
and financing of timeshare intervals and revenues from
enrollments and other fees, rentals of timeshare units,
food and beverage sales and other ancillary services at
our timeshare properties and fees, which we refer to
as resort operations. Additionally, in recent years, we
began a transformation of our timeshare business to a
capital light model in which third-party timeshare
owners and developers provide capital for development
while we act as the sales and marketing agent and
property manager. Through these transactions, we
receive a sales and marketing commission and branding
fees on sales of timeshare intervals, recurring fees to
operate the homeowners’ associations and revenues
from resort operations.
» Other revenues from managed and franchised properties.
These revenues represent the payroll and its related
costs for properties that we manage where the property
employees are legally our responsibility, as well as certain
other operating costs of the managed and franchised
properties’ operations, marketing expenses and other
expenses associated with our brands and shared services
that are contractually either reimbursed to us by the
property owners or paid from fees collected in advance
from these properties when the costs are incurred. We
have no legal responsibility for employees at franchised
properties. The corresponding expenses are presented as
other expenses from managed and franchised properties
in our consolidated statements of operations resulting
in no effect on operating income or net income.
Factors Affecting our Revenues
The following factors affect the revenues we derive from
our operations:
» Consumer demand and global economic conditions. Consumer
demand for our products and services is closely linked to
the performance of the general economy and is sensitive
to business and personal discretionary spending levels.
Declines in consumer demand due to adverse general
economic conditions, risks affecting or reducing travel
patterns, lower consumer confidence and adverse polit-
ical conditions can lower the revenues and profitability
of our owned and leased operations and the amount of
management and franchise fee revenues we are able to
generate from our managed and franchised properties.
Further, competition for hotel guests and the supply of
hotel services affect our ability to increase rates charged
to customers at our hotels. Also, declines in hotel
profitability during an economic downturn directly
affect the incentive portion of our management fees,
which is based on hotel profit measures. Our timeshare
segment also is linked to cycles in the general economy
and consumer discretionary spending. As a result,
changes in consumer demand and general business
cycles can subject and have subjected our revenues to
significant volatility.
» Agreements with third-party owners and franchisees and
relationships with developers. We depend on our long-term
management and franchise agreements with third-
party owners and franchisees for a significant portion
of our management and franchise fee revenues. The
success and sustainability of our management and
franchise business depends on our ability to perform
under our management and franchise agreements and
maintain good relationships with third-party owners
and franchisees. Our relationships with these third parties
also generate new relationships with developers and
opportunities for property development that can support
our growth. Growth and maintenance of our hotel
system and earning fees relating to hotels in the pipeline
are dependent on the ability of developers and owners
to access capital for the development, maintenance and
renovation of properties. We believe that we have good
relationships with our third-party owners, franchisees
and developers and are committed to the continued
growth and development of these relationships. These
relationships exist with a diverse group of owners,
franchisees and developers and are not significantly
concentrated with any particular third party. Additionally,
in recent years we have entered into sales and marketing
agreements to sell timeshare intervals on behalf of third-
party developers. Our supply of third-party developed
timeshare intervals was approximately 109,000, or
82 percent of our total supply, as of December 31, 2014.
We expect sales and marketing agreements with
third-party developers and resort operations to comprise
a growing percentage of our timeshare revenue and
revenues derived from the sale and financing of
timeshare intervals developed by us to comprise a
smaller percentage of our timeshare revenue in future
periods, consistent with our strategy to focus our
business on the management aspects and deploy less
of our capital to asset construction.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
41
Expenses
Principal Components
We primarily incur the following expenses:
» Owned and leased hotels. Owned and leased hotel expenses
reflect the operating expenses of our consolidated
owned and leased hotels, including room expense, food
and beverage costs, other support costs and property
expenses. Room expense includes compensation costs
for housekeeping, laundry and front desk staff and supply
costs for guest room amenities and laundry. Food
and beverage costs include costs for wait and kitchen
staff and food and beverage products. Other support
expenses consist of costs associated with property-level
management, utilities, sales and marketing, operating
hotel spas, telephones, parking and other guest
recreation, entertainment and services. Property
expenses include property taxes, repairs and
maintenance, rent and insurance.
» Timeshare. Timeshare expenses include the cost of
inventory sold during the period, sales and marketing
expenses, resort operations expenses and other over-
head expenses associated with our timeshare business.
» Depreciation and amortization. These are non-cash
expenses that primarily consist of depreciation of fixed
assets such as buildings, furniture, fixtures and equip-
ment at our consolidated owned and leased hotels, as
well as certain corporate assets. Amortization expense
primarily consists of amortization of our management
and franchise intangibles, which are amortized over
their estimated useful lives. Additionally, we amortize
capitalized software over the estimated useful life
of the software.
» General, administrative and other expenses. General,
administrative and other expenses consist primarily of
compensation expense for our corporate staff and
personnel supporting our business segments (including
divisional offices that support our management and
franchise segment), professional fees (including consulting,
audit and legal fees), travel and entertainment expenses,
bad debt expenses for uncollected management,
franchise and other fees, contractual performance obli-
gations and office administrative and related expenses.
Expenses incurred by our supply management business,
laundry facilities and other ancillary businesses are also
included in general, administrative and other expenses.
» Impairment losses. We hold significant amounts of
goodwill, amortizing and non-amortizing intangible
assets and long-lived assets. We evaluate these assets
for impairment as further discussed in “—Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates.” These evaluations
have, in the past, resulted in impairment losses for
certain of these assets based on the specific facts and
circumstances surrounding the assets and our estimates
of fair value. Based on economic conditions or other
factors at a property-specific or company-wide level,
we may be required to take additional impairment
losses to reflect further declines in our asset values.
42
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
» Other expenses from managed and franchised properties.
These expenses represent the payroll and its related
costs for properties that we manage where the property
employees are legally our responsibility, as well as
certain other operating costs of the managed and
franchised properties’ operations, marketing expenses
and other expenses associated with our brands and
shared services that are contractually either reimbursed
to us by the property owners or paid from fees collected
in advance from these properties when the costs are
incurred. We have no legal responsibility for the
employees at our franchised properties. The corre-
sponding revenues are presented as other revenues
from managed and franchised properties in our
consolidated statements of operations resulting in
no effect on operating income or net income.
Factors Affecting our Costs and Expenses
The following are principal factors that affect the costs and
expenses we incur in the course of our operations:
» Fixed expenses. Many of the expenses associated with
managing, franchising and owning hotels and timeshare
resorts are relatively fixed. These expenses include per-
sonnel costs, rent, property taxes, insurance and utilities,
as well as sales and marketing expenses for our timeshare
segment. If we are unable to decrease these costs
significantly or rapidly when demand for our hotels and
other properties decreases, the resulting decline in our
revenues can have an adverse effect on our net cash
flow, margins and profits. This effect can be especially
pronounced during periods of economic contraction or
slow economic growth. Economic downturns generally
affect the results of our owned and leased hotel segment
more significantly than the results of our management
and franchising segments due to the high fixed costs
associated with operating an owned or leased hotel.
The effectiveness of any cost-cutting efforts is limited
by the fixed costs inherent in our business. As a result,
we may not be able to offset revenue reductions
through cost cutting. Employees at some of our owned
and leased hotels are parties to collective bargaining
agreements that may also limit our ability to make
timely staffing or labor changes in response to declining
revenues. In addition, any efforts to reduce costs, or to
defer or cancel capital improvements, could adversely
affect the economic value of our hotels and brands.
We have taken steps to reduce our fixed costs to levels
we feel are appropriate to maximize profitability and
respond to market conditions without jeopardizing the
overall customer experience or the value of our hotels
or brands. Also, a significant portion of our costs to
support our timeshare business relates to direct sales
and marketing of these units. In periods of decreased
demand for timeshare intervals, we may be unable to
reduce our sales and marketing expenses quickly
enough to prevent a deterioration of our profit margins
on our timeshare business.
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» Changes in depreciation and amortization expense. Changes
in depreciation expense may be driven by renovations
of existing hotels, acquisition or development of new
hotels, the disposition of existing hotels through sale or
closure, or changes in estimates of the useful lives of our
assets. As we place new assets into service, we will be
required to record additional depreciation expense on
those assets. Additionally, we capitalize costs associated
with certain software development projects, and as
those projects are completed and placed into service,
amortization expense will increase.
are not available. Of the 4,278 hotels in our system as of
December 31, 2014, 3,514 have been classified as com-
parable hotels. Our 764 non-comparable hotels included
73 properties, or less than two percent of the total hotels in
our system, that were removed from the comparable group
during the last year because they sustained substantial
property damage, business interruption, undergone large-scale
capital projects or comparable results were not available.
Of the 4,073 hotels in our system as of December 31, 2013,
3,548 were classified as comparable hotels for the year
ended December 31, 2013.
Other Items
Effect of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations
Significant portions of our operations are conducted in
functional currencies other than our reporting currency,
which is the U.S. dollar (“USD”), and we have assets and
liabilities denominated in a variety of foreign currencies. As a
result, we are required to translate those results, assets and
liabilities from the functional currency into USD at market
based exchange rates for each reporting period. When
comparing our results of operations between periods, there
may be material portions of the changes in our revenues or
expenses that are derived from fluctuations in exchange
rates experienced between those periods.
Seasonality
The lodging industry is seasonal in nature. However, the
periods during which our hotels experience higher or lower
levels of demand vary from property to property and depend
upon location, type of property and competitive mix within
the specific location. Based on historical results, we generally
expect our revenue to be lower during the first calendar
quarter of each year than during each of the three subsequent
quarters, with the fourth quarter producing the strongest
revenues of the year.
Key Business and Financial Metrics Used
by Management
Comparable Hotels
We define our comparable hotels as those that: (i) were
active and operating in our system for at least one full
calendar year as of the end of the current period, and open
January 1st of the previous year; (ii) have not undergone a
change in brand or ownership type during the current or
comparable periods reported; and (iii) have not sustained
substantial property damage, business interruption, undergone
large-scale capital projects or for which comparable results
Occupancy
Occupancy represents the total number of room nights sold
divided by the total number of room nights available at a
hotel or group of hotels. Occupancy measures the utilization
of our hotels’ available capacity. Management uses occupancy
to gauge demand at a specific hotel or group of hotels in a
given period. Occupancy levels also help us determine
achievable ADR levels as demand for hotel rooms increases
or decreases.
Average Daily Rate
ADR represents hotel room revenue divided by total number
of room nights sold in a given period. ADR measures average
room price attained by a hotel and ADR trends provide useful
information concerning the pricing environment and the
nature of the customer base of a hotel or group of hotels.
ADR is a commonly used performance measure in the
industry, and we use ADR to assess pricing levels that we are
able to generate by type of customer, as changes in rates
have a different effect on overall revenues and incremental
profitability than changes in occupancy, as described above.
Revenue per Available Room
We calculate RevPAR by dividing hotel room revenue
by room nights available to guests for a given period. We
consider RevPAR to be a meaningful indicator of our
performance as it provides a metric correlated to two
primary and key drivers of operations at our hotels:
occupancy and ADR. RevPAR is also a useful indicator
in measuring performance over comparable periods for
comparable hotels.
References to RevPAR, ADR and occupancy are presented
on a comparable basis and references to RevPAR and ADR
are presented on a currency neutral basis (all periods use the
same exchange rates), unless otherwise noted.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
43
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
EBITDA, presented herein, is a financial measure that is not
recognized under United States of America (“U.S.”) generally
accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) that reflects net
income attributable to Hilton stockholders, excluding interest
expense, a provision for income taxes and depreciation and
amortization. We consider EBITDA to be a useful measure
of operating performance, due to the significance of our
long-lived assets and level of indebtedness.
Adjusted EBITDA, presented herein, is calculated as EBITDA,
as previously defined, further adjusted to exclude certain
gains, losses and expenses in connection with: (i) asset
dispositions for both consolidated and unconsolidated
investments; (ii) foreign currency transactions; (iii) debt
restructurings/retirements; (iv) non-cash impairment losses;
(v) furniture, fixtures and equipment (“FF&E”) replacement
reserves required under certain lease agreements;
(vi) reorganization costs; (vii) share-based and certain other
compensation expenses prior to and in connection with
our IPO; (viii) severance, relocation and other expenses; and
(ix) other items.
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not recognized terms
under U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as alternatives
to net income (loss) or other measures of financial perfor-
mance or liquidity derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
In addition, our definitions of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of
other companies.
We believe that EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA provide useful
information to investors about us and our financial condition
and results of operations for the following reasons:
(i) EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are among the measures
used by our management team to evaluate our operating
performance and make day-to-day operating decisions;
and (ii) EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are frequently used by
securities analysts, investors and other interested parties
as a common performance measure to compare results
or estimate valuations across companies in our industry.
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations as analytical
tools and should not be considered either in isolation or as a
substitute for net income (loss), cash flow or other methods
of analyzing our results as reported under U.S. GAAP. Some
of these limitations are:
» EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect changes in,
or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;
» EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect our interest
expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service
interest or principal payments, on our indebtedness;
» EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect our tax
expense or the cash requirements to pay our taxes;
» EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect historical
cash expenditures or future requirements for capital
expenditures or contractual commitments;
» EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect the effect
on earnings or changes resulting from matters that we
consider not to be indicative of our future operations;
» although depreciation and amortization are non-cash
charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized
will often have to be replaced in the future, and EBITDA
and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any cash
requirements for such replacements; and
» other companies in our industry may calculate
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently, limiting
their usefulness as comparative measures.
Because of these limitations, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
should not be considered as discretionary cash available to
us to reinvest in the growth of our business or as measures
of cash that will be available to us to meet our obligations.
Results of Operations
Year Ended December 31, 2014 Compared with
Year Ended December 31, 2013
The hotel operating statistics for our system-wide comparable
hotels were as follows:
Owned and leased hotels
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Managed and franchised hotels
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
System-wide
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Year Ended
Variance
December 31, 2014 2014 vs. 2013
78.4%
$199.24
$156.18
74.3%
$135.20
$100.45
74.6%
$141.52
$105.63
2.0% pts.
2.9%
5.6%
2.4% pts.
3.9%
7.3%
2.4% pts.
3.7%
7.1%
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The hotel operating statistics by region for our system-wide
comparable hotels were as follows:
Americas
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Europe
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Middle East and Africa
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Asia Pacific
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Year Ended
Variance
December 31, 2014 2014 vs. 2013
75.2%
$137.13
$103.16
75.4%
$170.68
$128.65
2.3% pts.
4.1%
7.4%
2.6% pts.
2.4%
6.1%
63.5%
$165.15
$104.93
3.5% pts.
(1.3)%
4.4%
69.2%
$160.59
$111.15
2.3% pts.
1.4%
4.9%
During the year ended December 31, 2014, we experienced
RevPAR increases in all segments and regions of our business,
with occupancy and rate increases in all regions except
Middle East and Africa, where rates declined and market
demand increased over 2013.
Revenues
Owned and leased hotels
(in millions)
2014
2013
2014 vs. 2013
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
U.S. owned and
leased hotels
International owned
and leased hotels
$2,227
$2,058
2,012
1,988
$4,239
$4,046
8.2
1.2
4.8
During the year ended December 31, 2014, the overall
improved performance at our owned and leased hotels was
primarily a result of improvement in RevPAR of 5.6 percent
at our comparable owned and leased hotels.
As of December 31, 2014, we had 40 consolidated owned and
leased hotels located in the U.S., comprising 25,276 rooms.
The increase in revenues from our U.S. owned and leased
hotels was primarily a result of an increase in RevPAR at our
U.S. comparable owned and leased hotels of 6.9 percent,
which was due to increases in occupancy and ADR of
1.7 percentage points and 4.6 percent, respectively. The
increase in RevPAR at our U.S. comparable owned and
leased hotels was attributable to increases in both transient
guests and group business. In addition, food and beverage
revenues increased 7.0 percent, primarily as a result of
increased spending by group customers.
As of December 31, 2014, we had 87 consolidated owned and
leased hotels located outside of the U.S., comprising 25,280
rooms. The increase in revenues from our international
(non-U.S.) owned and leased hotels included an unfavorable
movement in foreign currency rates of $17 million; on a
c urrency neutral basis, revenue increased $41 million. The
increase in currency neutral revenue resulted from an
increase in RevPAR at our international comparable owned
and leased hotels of 3.2 percent, which was primarily a result
of increased occupancy of 2.1 percentage points.
Management and franchise fees and other
Management and franchise fee revenue for the years ended
December 31, 2014 and 2013 totaled $1,311 million and
$1,115 million, respectively. The increase of $196 million, or
17.6 percent, in management and franchise fee business
reflects increases in RevPAR of 7.0 percent and 7.5 percent
at our comparable managed and franchised properties,
respectively. The increases in RevPAR for managed and
franchised hotels were as a result of increases in both
occupancy and ADR.
The addition of new hotels to our managed and franchised
system also contributed to the growth in revenue. During
2014, we added 29 managed properties on a net basis,
contributing an additional 9,142 rooms to our system, as
well as 188 franchised properties on a net basis, providing an
additional 28,636 rooms to our system. As new hotels are
established in our system, we expect the fees received from
such hotels to increase as they are part of our system for
full periods.
Other revenues were $90 million and $60 million, respectively,
for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013. The
increase in other revenues was primarily a result of the
increase in revenues earned by our purchasing operations.
Timeshare
(in millions)
2014
2013
2014 vs. 2013
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
Timeshare sales
Resort operations
Financing and other
$ 844
195
132
$ 821
158
130
$1,171
$1,109
2.8
23.4
1.5
5.6
Timeshare sales revenue increased $23 million as a result
of increases in commissions recognized from the sale of
third-party developed intervals of approximately $47 million,
partially offset by a decrease of approximately $24 million in
revenue from the sale of timeshare intervals developed by
us, primarily resulting from the deferral of revenue recognition
due to sales of developed projects that are partially complete.
We expect the decline in sales of our owned timeshare
inventory to continue as we further develop our capital light
timeshare business with a focus on selling timeshare intervals
on behalf of third-party developers. Resort operations
revenue increased approximately $37 million resulting from
increased transient rentals.
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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Operating Expenses
Owned and leased hotels
(in millions)
2014
2013
2014 vs. 2013
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
U.S. owned and
leased hotels
International owned
and leased hotels
$1,497
$1,410
1,755
1,737
$3,252
$3,147
6.2
1.0
3.3
Fluctuations in operating expenses at our owned and leased
hotels can relate to various factors, including changes in
occupancy levels, labor costs, utilities, taxes and insurance
costs. The change in the number of occupied room nights
directly affects certain variable expenses, which include
payroll, supplies and other operating expenses.
The increase in U.S. owned and leased hotels operating
expenses was primarily a result of increases in payroll costs
and other variable costs resulting from increased occupancy.
The increase in international owned and leased hotels
operating expenses included a favorable movement in
foreign currency rates of $9 million; on a currency neutral
basis, operating expenses increased $27 million. The increase
resulted from the opening of a new property in 2014, which
had operating expenses of $13 million for the year ended
December 31, 2014. The increase in currency neutral
expenses was also a result of a benefit of $11 million
recognized as a reduction in rent expense during the year
ended December 31, 2013 relating to a termination payment
received for one of our properties with a ground lease.
Timeshare
(in millions)
Timeshare sales
Resort operations
Financing and other
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
2014
$586
123
58
$767
2013
$554
119
57
$730
2014 vs. 2013
5.8
3.4
1.8
5.1
Timeshare sales expense increased $32 million primarily
as a result of increased sales and marketing expenses, most
significantly related to our capital light timeshare business.
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
2014
Depreciation and amortization $628
2013
$603
2014 vs. 2013
4.1
The increase in depreciation and amortization expense was
a result of increased amortization expense of $30 million for
the year ended December 31, 2014, which was primarily a
result of capitalized software costs placed into service during
and after 2013. Depreciation expense decreased $5 million
in 2014, primarily as a result of $10 million in accelerated
depreciation recognized in 2013 resulting from a lease
termination at one of our properties, offset by additional
depreciation expense from our owned and leased hotels
resulting from assets placed in service during and after 2013.
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
2014
2013
2014 vs. 2013
General, administrative
and other
$491
$748
(34.4)
General and administrative expenses consist of our corporate
operations, compensation and related expenses, including
share-based compensation, and other operating costs.
General and administrative expenses were $416 million and
$697 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and
2013, respectively, as a result of a $281 million decrease in
share-based compensation expense issued prior to and in
connection with our IPO. We incurred $306 million of share-
based compensation expense related to the conversion of
our executive compensation plan concurrent with our IPO
during the fourth quarter of 2013.
Other expenses for the years ended December 31, 2014
and 2013 were $75 million and $51 million, respectively. The
increase of $24 million was primarily from our purchasing
operations, which is consistent with the increase in revenues
from our purchasing operations.
Non-operating Income and Expenses
(in millions)
Interest expense
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
2014
$618
2013
$620
2014 vs. 2013
(0.3)
Interest expense remained relatively unchanged from 2013.
Our overall borrowing rate increased based on a series of
transactions occurring in October 2013, collectively referred
to as the “Debt Refinancing”; however, we reduced our
outstanding borrowings during 2014. See Note 13: “Debt” in
our consolidated financial statements for further discussion.
Additionally, interest expense included the accelerated
amortization of $13 million and $23 million of debt issuance
costs and original issue discount related to voluntary
prepayments on our term loan facility (the “Term Loans”)
during the years ended December 31, 2014 and
2013, respectively.
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Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
2014
2013
2014 vs. 2013
(in millions)
Equity in earnings from
unconsolidated affiliates
$19
$16
18.8
Income tax expense
2014
$465
2013
$238
2014 vs. 2013
95.4
The increase in equity in earnings from unconsolidated
affiliates were primarily a result of improved performance
of our unconsolidated affiliates.
(in millions)
2014
2013
2014 vs. 2013
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
Gain (loss) on foreign
currency transactions
$26
$(45)
NM(1)
(1) Fluctuation in terms of percentage change is not meaningful.
The net gain (loss) on foreign currency transactions was
primarily a result of changes in foreign currency rates on our
short-term cross-currency intercompany loans, which are
primarily denominated in British Pound Sterling (“GBP”) and
Australian Dollar (“AUD”). Both GBP and AUD weakened
against the USD during the year ended December 31, 2014,
resulting in a gain on foreign currency transactions. Further,
in 2014 we designated certain GBP denominated intercom-
pany loan receivables as long-term, limiting our exposure to
changes in the GBP currency rate. This resulted in $81 million
in losses included in other comprehensive income (loss) for the
year ended December 31, 2014 that would have otherwise
been included in gain (loss) on foreign currency transactions.
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
Gain on debt extinguishment
2014
$—
2013
$229
2014 vs. 2013
NM(1)
(1) Fluctuation in terms of percentage change is not meaningful.
The gain on debt extinguishment was the result of the
Debt Refinancing that occurred in 2013.
(in millions)
Other gain, net
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
2014
$37
2013
2014 vs. 2013
$7
NM(1)
The increase in income tax expense was primarily the result
of an increase in U.S. federal and state taxes as a result of
higher taxable income. Additionally, during the year ended
December 31, 2013, we released valuation allowances
against certain foreign and state deferred tax assets, which
provided a tax benefit of $121 million. Refer to Note 19:
“Income Taxes” in our consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of our tax provision at the U.S. statutory rate
to our provision for income taxes.
Segment Results
We evaluate our business segment operating performance
using segment Adjusted EBITDA, as described in Note 24:
“Business Segments” in our consolidated financial statements.
Refer to those financial statements for a reconciliation of
Adjusted EBITDA to net income attributable to Hilton stock-
holders. For a discussion of our definition of EBITDA and
Adjusted EBITDA, how management uses it to manage our
business and material limitations on its usefulness, refer to
“—Key Business and Financial Metrics Used by Management”.
The following table sets forth revenues and Adjusted EBITDA
by segment, reconciled to consolidated amounts:
(in millions)
2014
2013
2014 vs. 2013
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
Revenues:
Ownership
Management and franchise
Timeshare
Segment revenues
Other revenues
from managed and
franchised properties
Other revenues
Intersegment fees
elimination
$ 4,271
1,468
1,171
$4,075
1,271
1,109
6,910
6,455
3,691
99
3,405
69
(198)
(194)
(1) Fluctuation in terms of percentage change is not meaningful.
Total revenues
$10,502
$9,735
Adjusted EBITDA:
Ownership
Management and franchise
Timeshare
Corporate and other
$
999
1,468
334
(293)
$ 926
1,271
297
(284)
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 2,508
$2,210
The other gain, net for the year ended December 31,
2014 was primarily related to a pre-tax gain of $23 million
resulting from an equity investments exchange; see Note 3:
“Acquisitions” in our consolidated financial statements, as
well as pre-tax gains of $13 million resulting from the sale
of two hotels and a vacant parcel of land.
The other gain, net for the year ended December 31, 2013
was primarily related to a capital lease restructuring by one
of our consolidated variable interest entities (“VIEs”) during
the period. The revised terms reduced the future minimum
lease payments, resulting in a reduction of the capital lease
obligation and a residual amount, which was recorded in
other gain, net.
4.8
15.5
5.6
7.0
8.4
43.5
2.1
7.9
7.9
15.5
12.5
3.2
13.5
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
47
Ownership
Ownership segment revenues increased $196 million as a
result of an improvement in RevPAR of 5.6 percent at our
comparable owned and leased hotels. Refer to “—Results
of Operations—Year Ended December 31, 2014 Compared
with Year Ended December 31, 2013—Revenues—Owned
and leased hotels” for further discussion on the increase in
revenues from our owned and leased hotels. Our ownership
segment’s Adjusted EBITDA increased $73 million primarily
as a result of the increase in ownership segment revenues,
offset by an increase in operating expenses at our owned
and leased hotels of $105 million. Refer to “—Results of
Operations—Year Ended December 31, 2014 Compared
with Year Ended December 31, 2013—Operating
Expenses—Owned and leased hotels” for further discussion
on the increase in operating expenses.
Management and franchise
Refer to “—Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31,
2014 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2013—
Revenues—Management and franchise and other” for
further discussion on the increase in revenues from our
managed and franchised properties. Our management and
franchise segment’s Adjusted EBITDA increased as a result of
the increase in management and franchise segment revenues.
Timeshare
Refer to “—Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31,
2014 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2013—
Revenues—Timeshare” for a discussion of the increase in
revenues from our timeshare segment. Our timeshare seg-
ment’s Adjusted EBITDA increased $37 million primarily as a
result of the $62 million increase in timeshare revenue, offset
by a $37 million increase in timeshare operating expense.
Refer to “—Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31,
2014 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2013—
Operating Expenses—Timeshare” for a discussion of the
decrease in operating expenses from our timeshare segment.
Year Ended December 31, 2013 Compared with
Year Ended December 31, 2012
The hotel operating statistics for our system-wide
comparable hotels were as follows:
Owned and leased hotels
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Managed and franchised hotels
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
System-wide
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Year Ended
Variance
December 31, 2013 2013 vs. 2012
75.9%
$191.15
$145.00
71.9%
$130.68
$ 94.02
72.3%
$136.49
$ 98.65
0.9% pts.
3.4%
4.6%
1.4% pts.
3.3%
5.3%
1.3% pts.
3.3%
5.2%
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
The hotel operating statistics by region for our system-wide
comparable hotels were as follows:
Year Ended
Variance
December 31, 2013 2013 vs. 2012
Americas
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Europe
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Middle East and Africa
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Asia Pacific
Occupancy
ADR
RevPAR
Revenues
Owned and leased hotels
72.6%
$131.77
$ 95.66
73.4%
$165.56
$121.45
1.2% pts.
3.4%
5.2%
2.2% pts.
0.8%
3.9%
58.6%
$169.71
$ 99.48
(3.7)% pts.
13.1%
6.4%
69.9%
$170.30
$119.10
4.5% pts.
—%
7.0%
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
U.S. owned and
leased hotels
International owned and
leased hotels
$2,058
$1,922
1,988
2,057
$4,046
$3,979
7.1
(3.4)
1.7
During the year ended December 31, 2013, the overall
improved performance at our owned and leased hotels
primarily was a result of improvement in RevPAR of
4.6 percent at our comparable owned and leased hotels.
As of December 31, 2013, we had 35 consolidated owned
and leased hotels located in the U.S., comprising 24,050
rooms. The increase in revenues from our U.S. owned and
leased hotels was primarily as a result of an increase in
RevPAR at our U.S. comparable owned and leased hotels of
6.8 percent, which was a result of increases in occupancy and
ADR of 1.6 percentage points and 4.5 percent, respectively.
As of December 31, 2013, we had 89 consolidated owned
and leased hotels located outside of the U.S., comprising
25,781 rooms. The decrease in revenues from our inter-
national (non-U.S.) owned and leased hotels was primarily
as a result of an unfavorable movement in foreign currency
rates of $63 million; on a currency neutral basis, revenue
decreased $6 million. The decrease in currency neutral
revenue was a result of a $44 million decrease in revenue
from hotels that we sold or where leases expired during
the periods, offset by an increase in revenues from our
international comparable owned and leased hotels, which
had a RevPAR increase of 8.0 percent. The RevPAR increase
was a result of a 4.2 percentage point increase in occupancy
and a 2.0 percent increase in ADR.
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Management and franchise fees and other
Management and franchise fee revenue for the years ended
December 31, 2013 and 2012 totaled $1,115 million and
$1,032 million, respectively. The increase of $83 million, or
8.0 percent, reflects increases in RevPAR of 6.0 percent and
5.0 percent at our comparable managed and franchised
properties, respectively. The increases in RevPAR for managed
and franchised hotels were a result of both increases in
occupancy and ADR.
The addition of new hotels to our managed and franchised
system also contributed to the growth in revenue. During
2013, we added 45 managed properties on a net basis,
contributing an additional 10,196 rooms to our system, as
well as 108 franchised properties on a net basis, providing an
additional 16,084 rooms to our system. As new hotels are
established in our system, we expect the fees received from
such hotels to increase as they are part of our system for
full periods.
Other revenues for the years ended December 31, 2013
and 2012 were $60 million and $56 million, respectively. The
increase was primarily as a result of an increase in revenues
received from our supply management business.
Timeshare
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
Timeshare sales
Resort operations
Financing and other
$ 821
158
130
$ 815
149
121
$1,109
$1,085
0.7
6.0
7.4
2.2
Timeshare sales revenue increased $6 million as a result of
an increase of approximately $63 million in sales commissions
generated from projects developed by third parties. This
increase was offset by a decrease of approximately $57 million
in revenue from the sale of timeshare intervals developed by
us resulting from lower sales volume, which we expect to
continue as we further develop our capital light timeshare
business with a focus on selling timeshare intervals on behalf
of third-party developers. The increase of approximately
$9 million in revenue from our resort operations was pri-
marily as a result of increases in club fees and room rentals.
Financing and other revenues increased approximately
$9 million primarily as a result of increases in portfolio
interest income.
Operating Expenses
Owned and leased hotels
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
U.S. owned and
leased hotels
International owned and
leased hotels
$1,410
$1,370
1,737
1,860
$3,147
$3,230
2.9
(6.6)
(2.6)
Fluctuations in operating expenses at our owned and leased
hotels can be related to various factors, including changes
in occupancy levels, labor costs, utilities, taxes and insurance
costs. The change in the number of occupied room nights
directly affects certain variable expenses, which include
payroll, supplies and other operating expenses.
The increase in U.S. owned and leased hotels expenses was
a result of increased occupancy levels, which resulted in an
increase in variable operating expenses, including labor and
utility costs.
The decrease in international owned and leased hotel
expenses was in part a result of foreign currency move-
ments, which contributed $49 million of the decrease, as
international owned and leased hotel expenses, on a
currency neutral basis, decreased $74 million. The decrease
in currency neutral expenses was primarily as a result of the
expiration of operating leases and sales of certain properties
in 2012, as well as cost mitigation strategies and operational
efficiencies employed at all of our owned and leased properties.
Timeshare
(in millions)
Timeshare sales
Resort operations
Financing and other
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
2013
$554
119
57
$730
2012
$590
118
50
$758
2013 vs. 2012
(6.1)
0.8
14.0
(3.7)
Timeshare sales expense decreased $36 million primarily as
a result of lower sales volume at our developed properties
resulting in lower cost of sales, offset by an increase in sales
and marketing expenses, most significantly related to the
shift towards our capital light timeshare business.
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Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
Non-operating Income and Expenses
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
Depreciation
and amortization
$603
$550
9.6
Depreciation expense increased $28 million primarily due to
$254 million in capital expenditures during the year ended
December 31, 2013, resulting in additional depreciation
expense on certain owned and leased assets in 2013.
Amortization expense increased $25 million for the year
ended December 31, 2013 primarily as a result of capitalized
software costs that were placed into service during the
fourth quarter of 2012.
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
Impairment losses
2013
$—
2012
$54
2013 vs. 2012
NM(1)
(1) Fluctuation in terms of percentage change is not meaningful.
During the year ended December 31, 2012, certain markets
and properties faced operating and competitive challenges.
Such challenges caused a decline in expected future results
of certain owned and leased properties and in the market
value of certain corporate buildings, which caused us to
evaluate the carrying values of these affected properties for
impairment. As a result of our evaluation, we recognized
impairment losses of $42 million related to our owned and
leased hotels, $11 million of impairment losses related to
certain corporate office facilities and $1 million of impairment
losses related to one cost method investment.
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
General, administrative
and other
$748
$460
62.6
General and administrative expenses consist of our corporate
operations, compensation and related expenses, including
share-based compensation, and other operating costs.
General and administrative expenses were $697 million
and $398 million for the years ended December 31, 2013
and 2012, respectively. The increase of $299 million was
primarily as a result of share-based compensation expense
of approximately $306 million related to the conversion of
our executive compensation plan concurrent with our IPO
during the fourth quarter of 2013. Other expenses for the
years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 were $51 million
and $62 million, respectively. The decrease of $11 million
was primarily as a result of a reduction in payments required
under performance guarantees on certain managed
properties between periods.
(in millions)
Interest expense
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
2013
$620
2012
$569
2013 vs. 2012
9.0
Interest expense increased $51 million for the year ended
December 31, 2013 primarily due to the release of $23 million
of debt issuance costs and original issue discount related to
the portion of the Term Loans that was voluntarily prepaid
during the year ended December 31, 2013, as well as an
increase in the average interest rate on our outstanding
borrowings. These increases were offset by decreases in
interest expense as a result of voluntary prepayments of
$1.45 billion made in 2013 prior to our Debt Refinancing.
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
Equity in earnings (losses)
from unconsolidated affiliates
$16
$(11)
NM(1)
(1) Fluctuation in terms of percentage change is not meaningful.
The $27 million increase in equity in earnings from
unconsolidated affiliates was primarily a result of $19 million
of impairment losses on our equity method investments
recognized during the year ended December 31, 2012.
Additionally, many of our equity method investments
experienced improved operating performance, resulting
in an increase in the equity in earnings from these
unconsolidated affiliates.
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
Gain (loss) on foreign
currency transactions
$(45)
$23
NM(1)
(1) Fluctuation in terms of percentage change is not meaningful.
The net gain (loss) on foreign currency transactions
primarily relates to changes in foreign currency rates relating
to short-term cross-currency intercompany loans.
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
Gain on debt extinguishment
$229
$—
NM(1)
(1) Fluctuation in terms of percentage change is not meaningful.
The gain on debt extinguishment was the result of the Debt
Refinancing which occurred in 2013. See Note 13: “Debt” in
our consolidated financial statements for further discussion.
(in millions)
Other gain, net
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
2013
$7
2012
$15
2013 vs. 2012
(53.3)
The other gain, net for the year ended December 31, 2013
was primarily related to a capital lease restructuring by one
of our consolidated VIEs during the period. The revised terms
reduced the future minimum lease payments, resulting in
a reduction of the capital lease obligation and a residual
amount, which was recorded in other gain, net.
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The other gain, net for the year ended December 31, 2012
was primarily related to the pre-tax gain of $5 million
resulting from the sale of our interest in an investment in
affiliate accounted for under the equity method, as well
as a $6 million gain resulting from the resolution of certain
contingencies relating to historical asset sales.
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
(in millions)
Income tax expense
2013
$238
2012
$214
2013 vs. 2012
11.2
The $24 million increase in income tax expense was primarily
the result of an increase in U.S. federal and foreign taxes as a
result of higher taxable income, partially offset by the benefit
of releasing $121 million of valuation allowances against
certain foreign and state deferred tax assets during the
year ended December 31, 2013. Refer to Note 19: “Income
Taxes” in our consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of our tax provision at the U.S. statutory rate
to our provision for income taxes.
Segment Results
The following table sets forth revenues and Adjusted EBITDA
by segment, reconciled to consolidated amounts:
(in millions)
2013
2012
2013 vs. 2012
Year Ended December 31, Percent Change
Revenues:
Ownership
$4,075
Management and franchise 1,271
1,109
Timeshare
$4,006
1,180
1,085
Segment revenues
Other revenues
from managed and
franchised properties
Other revenues
Intersegment fees
elimination
6,455
6,271
3,405
69
3,124
66
(194)
(185)
Total revenues
$9,735
$9,276
Adjusted EBITDA:
Ownership
$ 926
Management and franchise 1,271
297
Timeshare
(284)
Corporate and other
$ 793
1,180
252
(269)
Adjusted EBITDA
$2,210
$1,956
1.7
7.7
2.2
2.9
9.0
4.5
4.9
4.9
16.8
7.7
17.9
5.6
13.0
Ownership
Ownership segment revenues increased $69 million primarily
as a result of an improvement in RevPAR of 4.6 percent at our
comparable owned and leased hotels. Refer to “—Results
of Operations—Year Ended December 31, 2013 Compared
with Year Ended December 31, 2012—Revenues—Owned
and leased hotels” for further discussion on the increase in
revenues from our owned and leased hotels. Our ownership
segment’s Adjusted EBITDA increased $133 million primarily
as a result of the increase in ownership segment revenues
and the decrease in operating expenses at our owned
and leased hotels of $83 million. Refer to “—Results of
Operations—Year Ended December 31, 2013 Compared
with Year Ended December 31, 2012—Operating
Expenses—Owned and leased hotels” for further discussion
on the decrease in operating expenses.
Management and franchise
Refer to “—Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31,
2013 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2012—
Revenues—Management and franchise and other” for
further discussion on the increase in revenues from our
managed and franchised properties. Our management and
franchise segment’s Adjusted EBITDA increased as a result of
the increase in management and franchise segment revenues.
Timeshare
Refer to “—Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31,
2013 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2012—
Revenues—Timeshare” for a discussion of the increase in
revenues from our timeshare segment. Our timeshare
segment’s Adjusted EBITDA increased $45 million primarily
as a result of the $24 million increase in timeshare revenue
and the $28 million decrease in timeshare operating
expense. Refer to “—Results of Operations—Year Ended
December 31, 2013 Compared with Year Ended
December 31, 2012—Operating Expenses—Timeshare”
for a discussion of the decrease in operating expenses
from our timeshare segment.
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Supplemental Financial Data for
Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries
As of December 31, 2014, we owned majority or controlling
financial interests in 52 hotels, representing 28,156 rooms.
See “Part I—Item 2. Properties” for more information on each
of our owned hotels. Of these owned properties, 29 hotels,
including The Waldorf Astoria New York, representing an
aggregate of 21,261 rooms as of December 31, 2014, were
owned by subsidiaries that we collectively refer to as our
“Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries.” The properties
held by our Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries secure
a $3.5 billion commercial mortgage-backed securities loan
secured by 23 U.S. owned real estate assets (the “CMBS
Loan”), a $525 million mortgage loan secured by The
Waldorf Astoria New York (the “Waldorf Astoria Loan”) and a
$64 million mortgage loan secured by five other properties,
are not included in the collateral securing our borrowings
under our senior secured credit facility (the “Senior Secured
Credit Facility”) and the Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate
Subsidiaries do not guarantee obligations under our Senior
Secured Credit Facility or our $1.5 billion of 5.625% senior
notes due 2021 (the “Senior Notes”). In addition, the
Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries are not subject
to any of the restrictive covenants in the indenture that
governs our Senior Notes. For further discussion, see
“—Liquidity and Capital Resources” and Note 13: “Debt”
in our consolidated financial statements.
In February 2015, we completed the sale of The Waldorf
Astoria New York and repaid the Waldorf Astoria Loan in full.
In addition, in February 2015 we also acquired five properties
that will be considered Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate
Subsidiaries. For further discussion see Note 30: “Subsequent
Events” in our consolidated financial statements.
We have included this supplemental financial data to comply
with certain financial information requirements regarding
our Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries set forth in the
indenture that governs our Senior Notes. For the year ended
December 31, 2014, the Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate
Subsidiaries represented 19.3 percent of our total revenues,
23.2 percent of net income attributable to Hilton stock-
holders and 24.4 percent of our Adjusted EBITDA, and as of
December 31, 2014, represented 33.3 percent of our total
assets and 31.4 percent of our total liabilities.
The following table presents supplemental unaudited
financial data, as required by the indenture, for our
Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries:
(in millions)
Revenues
Net income attributable
to Hilton stockholders
Capital expenditures for
property and equipment
Adjusted EBITDA(1)
Cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$2,022
$1,880
$1,754
156
186
159
150
612
134
560
436
(147)
(308)
364
(162)
(186)
264
464
343
(264)
(64)
(1) The following table provides a reconciliation of our Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate
Subsidiaries’ EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to net income attributable to Hilton
stockholders, which we believe is the most closely comparable U.S. GAAP measure.
(in millions)
Adjusted EBITDA
Other gain, net(1)
Other adjustment items
EBITDA
Interest expense(2)
Income tax expense
Depreciation and amortization
Net income attributable
to Hilton stockholders
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$ 612
23
(3)
632
(169)
(110)
(197)
$ 560
—
(13)
547
(31)
(132)
(198)
$ 464
—
(7)
457
—
(114)
(184)
$ 156
$ 186
$ 159
(1) Other gain, net on the Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries reflects a $23 million
pre-tax gain recognized as a result of an equity investments exchange which
occurred in the third quarter of 2014. See Note 3: “Acquisitions” in our consolidated
financial statements.
(2) Interest expense on the Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries reflects
$4,025 million of long-term debt securing these properties that was entered into
in October 2013 and $64 million mortgage loan assumed in July 2014. Prior to
October 2013, the Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries did not have outstand-
ing long-term debt during the periods presented.
The following table presents supplemental unaudited
financial data, as required by the indenture, for our
Unrestricted U.S. Real Estate Subsidiaries:
(in millions)
Assets
Liabilities
December 31,
2014
2013
$8,698
6,713
$8,649
6,496
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
As of December 31, 2014, we had total cash and cash
equivalents of $768 million, including $202 million of restricted
cash and cash equivalents. The majority of our restricted
cash and cash equivalents balances relates to cash collateral
on our self-insurance programs and escrowed cash from
our timeshare operations.
Our known short-term liquidity requirements primarily
consist of funds necessary to pay for operating expenses and
other expenditures, including corporate expenses, payroll
and related benefits, legal costs, operating costs associated
with the management of hotels, interest and scheduled
principal payments on our outstanding indebtedness, contract
acquisition costs and capital expenditures for renovations
and maintenance at our owned and leased hotels. Our
long-term liquidity requirements primarily consist of funds
necessary to pay for scheduled debt maturities, capital
improvements at our owned and leased hotels, purchase
commitments, costs associated with potential acquisitions
and corporate capital expenditures.
We finance our business activities primarily with existing
cash and cash generated from our operations. We believe that
this cash will be adequate to meet anticipated requirements
for operating expenses and other expenditures, including
corporate expenses, payroll and related benefits, legal costs
and purchase commitments for the foreseeable future. The
objectives of our cash management policy are to maintain
the availability of liquidity, minimize operational costs and
use available cash to pay down our outstanding debt.
Further, we have an investment policy that is focused on the
preservation of capital and maximizing the return on new
and existing investments across all three of our business
segments. Additionally, we have no amounts drawn on our
$1.0 billion revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit
Facility”). As of December 31, 2014, we have the ability to
borrow up to $955 million after giving effect to $45 million
of outstanding letters of credit under our Revolving
Credit Facility.
Recent Events Affecting Our Liquidity and
Capital Resources
In February 2015, we completed the sale of the Waldorf
Astoria New York for a purchase price of $1.95 billion and
received $1.34 billion in net proceeds after giving effect
to the payoff in full of outstanding amounts under the
$525 million mortgage loan on the Waldorf Astoria New York
and certain prorations, adjustments and transaction
expenses. In addition, we acquired five properties for a total
purchase price of $1.76 billion, including the assumption of a
$450 million mortgage loan secured by two of the properties.
This mortgage loan is scheduled to mature in April 2018,
but may be extended by one year at the borrower’s option,
subject to customary conditions. The interest rate payable
on the mortgage loan is one-month LIBOR plus 3.5 percent.
If the mortgage loan is prepaid prior to May 1, 2015,
there is a 1.0 percent prepayment fee; between May 1 and
November 1, 2015, the prepayment fee is 0.5 percent. The
mortgage loan is non-recourse to the borrower, subject to
specified customary carve-outs.
Sources and Uses Of Our Cash and Cash Equivalents
The following table summarizes our net cash flows and key metrics related to our liquidity:
(in millions)
Net cash provided by operating activities
Net cash used in investing activities
Net cash used in financing activities
Working capital surplus(2)
(1) Fluctuation in terms of percentage change is not meaningful.
(2) Total current assets less total current liabilities.
As of and for the year ended December 31,
Percent Change
2014
$ 1,366
(310)
(1,070)
242
2013
$ 2,101
(382)
(1,863)
241
2012
2014 vs. 2013
2013 vs. 2012
$1,110
(558)
(576)
478
(35.0)
(18.9)
(42.6)
0.4
89.3
(31.5)
NM(1)
(49.6)
Our ratio of current assets to current liabilities was 1.11, 1.11 and 1.20 as of December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
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The $176 million decrease in net cash used in investing
activities during the year ended December 31, 2013,
compared to the year ended December 31, 2012, was
primarily attributable to a decrease in capital expenditures
for property and equipment of $179 million, as a result of
the completion of renovations at certain of our owned
and leased properties in 2012, and a decrease in software
capitalization costs of $25 million, as a result of corporate
software projects that were completed in 2012. Additionally,
there was an increase in distributions from unconsolidated
affiliates of $25 million, primarily related to the sales of our
interests in two joint venture entities. The decrease in net
cash used in investing activities was partially offset by an
increase in acquisitions of $30 million, primarily due to the
acquisition of a parcel of land that we previously held under
a long-term ground lease for $28 million.
For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012,
we capitalized labor costs relating to our investing activities,
including capital expenditures and software development, of
$9 million, $15 million and $14 million, respectively.
Financing Activities
Net cash used in financing activities during the year ended
December 31, 2014 was $1,070 million, compared to
$1,863 million during the year ended December 31, 2013.
The $793 million decrease was due to a decrease in net
repayments of debt of $2,041 million. The higher net
repayments of debt in 2013 was primarily due to the Debt
Refinancing. Additionally, in December 2013 we received
$1,243 million in net proceeds from issuance of common
stock from our IPO.
Net cash used in financing activities during the year ended
December 31, 2013 increased $1,287 million compared to
the year ended December 31, 2012 due to a $2,357 million
increase in net repayments of debt, primarily related to an
increase in unscheduled, voluntary debt repayments on
our senior mortgage loans and secured mezzanine loans
(the “Secured Debt”), the repayment of the Secured Debt in
connection with the Debt Refinancing and unscheduled,
voluntary repayments of $350 million on our Term Loans
subsequent to the Debt Refinancing. The increase in net
debt repayments was offset by $1,243 million in proceeds
from our IPO, which was used to repay amounts outstanding
on our Term Loans. Additionally, we paid $180 million of
debt issuance costs related to the Debt Refinancing.
Operating Activities
Cash flow from operating activities is primarily generated
from management and franchise revenues, operating income
from our owned and leased hotels and resorts and sales
of timeshare intervals. In a recessionary market, we may
experience significant declines in travel and, thus, declines
in demand for our hotel and resort rooms and timeshare
intervals. A decline in demand could have a material effect
on our cash flow from operating activities.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $1,366 million
for the year ended December 31, 2014, compared to
$2,101 million for the year ended December 31, 2013.
The $735 million decrease was attributable to an increase
in cash paid for taxes of $196 million during the year ended
December 31, 2014, compared to the year ended
December 31, 2013, due to higher taxable income in 2014, as
well as a decrease in deferred revenues as of December 31,
2014. In 2013, we collected $650 million from the sales of
Hilton HHonors points, most of which was deferred revenue
as of December 31, 2013. These were offset by a decrease
in cash paid for interest of $21 million in 2014 compared to
2013 and other favorable timing differences in cash
generated from operating activities.
The net $991 million increase in cash provided by operating
activities during the year ended December 31, 2013,
compared to the year ended December 31, 2012, was
primarily due to $650 million received from the Hilton
HHonors points sales, which increased our deferred
revenues, and improved operating income, excluding non-
cash share-based compensation expense of $262 million.
Net cash provided by operating activities also increased
during the year ended December 31, 2013 as a result of
the releases of $42 million in collateral against outstanding
letters of credit and $20 million of restricted cash from our
timeshare operations. Additionally, during the year ended
December 31, 2012, our cash provided by operating activities
was reduced by $76 million for collateral required to support
potential future contributions to certain of our employee
benefit plans. For further discussion, see Note 20: “Employee
Benefit Plans” in our consolidated financial statements.
Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities during the year
ended December 31, 2014 was $310 million, compared to
$382 million during the year ended December 31, 2013. The
$72 million decrease in net cash used in investing activities
was primarily attributable to $44 million in proceeds from
asset dispositions in the year ended December 31, 2014,
related to the sale of two hotels, a land parcel and land and
easement rights. Additionally, there were no acquisitions
in 2014, while during the year ended December 31, 2013,
there were acquisitions of $30 million for a parcel of land
and a hotel.
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Capital Expenditures
Our capital expenditures for property and equipment of
$268 million, $254 million and $433 million made during the
years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively,
primarily included expenditures related to the renovation of
existing owned and leased properties and our corporate
facilities. Our software capitalization costs of $69 million,
$78 million and $103 million during the years ended
December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 related to various
systems initiatives for the benefit of our hotel owners and
our overall corporate operations.
Senior Secured Credit Facility
Our Revolving Credit Facility provides for $1.0 billion in
borrowings, including the ability to draw up to $150 million
in the form of letters of credit. As of December 31, 2014,
we had $45 million of letters of credit outstanding on our
Revolving Credit Facility, leaving us with a borrowing
capacity of $955 million. We are currently required to pay
a commitment fee of 0.125 percent per annum under
the Revolving Credit Facility in respect of the unused
commitments thereunder.
Debt
As of December 31, 2014, our total indebtedness, excluding
$221 million of our share of debt of our investments in affili-
ates, was approximately $11.7 billion, including $879 million
of non-recourse debt. For further information on our total
indebtedness and the Debt Refinancing, refer to Note 13:
“Debt” in our consolidated financial statements.
The obligations of the Senior Secured Credit Facility are
unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by us and all of
our direct or indirect wholly owned material domestic
subsidiaries, excluding our subsidiaries that are prohibited
from providing guarantees as a result of the agreements
governing our Timeshare Facility and/or our Securitized
Timeshare Debt and our subsidiaries that secure our CMBS
Loan and our Waldorf Astoria Loan. Additionally, none of our
foreign subsidiaries or our non-wholly owned domestic
subsidiaries guarantee the Senior Secured Credit Facility.
If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow from
operations in the future to service our debt, we may be
required to reduce capital expenditures, issue additional
equity securities or draw on our Revolving Credit Facility.
Our ability to make scheduled principal payments and to pay
interest on our debt depends on the future performance of
our operations, which is subject to general conditions in or
affecting the hotel and timeshare industries that are beyond
our control.
Letters of Credit
We had a total of $45 million and $51 million in letters
of credit outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2013,
respectively, the majority of which were outstanding under
the Revolving Credit Facility and related to our guarantees
on debt and other obligations of third parties and self-
insurance programs. The maturities of the letters of credit
were within one year as of December 31, 2014.
Contractual Obligations
The following table summarizes our significant contractual obligations as of December 31, 2014:
(in millions)
Long-term debt(1)(2)
Non-recourse debt(2)
Capital lease obligations
Recourse
Non-recourse
Operating leases
Purchase commitments
Total contractual obligations
Total
Less Than 1 Year
1-3 Years
3-5 Years
More Than 5 Years
Payments Due by Period
$12,967
781
181
331
3,107
79
$17,446
$428
129
15
23
263
23
$881
$1,095
341
$4,665
120
12
46
493
49
12
46
457
1
$2,036
$5,301
$6,779
191
142
216
1,894
6
$9,228
(1) The initial maturity date of the $862 million variable-rate component of the CMBS Loan is November 1, 2015. We have assumed all extensions, which are solely at our option,
were exercised.
(2) Includes principal, as well as estimated interest payments. For our variable-rate debt we have assumed a constant 30-day LIBOR rate of 0.16 percent as of December 31, 2014.
The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2014 was $401 million. These amounts are excluded from
the table above because they are uncertain and subject to the findings of the taxing authorities in the jurisdictions where we are
subject to tax. It is possible that the amount of the liability for unrecognized tax benefits could change during the next year.
Refer to Note 19: “Income Taxes” in our consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our liability for unrecognized
tax benefits.
In addition to the purchase commitments in the table above, in the normal course of business we enter into purchase
commitments for which we are reimbursed by the owners of our managed and franchised hotels. These obligations have
minimal or no effect on our net income and cash flow.
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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Our off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31,
2014 included letters of credit of $45 million, guarantees
of $25 million for debt and obligations of third parties,
performance guarantees with possible cash outlays totaling
approximately $119 million, of which we have accrued
$45 million as of December 31, 2014 for estimated probable
exposure, and construction contract commitments of
approximately $68 million for capital expenditures at our
owned, leased and consolidated VIE hotels. Our contracts
contain clauses that allow us to cancel all or some portion
of the work. If cancellation of a contract occurred, our com-
mitment would be any costs incurred up to the cancellation
date, in addition to any costs associated with the discharge
of the contract. Additionally, during 2010, in conjunction
with a lawsuit settlement, an affiliate of our Sponsor entered
into service contracts with the plaintiff. As part of the
settlement, we entered into a guarantee with the plaintiff
to pay any shortfall that this affiliate does not fund related to
those service contracts. The remaining potential exposure
under this guarantee as of December 31, 2014 was
approximately $33 million. See Note 25: “Commitments
and Contingencies” in our consolidated financial statements
for further discussion on these amounts.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in
accordance with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets
and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial
statements, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses
during the reporting periods and the related disclosures
in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying
footnotes. We believe that of our significant accounting
policies, which are described in Note 2: “Basis of Presentation
and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in our
consolidated financial statements, the following accounting
policies are critical because they involve a higher degree of
judgment, and the estimates required to be made were
based on assumptions that are inherently uncertain. As a
result, these accounting policies could materially affect our
financial position, results of operations and related disclosures.
On an ongoing basis, we evaluate these estimates and
judgments based on historical experiences and various other
factors that are believed to reflect the current circumstances.
While we believe our estimates, assumptions and judgments
are reasonable, they are based on information presently
available. Actual results may differ significantly from these
estimates due to changes in judgments, assumptions and
conditions as a result of unforeseen events or otherwise,
which could have a material effect on our financial position
or results of operations.
Management has discussed the development and selection
of these critical accounting policies and estimates with the
audit committee of the board of directors.
Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets
with Finite Lives
We evaluate the carrying value of our property and equipment
and intangible assets with finite lives by comparing the
expected undiscounted future cash flows to the net book
value of the assets if we determine there are indicators of
potential impairment. If it is determined that the expected
undiscounted future cash flows are less than the net book
value of the assets, the excess of the net book value over
the estimated fair value is recorded in our consolidated
statements of operations as impairment losses.
As part of the process described above, we exercise
judgment to:
» determine if there are indicators of impairment
present. Factors we consider when making this
determination include assessing the overall effect
of trends in the hospitality industry and the general
economy, historical experience, capital costs and
other asset-specific information;
» determine the projected undiscounted future cash flows
when indicators of impairment are present. Judgment is
required when developing projections of future revenues
and expenses based on estimated growth rates over the
expected useful life of the asset group. These estimated
growth rates are based on historical operating results,
as well as various internal projections and external
sources; and
» determine the asset fair value when required. In
determining the fair value, we often use internally-
developed discounted cash flow models. Assumptions
used in the discounted cash flow models include
estimating cash flows, which may require us to adjust
for specific market conditions, as well as capitalization
rates, which are based on location, property or asset
type, market-specific dynamics and overall economic
performance. The discount rate takes into account our
weighted average cost of capital according to our capital
structure and other market specific considerations.
We had $7,483 million of property and equipment, net
and $1,980 million of intangible assets with finite lives as of
December 31, 2014. Changes in estimates and assumptions
used in our impairment testing of property and equipment
and intangible assets with finite lives could result in future
impairment losses, which could be material.
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In conjunction with our regular assessment of impairment,
we did not identify any property and equipment with
indicators of impairment for which a 10 percent reduction
in our estimate of undiscounted future cash flows would
result in impairment losses. We did not identify any intangible
assets with finite lives for which a 10 percent reduction in
our estimates of undiscounted future cash flows, projected
operating results or other significant assumptions would
result in impairment losses.
Investments in Affiliates
We evaluate our investments in affiliates for impairment
when there are indicators that the fair value of our investment
may be less than our carrying value. We record an impairment
loss when we determine there has been an “other-than-
temporary” decline in the investment’s fair value. If an
identified event or change in circumstances requires an
evaluation to determine if the value of an investment may
have an other-than-temporary decline, we assess the fair
value of the investment based on the accepted valuation
methods, which include discounted cash flows, estimates
of sales proceeds and external appraisals. If an investment’s
fair value is below its carrying value and the decline is
considered to be other-than-temporary, we will recognize
an impairment loss in equity in earnings (losses) from
unconsolidated affiliates for equity method investments
or impairment losses for cost method investments in our
consolidated statements of operations.
Our investments in affiliates consist primarily of our interests
in entities that own and/or operate hotels. As such, the factors
we consider when determining if there are indicators of
potential impairment are similar to property and equipment
discussed above. If there are indicators of potential impairment,
we estimate the fair value of our equity method and cost
method investments by internally developed discounted cash
flow models. The principal factors used in our discounted
cash flow models that require judgment are the same as the
items discussed in property and equipment above.
We had $170 million of investments in affiliates as of
December 31, 2014. Changes in estimates and assumptions
used in our impairment testing of investments in affiliates
could result in future impairment losses, which could
be material.
In conjunction with our regular assessment of impairment,
we did not identify any investments in affiliates with
indicators of impairment for which a 10 percent change in
our estimates of future cash flows or other significant
assumptions would result in material impairment losses.
Acquisitions
Property and equipment are recorded at fair value and
allocated to land, buildings and leasehold improvements and
furniture and equipment using appraisals and valuations
performed by management and independent third parties.
Fair values are based on the exit price (i.e., the price that
would be received to sell an asset or transfer a liability in an
orderly transaction between market participants at the
measurement date). We evaluate several factors, including
market data for similar assets, expected future cash flows
discounted at risk adjusted rates and replacement cost for
the assets to determine an appropriate exit price when
evaluating the fair value of our assets. Other assets and
liabilities acquired in a business combination are recorded
based on the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities
assumed at acquisition date. Changes to these factors could
affect the measurement and allocation of fair value.
Goodwill
We review the carrying value of our goodwill by comparing
the carrying value of our reporting units to their fair value.
Our reporting units are the same as our operating segments
as described in Note 24: “Business Segments” in our con-
solidated financial statements. We perform this evaluation
annually or at an interim date if indicators of impairment
exist. In any given year we may elect to perform a qualitative
assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not
that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying
value. If we cannot determine qualitatively that the fair value
is in excess of the carrying value, or we decide to bypass
the qualitative assessment, we proceed to the two-step
quantitative process. In the first step, we evaluate the fair
value of our reporting units quantitatively. When determining
fair value, we utilize discounted future cash flow models, as
well as market conditions relative to the operations of our
reporting units. Under the discounted cash flow approach,
we utilize various assumptions that require judgment,
including projections of revenues and expenses based on
estimated long-term growth rates, and discount rates based
on weighted average cost of capital. Our estimates of long-
term growth and costs are based on historical data, as well
as various internal projections and external sources. The
weighted average cost of capital is estimated based on each
reporting units’ cost of debt and equity and a selected capital
structure. The selected capital structure for each reporting
unit is based on consideration of capital structures of
comparable publicly traded companies operating in the
business of that reporting unit. If the carrying amount of a
reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, then the
second step must be performed. In the second step, we
estimate the implied fair value of goodwill, which is
determined by taking the fair value of the reporting unit
and allocating it to all of its assets and liabilities, including
any unrecognized intangible assets, as if the reporting
unit had been acquired in a business combination.
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We had $6,154 million of goodwill as of December 31, 2014.
Changes in the estimates and assumptions used in our
goodwill impairment testing could result in future impairment
losses, which could be material. A change in our estimates
and assumptions that would reduce the fair value of each
reporting units by 10 percent would not result in an
impairment of any of our reporting units.
Brands
We evaluate our brand intangible assets for impairment on
an annual basis or at other times during the year if events or
circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that
the fair value of the brand is below the carrying value. When
determining fair value, we utilize discounted future cash
flow models for hotels that we manage or franchise. Under
the discounted cash flow approach, we utilize various
assumptions that require judgment, including projections
of revenues and expenses based on estimated long-term
growth rates and discount rates based on weighted average
cost of capital. Our estimates of long-term growth and
costs are based on historical data, as well as various internal
estimates. If a brand’s estimated current fair value is less than
its respective carrying value, the excess of the carrying value
over the estimated fair value is recorded in our consolidated
statements of operations within impairment losses.
We had $4,963 million of brand intangible assets as of
December 31, 2014. Changes in the estimates and
assumptions used in our brands impairment testing, most
notably revenue growth rates and discount rates, could
result in future impairment losses, which could be material.
A change in our estimates and assumptions that would
reduce the fair value of each of our brands by 10 percent
would not result in an impairment of any of the brand
intangible assets.
Hilton HHonors
Hilton HHonors defers revenue received from participating
hotels and program partners in an amount equal to the
estimated cost per point of the future redemption obligation.
We engage outside actuaries to assist in determining the
fair value of the future award redemption obligation using
statistical formulas that project future point redemptions
based on factors that require judgment, including an estimate
of “breakage” (points that will never be redeemed), an
estimate of the points that will eventually be redeemed and
the cost of the points to be redeemed. The cost of the points
to be redeemed includes further estimates of available room
nights, occupancy rates, room rates and any devaluation
or appreciation of points based on changes in reward prices
or changes in points earned per stay.
We had $1,169 million of guest loyalty liability as of
December 31, 2014, including $449 million in current
liabilities. Changes in the estimates used in developing
our breakage rate could result in a material change to
our guest loyalty liability. A 10 percent decrease to the
breakage estimate used in determining future award
redemption obligations would increase our guest loyalty
liability by approximately $44 million.
Allowance for Loan Losses
The allowance for loan losses is related to the receivables
generated by our financing of timeshare interval sales,
which are secured by the underlying timeshare properties.
We determine our timeshare financing receivables to be
past due based on the contractual terms of the individual
mortgage loans. We use a technique referred to as static
pool analysis as the basis for determining our general reserve
requirements on our timeshare financing receivables.
The adequacy of the related allowance is determined by
management through analysis of several factors requiring
judgment, such as current economic conditions and industry
trends, as well as the specific risk characteristics of the
portfolio, including assumed default rates.
We had $96 million of allowance for loan losses as of
December 31, 2014. Changes in the estimates used in
developing our default rates could result in a material
change to our allowance. A 10 percent increase to our
default rates used in the allowance calculation would
increase our allowance for loan losses by approximately
$39 million.
Income Taxes
We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities based on
the differences between the financial statement carrying
amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities using
currently enacted tax rates. We regularly review our deferred
tax assets to assess their potential realization and establish
a valuation allowance for portions of such assets that we
believe will not be ultimately realized. In performing this
review, we make estimates and assumptions regarding
projected future taxable income, the expected timing of
reversals of existing temporary differences and the imple-
mentation of tax planning strategies. A change in these
assumptions may increase or decrease our valuation
allowance resulting in an increase or decrease in our
effective tax rate, which could materially affect our
consolidated financial statements.
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We use a prescribed more-likely-than-not recognition
threshold and measurement attribute for the financial
statement recognition and measurement of a tax position
taken or expected to be taken in a tax return if there is
uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the financial
statements. Assumptions and estimates are used to determine
the more-likely-than-not designation. Changes to these
assumptions and estimates can lead to an additional income
tax expense (benefit), which can materially change our
consolidated financial statements.
Legal Contingencies
We are subject to various legal proceedings and claims, the
outcomes of which are subject to significant uncertainty.
An estimated loss from a loss contingency should be accrued
by a charge to income if it is probable and the amount of
the loss can be reasonably estimated. Significant judgment is
required when we evaluate, among other factors, the degree
of probability of an unfavorable outcome and the ability to
make a reasonable estimate of the amount of loss. Changes
in these factors could materially affect our consolidated
financial statements.
Consolidations
We use judgment when evaluating whether we have a
controlling financial interest in our partnerships and other
investments, including the assessment of the importance of
rights and privileges of the partners based on voting rights,
as well as financial interests that are not controllable
through voting interests. If the entity is considered to be a
VIE, we use judgment determining whether we are the
primary beneficiary, and then consolidate those VIEs for
which we have determined we are the primary beneficiary.
If the entity in which we hold an interest does not meet
the definition of a VIE, we evaluate whether we have a
controlling financial interest through our voting interests
in the entity. We consolidate entities when we own more
than 50 percent of the voting shares of a company or have
a controlling general partner interest of a partnership,
assuming the absence of other factors determining control,
including the ability of minority owners to participate in
or block certain decisions. Changes to judgments used in
evaluating our partnerships and other investments could
materially affect our consolidated financial statements.
Share-Based Compensation
The process of estimating the fair value of stock-based
compensation awards and recognizing the associated
expense over the requisite service period involves significant
management estimates and assumptions. Refer to Note 21:
“Share-Based Compensation” in our consolidated financial
statements for additional discussion. Any changes to these
estimates will affect the amount of compensation expense
we recognize with respect to future grants.
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE
DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
We are exposed to market risk primarily from changes in
interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, which
may affect future income, cash flows and fair value of the
Company, depending on changes to interest rates and/or
foreign exchange rates. In certain situations, we may seek
to reduce cash flow volatility associated with changes in
interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates by
entering into financial arrangements intended to provide a
hedge against a portion of the risks associated with such
volatility. We continue to have exposure to such risks to
the extent they are not hedged. We enter into derivative
financial arrangements to the extent they meet the
objective described above, and we do not use derivatives
for trading or speculative purposes.
Interest Rate Risk
We are exposed to interest rate risk on our variable-rate
debt. Interest rates on our variable-rate debt discussed
below are based on one-month and three-month LIBOR,
so we are most vulnerable to changes in this rate.
Under the terms of the CMBS Loan and Waldorf Astoria
Loan entered into in connection with the Debt Refinancing,
we are required to hedge interest rate risk using derivative
instruments. Under the CMBS Loan, we entered into an
interest rate cap agreement in the notional amount of the
variable-rate component, or $875 million, which caps
one-month LIBOR at 6.0 percent for the initial term of the
variable-rate component. Under the Waldorf Astoria Loan,
we entered into an interest rate cap agreement in the
notional amount of the loan, or $525 million, which caps
one-month LIBOR at 4.0 percent for the first 24 months.
Thereafter, we are required to renew the interest rate cap
agreement annually. As of December 31, 2014, the fair
value of these interest rate caps were immaterial to our
consolidated balance sheet.
Additionally, in October 2013, we entered into four interest
rate swap agreements for a combined notional amount of
$1.45 billion, with a term of five years, which swapped the
floating three-month LIBOR on a portion of the Term Loans
to a fixed rate of 1.87 percent. The carrying value and fair
value of these four interest rate swaps was $4 million as of
December 31, 2014.
Refer to Note 16: “Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities” in our consolidated financial statements included
elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further
discussion of the derivative instruments.
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59
The following table sets forth the contractual maturities and the total fair values as of December 31, 2014 for our financial
instruments that are materially affected by interest rate risk:
Maturities by Period
(in millions, excluding average interest rates)
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Thereafter
Assets:
Fixed-rate timeshare financing receivables
Average interest rate(1)
Liabilities:
Fixed-rate long-term debt(2)
Average interest rate(1)
Fixed-rate non-recourse debt(3)
Average interest rate(1)
Variable-rate long-term debt(4)
Average interest rate(1)
Variable-rate non-recourse debt(5)
Average interest rate(1)
$140
$122
$126
$ 127
$121
$ 388
$ —
$132
$ 54
$2,625
$ —
$1,500
$ 98
$ 94
$ 75
$
57
$ 45
$ 112
$ —
$
1
$ 63
$1,387
$ —
$5,000
$ —
$ —
$150
$
—
$ —
$
—
Carrying
Value
Fair
Value
$1,024
12.15%
$4,311
4.96%
$ 481
1.98%
$6,451
3.31%
$ 150
1.16%
$1,021
$4,419
$ 476
$6,418
$ 150
(1) Average interest rate as of December 31, 2014.
(2) Excludes capital lease obligations with a carrying value of $72 million as of December 31, 2014.
(3) Represents the Securitized Timeshare Debt.
(4) The initial maturity date of the $862 million variable-rate component of the CMBS Loan is November 1, 2015. We have assumed all extensions, which are solely at our option,
were exercised.
(5) Represents the Timeshare Facility.
Refer to Note 17: “Fair Value Measurements” in our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report
on Form 10-K for further discussion of the fair value measurements of our financial assets and liabilities.
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk
We conduct business in various foreign currencies and are exposed to earnings and cash flow volatility associated with changes
in foreign currency exchange rates. This exposure is primarily related to our international assets and liabilities, whose value could
change materially in reference to our USD reporting currency. The most significant effect of changes to foreign currency values
include certain intercompany loans not deemed to be permanently invested and management and franchise fee revenues
earned in foreign currencies. As of December 31, 2014, we held nine short-term foreign exchange forward contracts in the
notional amount of $28 million to offset exposure to fluctuations in certain foreign currency denominated cash balances.
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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consolidated Financial Statements:
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012
Page No.
61
62
63
64
66
67
68
69
70
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Management’s Report on Internal Control
Over Financial Reporting
Management of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (the
“Company”) is responsible for establishing and maintaining
adequate internal control over financial reporting as such
term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company’s
internal control over financial reporting is designed to
provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements
in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles. The Company’s internal control over financial
reporting includes those policies and procedures that
(1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable
detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and
dispositions of the assets of the Company; (2) provide
reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,
and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are
being made only in accordance with authorizations of the
Company’s management and directors; and (3) provide
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition
of assets of the Company that could have a material
effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over
financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements.
Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future
periods are subject to the risk that controls may become
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the
degree of compliance with the policies or procedures
may deteriorate.
Management has assessed the effectiveness of the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2014. In making this assessment, manage-
ment used the criteria set forth by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission
(COSO) in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013).
Based on this assessment, management determined that
the Company maintained effective internal control over
financial reporting as of December 31, 2014.
Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public
accounting firm that has audited the consolidated financial
statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K,
has issued an attestation report on the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014.
The report is included herein.
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Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
We have audited Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.’s internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014,
based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated
Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 frame-
work) (the COSO criteria). Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.’s
management is responsible for maintaining effective internal
control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of
the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting
included in the accompanying Management’s Report on
Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility
is to express an opinion on the company’s internal control
over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(United States). Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about
whether effective internal control over financial reporting
was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included
obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial
reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists,
testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness
of internal control based on the assessed risk, and perform-
ing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the
circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a
process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding
the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of
financial statements for external purposes in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s
internal control over financial reporting includes those
policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance
of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly
reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the
company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions
are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company
are being made only in accordance with authorizations of
management and directors of the company; and (3) provide
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition
of the company’s assets that could have a material effect
on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over
financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements.
Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future
periods are subject to the risk that controls may become
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the
degree of compliance with the policies or procedures
may deteriorate.
In our opinion, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. maintained,
in all material respects, effective internal control over
financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, based on the
COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(United States), the consolidated balance sheets of Hilton
Worldwide Holdings Inc. as of December 31, 2014 and
2013, and the related consolidated statements of operations,
comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows
for each of the three years in the period ended December 31,
2014 of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and our report
dated February 18, 2015 expressed an unqualified opinion
thereon.
McLean, Virginia
February 18, 2015
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Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance
sheets of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. as of December 31,
2014 and 2013, and the related consolidated statements of
operations, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity and
cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended
December 31, 2014. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsi-
bility is to express an opinion on these financial statements
based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United
States). Those standards require that we plan and perform
the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
financial statements are free of material misstatement. An
audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence support-
ing the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.
An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles
used and significant estimates made by management, as
well as evaluating the overall financial statement presenta-
tion. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis
for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above
present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated
financial position of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. at
December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the consolidated results
of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three
years in the period ended December 31, 2014, in conformity
with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(United States), Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.’s internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014,
based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated
Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 frame-
work) and our report dated February 18, 2015 expressed
an unqualified opinion thereon.
McLean, Virginia
February 18, 2015
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63
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in millions, except share data)
ASSETS
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $29 and $32
Inventories
Deferred income tax assets
Current portion of financing receivables, net
Current portion of securitized financing receivables, net
Prepaid expenses
Income taxes receivable
Other
December 31,
2014
2013
$
566
202
844
404
20
66
62
133
132
70
$
594
266
731
396
23
94
27
148
75
29
Total current assets (variable interest entities—$136 and $97)
2,499
2,383
Property, Investments and Other Assets:
Property and equipment, net
Property and equipment, net held for sale
Financing receivables, net
Securitized financing receivables, net
Investments in affiliates
Goodwill
Brands
Management and franchise contracts, net
Other intangible assets, net
Deferred income tax assets
Other
7,483
1,543
416
406
170
6,154
4,963
1,306
674
155
356
9,058
—
635
194
260
6,220
5,013
1,452
751
193
403
Total property, investments and other assets (variable interest entities—$613 and $408)
23,626
24,179
TOTAL ASSETS
$26,125
$26,562
(continued)
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HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in millions, except share data)
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other
Current maturities of long-term debt
Current maturities of non-recourse debt
Income taxes payable
Total current liabilities (variable interest entities—$162 and $86)
Long-term debt
Non-recourse debt
Deferred revenues
Deferred income tax liabilities
Liability for guest loyalty program
Other
Total liabilities (variable interest entities—$788 and $583)
Commitments and contingencies—see Note 25
Equity:
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 3,000,000,000 authorized shares,
none issued or outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and 2013
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 30,000,000,000 authorized shares
and 984,623,863 and 984,615,364 issued and outstanding
as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated deficit
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Total Hilton stockholders’ equity
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
December 31,
2014
2013
$ 2,099
10
127
21
2,257
10,803
752
495
5,216
720
1,168
21,411
$ 2,079
4
48
11
2,142
11,751
920
674
5,053
597
1,149
22,286
—
—
10
10,028
(4,658)
(628)
4,752
(38)
4,714
10
9,948
(5,331)
(264)
4,363
(87)
4,276
$26,125
$26,562
(concluded)
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
65
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in millions, except per share data)
Revenues
Owned and leased hotels
Management and franchise fees and other
Timeshare
Other revenues from managed and franchised properties
Total revenues
Expenses
Owned and leased hotels
Timeshare
Depreciation and amortization
Impairment losses
General, administrative and other
Other expenses from managed and franchised properties
Total expenses
Operating income
Interest income
Interest expense
Equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates
Gain (loss) on foreign currency transactions
Gain on debt extinguishment
Other gain, net
Income before income taxes
Income tax expense
Net income
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net income attributable to Hilton stockholders
Earnings per share:
Basic and diluted
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$ 4,239
1,401
1,171
6,811
3,691
10,502
$4,046
1,175
1,109
6,330
3,405
9,735
3,252
767
628
—
491
5,138
3,691
8,829
1,673
10
(618)
19
26
—
37
1,147
(465)
682
(9)
3,147
730
603
—
748
5,228
3,405
8,633
1,102
9
(620)
16
(45)
229
7
698
(238)
460
(45)
$3,979
1,088
1,085
6,152
3,124
9,276
3,230
758
550
54
460
5,052
3,124
8,176
1,100
15
(569)
(11)
23
—
15
573
(214)
359
(7)
$
673
$ 415
$ 352
$ 0.68
$ 0.45
$ 0.38
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HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(in millions)
Net income
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax benefit (expense):
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax of $(73), $39, and $102
Pension liability adjustment, net of tax of $27, $(37), and $23
Cash flow hedge adjustment, net of tax of $5, $(4), and $—
Total other comprehensive income (loss)
Comprehensive income
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Year Ended December 31,
2014
$ 682
2013
$460
2012
$359
(299)
(45)
(9)
(353)
329
(14)
94
60
6
160
620
(63)
138
(41)
—
97
456
(21)
Comprehensive income attributable to Hilton stockholders
$ 315
$557
$435
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
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67
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in millions)
Operating Activities:
Net income
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
Impairment losses
Equity in losses (earnings) from unconsolidated affiliates
Loss (gain) on foreign currency transactions
Gain on debt extinguishment
Other gain, net
Share-based compensation
Amortization of deferred financing costs and other
Distributions from unconsolidated affiliates
Deferred income taxes
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net
Inventories
Prepaid expenses
Income taxes receivable
Other current assets
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other
Income taxes payable
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents
Change in timeshare financing receivables
Change in deferred revenues
Change in liability for guest loyalty program
Change in other liabilities
Other
Net cash provided by operating activities
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures for property and equipment
Acquisitions
Payments received on other financing receivables
Issuance of other financing receivables
Investments in affiliates
Distributions from unconsolidated affiliates
Proceeds from asset dispositions
Contract acquisition costs
Software capitalization costs
Net cash used in investing activities
Financing Activities:
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock
Borrowings
Repayment of debt
Debt issuance costs
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents
Capital contribution
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests
Net cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
For supplemental disclosures, see Note 27: “Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information.”
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
68
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$
682
$
460
$ 359
628
—
(19)
(26)
—
(37)
78
50
22
14
(143)
56
(8)
(57)
(10)
8
10
59
(27)
(179)
206
12
47
603
—
(16)
45
(229)
(7)
262
25
27
65
(16)
19
4
(57)
(8)
132
(8)
91
(15)
592
139
14
(21)
550
54
11
(23)
—
(15)
50
(5)
31
73
(82)
137
(15)
37
14
71
3
(79)
(68)
(8)
6
(48)
57
1,366
2,101
1,110
(268)
—
20
(1)
(9)
38
44
(65)
(69)
(310)
—
350
(1,424)
(9)
5
13
(5)
—
(1,070)
(14)
(28)
594
(254)
(30)
5
(10)
(4)
33
—
(44)
(78)
(382)
1,243
14,088
(17,203)
(180)
193
—
(4)
—
(1,863)
(17)
(161)
755
(433)
—
8
(4)
(3)
8
—
(31)
(103)
(558)
—
96
(854)
—
187
—
(4)
(1)
(576)
(2)
(26)
781
$
566
$
594
$ 755
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HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Equity Attributable to Hilton Stockholders
(in millions)
Balance as of December 31, 2011
Net income
Share-based compensation
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Currency translation adjustment
Pension liability adjustment
Other comprehensive loss
Distributions
Balance as of December 31, 2012
Issuance of common stock
Share-based compensation
Net income
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Currency translation adjustment
Pension liability adjustment
Cash flow hedge adjustment
Other comprehensive income
Distributions
Balance as of December 31, 2013
Share-based compensation
Net income
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Currency translation adjustment
Pension liability adjustment
Cash flow hedge adjustment
Other comprehensive income
Capital contribution
Equity contributions to consolidated
variable interest entities
Distributions
Common Stock
Shares
Amount
921
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
921
64
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
985
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
$ 1
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
9
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
10
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
$ 8,454
—
2
(4)
—
—
—
—
8,452
1,234
262
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(5,746)
—
—
415
—
—
—
—
—
9,948
101
—
(5,331)
—
673
—
—
—
—
13
(34)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Accumulated
Other
Accumulated Comprehensive Noncontrolling
Loss
Interests
Deficit
$(6,098)
352
—
—
$(489)
—
—
—
$(166)
7
—
3
14
—
14
(4)
(146)
—
—
45
18
—
—
18
(4)
(87)
—
9
5
—
—
5
—
40
(5)
Total
$1,702
359
2
(1)
138
(41)
97
(4)
2,155
1,243
262
460
94
60
6
160
(4)
4,276
101
682
(299)
(45)
(9)
(353)
13
—
(5)
124
(41)
83
—
(406)
—
—
—
76
60
6
142
—
(264)
—
—
(304)
(45)
(9)
(358)
—
(6)
—
Balance as of December 31, 2014
985
$10
$10,028
$(4,658)
$(628)
$ (38)
$4,714
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
69
All material intercompany transactions and balances
have been eliminated in consolidation. References in these
financial statements to net income (loss) attributable to
Hilton stockholders and Hilton stockholders’ equity (deficit)
do not include noncontrolling interests, which represent the
outside ownership interests of our consolidated, non-wholly
owned entities and are reported separately.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity
with United States of America (“U.S.”) generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to
make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts
reported and, accordingly, ultimate results could differ from
those estimates.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Revenue Recognition
Revenues are primarily derived from the following sources
and are generally recognized as services are rendered and
when collectibility is reasonably assured. Amounts received
in advance of revenue recognition are deferred as liabilities.
» Owned and leased hotel revenues primarily consist
of room rentals, food and beverage sales and other
ancillary goods and services from owned, leased and
consolidated non-wholly owned hotel properties.
Revenues are recorded when rooms are occupied or
goods and services have been delivered or rendered.
» Management fees represent fees earned from hotels and
timeshare properties that we manage, usually under
long-term contracts with the property owner.
Management fees from hotels usually include a base
fee, which is generally a percentage of hotel revenues,
and an incentive fee, which is typically based on a fixed
or variable percentage of hotel profits and in some
cases may be subject to a stated return threshold to
the owner, normally over a one-calendar year period.
Additionally, we receive one-time upfront fees upon
execution of certain management contracts. We recog-
nize base fees as revenue when earned in accordance
with the terms of the management agreement. For
incentive fees, we recognize those amounts that would
be due if the contract was terminated at the financial
statement date. One-time, upfront fees are recognized
when all conditions have been substantially performed
or satisfied by us. Management fees from timeshare
properties are generally a fixed percent as stated in the
management agreement and are recognized as the
services are performed.
NOTE 1
ORGANIZATION
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (“Hilton” together with its
subsidiaries, “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or the “Parent”)
was incorporated in Delaware on March 18, 2010 to hold,
directly or indirectly, all of the equity of Hilton Worldwide,
Inc. (“HWI”). The accompanying financial statements present
the consolidated financial position of Hilton, which includes
consolidation of HWI. Hilton is one of the largest hospitality
companies in the world based upon the number of hotel
rooms and timeshare units under our 12 distinct brands.
We are engaged in owning, leasing, managing, developing
and franchising hotels, resorts and timeshare properties.
As of December 31, 2014, we owned, leased, managed
or franchised 4,278 hotel and resort properties, totaling
708,268 rooms in 94 countries and territories, as well as
44 timeshare properties comprising 6,794 units.
On October 24, 2007, HWI became a wholly owned
subsidiary of an affiliate of The Blackstone Group L.P.
(“Blackstone” or “our Sponsor”), following the completion of
a merger (the “Merger”). In December 2013, we completed
a 9,205,128-for-1 stock split on issued and outstanding
shares, which is reflected in all share and per share data
presented in the consolidated financial statements and
accompanying notes, and an initial public offering (the
“IPO”). As of December 31, 2014, our Sponsor beneficially
owned approximately 55.3 percent of our common stock.
NOTE 2
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts
of Hilton, our wholly owned subsidiaries and entities in which
we have a controlling financial interest, including variable
interest entities (“VIEs”) where we are the primary beneficiary.
Entities in which we have a controlling financial interest
generally comprise majority owned real estate ownership
and management enterprises.
The determination of a controlling financial interest is
based upon the terms of the governing agreements of the
respective entities, including the evaluation of rights held by
other ownership interests. If the entity is considered to be a
VIE, we determine whether we are the primary beneficiary,
and then consolidate those VIEs for which we have deter-
mined we are the primary beneficiary. If the entity in which
we hold an interest does not meet the definition of a VIE,
we evaluate whether we have a controlling financial interest
through our voting interests in the entity. We consolidate
entities when we own more than 50 percent of the voting
shares of a company or have a controlling general partner
interest of a partnership, assuming the absence of other factors
determining control, including the ability of noncontrolling
owners to participate in or block certain decisions.
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» Franchise fees represent fees earned in connection with
the licensing of one of our hotel brands, usually under
long-term contracts with the hotel owner. We charge a
monthly franchise royalty fee, generally based on a
percentage of room revenue, as well as application and
initiation fees for new hotels entering the system. Royalty
fees for our full-service brands may also include a
percentage of gross food and beverage revenues and
other revenues, where applicable. We recognize fran-
chise fee revenue as the fees are earned, which is when
all material services or conditions have been performed
or satisfied.
» Other revenues include revenues generated by the
incidental support of hotel operations for owned, leased,
managed and franchised hotels, including purchasing
operations, and other rental income. This includes any
revenues received for vendor rebate arrangements we
participate in as a manager of hotel and
timeshare properties.
» Timeshare revenues consist of revenues generated
from our Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare business.
Timeshare revenues are principally generated from
the sale and financing of timeshare intervals. Revenue
from a deeded timeshare sale is recognized when the
customer has executed a binding sales contract, a
minimum 10 percent down payment has been received,
certain minimum sales thresholds for a timeshare
project have been attained, the purchaser’s period to
cancel for a refund has expired and the related
receivable is deemed to be collectible. We defer revenue
recognition for sales that do not meet these criteria.
During periods of construction, revenue from timeshare
sales is recognized under the percentage-of-completion
method. One of our timeshare products is accounted for
as a long-term lease with a reversionary interest, rather
than the sale of a deeded interest in real estate. In this
case, sales revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis
over the term of the lease. Revenue from the financing
of timeshare sales is recognized on the accrual method
as earned based on the outstanding principal, interest
rate and terms stated in each individual financing
agreement. See “Financing Receivables” section below
for further discussion of the policies applicable to our
timeshare financing receivables. Additionally, we receive
sales commissions from certain third-party developers
that we assist in selling their timeshare inventory. We
recognize revenue from commissions on these sales as
intervals are sold and we fulfill the service requirements
under the respective sales agreements with the devel-
opers. We also generate revenues from enrollment and
other fees, rentals of timeshare units, food and beverage
sales and other ancillary services at our timeshare
properties that are recognized when units are rented
or goods and services are delivered or rendered.
» Other revenues from managed and franchised properties
represent payroll and related costs, certain other oper-
ating costs of the managed and franchised properties’
operations, marketing expenses and other expenses
associated with our brands and shared services that are
contractually reimbursed to us by the property owners or
paid from fees collected in advance from these properties
when the costs are incurred. The corresponding expenses
are presented as other expenses from managed and
franchised properties in our consolidated statements of
operations, resulting in no effect on operating income
(loss) or net income (loss).
We are required to collect certain taxes and fees from
customers on behalf of government agencies and remit
these back to the applicable governmental agencies on a
periodic basis. We have a legal obligation to act as a col-
lection agent. We do not retain these taxes and fees and,
therefore, they are not included in revenues. We record
a liability when the amounts are collected and relieve the
liability when payments are made to the applicable taxing
authority or other appropriate governmental agency.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include all highly liquid
investments with original maturities, when purchased,
of three months or less.
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Restricted cash and cash equivalents include cash balances
established as security for certain guarantees, lender
reserves, ground rent and property tax escrows, reserves
statutorily required to be held by our captive insurance
subsidiary, and advance deposits received on timeshare sales
that are held in escrow until the contract is closed. For
purposes of our consolidated statements of cash flows,
changes in restricted cash and cash equivalents caused by
changes in lender reserves due to restrictions under our loan
agreements are shown as financing activities. The remaining
changes in restricted cash and cash equivalents are the
result of our normal operations, and, as such, are reflected
in operating activities.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
An allowance for doubtful accounts is provided on accounts
receivable when losses are probable based on historical
collection activity and current business conditions.
Inventories
Inventories comprise unsold timeshare intervals at our
timeshare properties, as well as hotel inventories consisting of
operating supplies that have a period of consumption of one
year or less, guest room items and food and beverage items.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
71
Timeshare inventory is carried at the lower of cost or
market, based on the relative sales value or net realizable
value. Capital expenditures associated with our non-lease
timeshare products are reflected as inventory until the
timeshare intervals are sold. Consistent with industry practice,
timeshare inventory is classified as a current asset despite
an operating cycle that exceeds 12 months. The majority of
sales and marketing costs incurred to sell timeshare intervals
are expensed when incurred. Certain direct and incremental
selling and marketing costs are deferred on a contract until
revenue from the interval sale has been recognized.
In accordance with the accounting standards for costs and
the initial rental operations of real estate projects, we use
the relative sales value method of costing our timeshare
sales and relieving inventory. In addition, we continually
assess our timeshare inventory and, if necessary, impose
pricing adjustments to modify sales pace. It is possible that
any future changes in our development and sales strategies
could have a material effect on the carrying value of certain
projects and inventory. We monitor our projects and
inventory on an ongoing basis and complete an evaluation
each reporting period to ensure that the inventory is stated
at the lower of cost or market.
Hotel inventories are generally valued at the lower of cost
(using “first-in, first-out”, or FIFO) or market.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost and interest
applicable to major construction or development projects
is capitalized. Costs of improvements that extend the
economic life or improve service potential are also capitalized.
Capitalized costs are depreciated over their estimated useful
lives. Costs for normal repairs and maintenance are
expensed as incurred.
Depreciation is recorded using the straight-line method
over the assets’ estimated useful lives, which are generally as
follows: buildings and improvements (8 to 40 years), furniture
and equipment (3 to 8 years) and computer equipment and
acquired software (3 years). Leasehold improvements are
depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful life,
based on the estimates above, or the lease term.
We evaluate the carrying value of our property and
equipment if there are indicators of potential impairment.
We perform an analysis to determine the recoverability of
the asset’s carrying value by comparing the expected undis-
counted future cash flows to the net book value of the asset.
If it is determined that the expected undiscounted future
cash flows are less than the net book value of the asset, the
excess of the net book value over the estimated fair value is
recorded in our consolidated statements of operations
within impairment losses. Fair value is generally estimated
using valuation techniques that consider the discounted
cash flows of the asset using discount and capitalization
rates deemed reasonable for the type of asset, as well as
prevailing market conditions, appraisals, recent similar
transactions in the market and, if appropriate and available,
current estimated net sales proceeds from pending offers.
If sufficient information exists to reasonably estimate the fair
value of a conditional asset retirement obligation, including
environmental remediation liabilities, we recognize the fair
value of the obligation when the obligation is incurred, which
is generally upon acquisition, construction or development
and/or through the normal operation of the asset.
Assets Held for Sale
We classify a property as held for sale when we commit to a
plan to sell the asset, the sale of the asset is probable within
one year, and it is unlikely that actions to complete the sale
will change or that the sale will be withdrawn. When we
determine that classification of an asset as held for sale is
appropriate, we cease recording depreciation for the asset.
Further, the related assets and liabilities of the held for sale
property will be classified as assets held for sale in our con-
solidated balance sheets. Any gains on sales of properties
are recognized at the time of sale or deferred and recognized
in net income (loss) in subsequent periods as any relevant
conditions requiring deferral are satisfied.
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Financing Receivables
We define financing receivables as financing arrangements
that represent a contractual right to receive money either
on demand or on fixed or determinable dates, which are
recognized as an asset in our consolidated balance sheets.
We record all financing receivables at amortized cost in
current and long-term financing receivables. We recognize
interest income as earned and provide an allowance for
cancellations and defaults. We have divided our financing
receivables into two portfolio segments based on the level
of aggregation at which we develop and document a sys-
tematic methodology to determine the allowance for credit
losses. Based on their initial measurement, risk characteris-
tics and our method for monitoring and assessing credit risk,
we have determined the classes of financing receivables to
correspond to our identified portfolio segments as follows:
» Timeshare financing receivables comprise loans related
to our financing of timeshare interval sales and secured
by the underlying timeshare properties. We determine
our timeshare financing receivables to be past due based
on the contractual terms of the individual mortgage
loans. We recognize interest income on our timeshare
financing receivables as earned. The interest rate
charged on the notes correlates to the risk profile of the
borrower at the time of purchase and the percentage
of the purchase that is financed, among other factors.
We record an estimate of uncollectibility as a reduction
of sales revenue at the time revenue is recognized on
a timeshare interval sale. We evaluate this portfolio
collectively, since we hold a large group of homogeneous
timeshare financing receivables, which are individually
immaterial. We monitor the credit quality of our
receivables on an ongoing basis. There are no significant
concentrations of credit risk with any individual
counterparty or groups of counterparties. With the
exception of the financing provided to customers of
our timeshare business, we do not normally require col-
lateral or other security to support credit sales. We use a
technique referred to as static pool analysis as the basis
for determining our general reserve requirements on
our timeshare financing receivables. The adequacy of
the related allowance is determined by management
through analysis of several factors, such as current
economic conditions and industry trends, as well as the
specific risk characteristics of the portfolio including
assumed default rates, aging and historical write-offs of
these receivables. The allowance is maintained at a level
deemed adequate by management based on a periodic
analysis of the mortgage portfolio. Once a note is
90 days past due or is determined to be uncollectible
prior to 90 days past due, we cease accruing interest
and reverse the accrued interest recognized up to that
point. We apply payments we receive for loans, including
those in non-accrual status, to amounts due in the
following order: servicing fees, late charges, interest and
principal. We resume interest accrual for loans for which
we had previously ceased accruing interest once the
loan is less than 90 days past due. We fully reserve for
a timeshare financing receivable in the month following
the date that the loan is 120 days past due and, subse-
quently, we write off the uncollectible note against the
reserve once the foreclosure process is complete and
we receive the deed for the foreclosed unit.
» Other financing receivables primarily comprise individual
loans and other types of unsecured financing arrange-
ments provided to hotel owners. We individually assess
all financing receivables in this portfolio for collectibility
and impairment. We measure loan impairment based
on the present value of expected future cash flows
discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. For
impaired loans, we establish a specific impairment
reserve for the difference between the recorded
investment in the loan and the present value of the
expected future cash flows. We do not recognize
interest income on unsecured financing to hotel owners
for notes that are greater than 90 days past due and
only resume interest recognition if the financing
receivable becomes current. We fully reserve unsecured
financing to hotel owners when we determine that the
receivables are uncollectible and when all commercially
reasonable means of recovering the receivable balances
have been exhausted.
Investments in Affiliates
We hold investments in affiliates that primarily own or lease
hotels under one of our 12 distinct hotel brands. If the entity
does not meet the definition of a VIE, we evaluate our voting
interest or general partnership interest to determine if we
have a controlling financial interest in the entity. Investments
in affiliates over which we exercise significant influence, but
lack a controlling financial interest, are accounted for using
the equity method. We account for investments using the
equity method when we own more than a minimal invest-
ment, but have no more than a 50 percent voting interest or
do not otherwise control the investment. Investments in
affiliates over which we are not able to exercise significant
influence are accounted for under the cost method.
Our proportionate share of earnings (losses) from our
equity method investments is presented as equity in earnings
(losses) from unconsolidated affiliates in our consolidated
statements of operations. Distributions from investments
in unconsolidated entities are presented as an operating
activity in our consolidated statements of cash flows when
such distributions are a return on investment. Distributions
from unconsolidated affiliates are recorded as an investing
activity in our consolidated statements of cash flows when
such distributions are a return of investment.
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73
We assess the recoverability of our equity method and
cost method investments if there are indicators of potential
impairment. If an identified event or change in circumstances
requires an evaluation to determine if an investment may
have an other-than-temporary impairment, we assess the
fair value of the investment based on accepted valuation
methodologies, which include discounted cash flows,
estimates of sales proceeds and external appraisals. If an
investment’s fair value is below its carrying value and the
decline is considered to be other-than-temporary, we will
recognize an impairment loss in equity in earnings (losses)
from unconsolidated affiliates for equity method investments
or impairment losses for cost method investments in our
consolidated statements of operations.
In connection with the Merger, we recorded our equity
method investments at their estimated fair value, which
resulted in an increase to our historical basis in those entities,
primarily as a result of an increase in the fair value of the real
estate assets of the investee entities. The basis difference,
which is adjusted for impairment losses as they occur, is being
amortized as a component of equity in earnings (losses)
from unconsolidated affiliates over a period of approximately
40 years.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the future economic benefits arising
from other assets acquired in a business combination that
are not individually identified and separately recognized.
We do not amortize goodwill, but rather evaluate goodwill
for potential impairment on an annual basis or at other
times during the year if events or circumstances indicate that
it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting
unit is below the carrying amount.
We review the carrying value of our goodwill by comparing
the carrying value of our reporting units to their fair value.
Our reporting units are the same as our operating segments
as described in Note 24: “Business Segments”. We perform
this evaluation annually or at an interim date if indicators
of impairment exist. In any year we may elect to perform a
qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely
than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is in excess of
its carrying value. If we cannot determine qualitatively that
the fair value is in excess of the carrying value, or we decide
to bypass the qualitative assessment, we proceed to the
two-step quantitative process. In the first step, we determine
the fair value of each of our reporting units. The valuation is
based on internal projections of expected future cash flows
and operating plans, as well as market conditions relative
to the operations of our reporting units. If the estimated fair
value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount,
goodwill of the reporting unit is not impaired and the second
step of the impairment test is not necessary. However, if the
carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated
fair value, then the second step must be performed. In the
second step, we estimate the implied fair value of goodwill,
which is determined by taking the fair value of the reporting
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
unit and allocating it to all of its assets and liabilities
(including any unrecognized intangible assets) as if the
reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination.
If the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s goodwill
exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, the excess is
recognized within impairment losses in our consolidated
statements of operations.
Brands
We own, operate and franchise hotels under our portfolio
of brands. There are no legal, regulatory, contractual,
competitive, economic or other factors that limit the useful
lives of these brands and, accordingly, the useful lives of
these brands are considered to be indefinite. Our hotel
brand portfolio includes Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts,
Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Hilton Hotels
& Resorts, Curio—A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by
Hilton (including DoubleTree Suites by Hilton), Embassy
Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels (including
Hampton Inn & Suites and, outside of the U.S., Hampton by
Hilton), Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by
Hilton. In addition, we also develop and operate timeshare
properties under our Hilton Grand Vacations brand.
At the time of the Merger, our brands were assigned a fair
value based on a common valuation technique known as
the relief from royalty approach. Home2 Suites by Hilton,
Curio—A Collection by Hilton and Canopy by Hilton were
launched post-Merger and, as such, they were not assigned
fair values. We evaluate our brands for impairment on an
annual basis or at other times during the year if events or
circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that
the fair value of the brand is below the carrying value. If a
brand’s estimated current fair value is less than its respective
carrying value, the excess of the carrying value over the
estimated fair value is recognized in our consolidated
statements of operations within impairment losses.
Intangible Assets with Finite Useful Lives
We have certain finite lived intangible assets that were
initially recorded at their fair value at the time of the Merger.
These intangible assets consist of management agreements,
franchise contracts, leases, certain proprietary technologies
and our guest loyalty program, Hilton HHonors. Additionally,
we capitalize management and franchise contract acquisition
costs as finite-lived intangible assets. Intangible assets
with finite useful lives are amortized using the straight-line
method over their respective estimated useful lives.
We capitalize costs incurred to develop internal-use
computer software. Internal and external costs incurred in
connection with development of upgrades or enhancements
that result in additional functionality are also capitalized.
These capitalized costs are amortized on a straight-line
basis over the estimated useful life of the software. These
capitalized costs are recorded in other intangible assets
in our consolidated balance sheets.
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We review all finite lived intangible assets for impairment
when circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts
may not be recoverable. If the carrying value of an asset
group is not recoverable, we recognize an impairment loss
for the excess of carrying value over the fair value in our
consolidated statements of operations.
Hilton HHonors
Hilton HHonors is a guest loyalty program provided to
hotels. Most of our owned, leased, managed and franchised
hotels and timeshare properties participate in the Hilton
HHonors program. Hilton HHonors members earn points
based on their spending at our participating hotel and
timeshare properties and through participation in affiliated
partner programs. When points are earned by Hilton
HHonors members, the property or affiliated partner pays
Hilton HHonors based on an estimated cost per point for
the costs of operating the program, which include marketing,
promotion, communication, administration and the esti-
mated cost of award redemptions. Hilton HHonors member
points are accumulated and may be redeemed for certificates
that entitle the holder to the right to stay at participating
properties, as well as other opportunities with third parties,
including, but not limited to, airlines, car rentals, cruises,
vacation packages, shopping and dining. We provide Hilton
HHonors as a marketing program to participating hotels,
with the objective of operating the program on a break-even
basis to us.
Hilton HHonors defers revenue received from participating
hotels and program partners in an amount equal to the esti-
mated cost per point of the future redemption obligation.
We engage outside actuaries to assist in determining the
fair value of the future award redemption obligation using
statistical formulas that project future point redemptions
based on factors that include historical experience, an
estimate of “breakage” (points that will never be redeemed),
an estimate of the points that will eventually be redeemed
and the cost of reimbursing hotels and other third parties
in respect to other redemption opportunities available to
members. Revenue is recognized by participating hotels and
resorts only when points that have been redeemed for hotel
stay certificates are used by members or their designees at
the respective properties. Additionally, when members of the
Hilton HHonors loyalty program redeem award certificates
at our owned and leased hotels, we recognize room revenue,
included in owned and leased hotels revenues in our
consolidated statements of operations.
Fair Value Measurements—Valuation Hierarchy
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received
to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly
transaction between market participants on the measure-
ment date (an exit price). We use the three-level valuation
hierarchy for classification of fair value measurements.
The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency
of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the
measurement date. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions
that market participants would use in pricing an asset
or liability. Inputs may be observable or unobservable.
Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions
market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability
developed based on market data obtained from independent
sources. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect our own
assumptions about the assumptions market participants
would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based
on the best information available in the circumstances.
The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized below:
» Level 1—Valuation is based upon quoted prices
(unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in
active markets.
» Level 2—Valuation is based upon quoted prices for
similar assets and liabilities in active markets, or other
inputs that are observable for the asset or liability,
either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term
of the instrument.
» Level 3—Valuation is based upon other unobservable
inputs that are significant to the fair value measurement.
The classification of assets and liabilities within the valuation
hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is
significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
Proper classification of fair value measurements within the
valuation hierarchy is considered each reporting period.
The use of different market assumptions or estimation
methods may have a material effect on the estimated
fair value amounts.
Derivative Instruments
We use derivative instruments as part of our overall strategy
to manage our exposure to market risks associated with
fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange
rates. We regularly monitor the financial stability and credit
standing of the counterparties to our derivative instruments.
Under the terms of certain loan agreements, we are required
to maintain derivative financial instruments to manage
interest rates. We do not enter into derivative financial
instruments for trading or speculative purposes.
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Currency Translation
The United States Dollar (“USD”) is our reporting currency
and is the functional currency of our consolidated and
unconsolidated entities operating in the U.S. The functional
currency for our consolidated and unconsolidated entities
operating outside of the U.S. is the currency of the primary
economic environment in which the respective entity
operates. Assets and liabilities measured in foreign currencies
are translated into USD at the prevailing exchange rates in
effect as of the financial statement date and the related
gains and losses, net of applicable deferred income taxes, are
reflected in accumulated other comprehensive loss in our
consolidated balance sheets. Income and expense accounts
are translated at the average exchange rate for the period.
Gains and losses from foreign exchange rate changes related
to transactions denominated in a currency other than an
entity’s function currency or intercompany receivables and
payables denominated in a currency other than an entity’s
functional currency that are not of a long-term investment
nature are recognized as gain (loss) on foreign currency
transactions in our consolidated statements of operations.
Where certain specific evidence indicates intercompany
receivables and payables will not be settled in the foreseeable
future and are of a long-term nature, gains and losses from
foreign exchange rate changes are recognized as other
comprehensive income (loss) in our consolidated statements
of comprehensive income (loss).
Self-Insurance
We are self-insured or assume deductibles for various levels
of general liability, auto liability and workers’ compensation
at our owned properties. Additionally, the majority of employ-
ees at managed hotels, of which we are the employer,
participate in our general liability and auto liability programs.
We purchase insurance coverage for claim amounts that
exceed our self-insured or deductible obligations. Our
insurance reserves are accrued based on estimates of the
ultimate cost of claims that occurred during the covered
period, which includes claims incurred but not reported, for
which we will be responsible. These estimates are prepared
with the assistance of outside actuaries and consultants.
The ultimate cost of claims for a covered period may differ
from our original estimates. Our provision for insured events
for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012
was $37 million, $38 million and $27 million, respectively.
Our insured claims and adjustments paid for the years ended
December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were $43 million,
$36 million and $37 million, respectively.
We record all derivatives at fair value. On the date the
derivative contract is entered, we designate the derivative as
one of the following: a hedge of a forecasted transaction
or the variability of cash flows to be paid (“cash flow hedge”),
a hedge of the fair value of a recognized asset or liability
(“fair value hedge”), a hedge of our foreign currency exposure
(“net investment hedge”) or an undesignated hedge instru-
ment. Changes in the fair value of a derivative that is qualified,
designated and highly effective as a cash flow hedge or
net investment hedge are recorded in other comprehensive
income (loss) in the consolidated statements of compre-
hensive income (loss) until they are reclassified into earnings
in the same period or periods during which the hedged
transaction affects earnings. Changes in the fair value of a
derivative that is qualified, designated and highly effective
as a fair value hedge, along with the gain or loss on the
hedged asset or liability that is attributable to the hedged
risk, are recorded in current period earnings. Changes in the
fair value of undesignated derivative instruments and the
ineffective portion of designated derivative instruments
are reported in current period earnings. Cash flows from
designated derivative financial instruments are classified
within the same category as the item being hedged in the
consolidated statements of cash flows. Cash flows from
undesignated derivative financial instruments are included
as an investing activity in our consolidated statements of
cash flows.
If we determine that we qualify for and will designate a
derivative as a hedging instrument, at the designation date
we formally document all relationships between hedging
activities, including the risk management objective and
strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. This
process includes matching all derivatives that are designated
as cash flow hedges to specific forecasted transactions,
linking all derivatives designated as fair value hedges to
specific assets and liabilities in our consolidated balance
sheets and determining the foreign currency exposure
of the net investment of the foreign operation for a net
investment hedge.
On a quarterly basis, we assess the effectiveness of our
designated hedges in offsetting the variability in the cash
flows or fair values of the hedged assets or obligations using
the Hypothetical Derivative Method. This method compares
the cumulative change in fair value of each hedging instru-
ment to the cumulative change in fair value of a hypothetical
hedging instrument, which has terms that identically match
the critical terms of the respective hedged transactions.
Thus, the hypothetical hedging instrument is presumed
to perfectly offset the hedged cash flows. Ineffectiveness
results when the cumulative change in the fair value of
the hedging instrument exceeds the cumulative change
in the fair value of the hypothetical hedging instrument.
We discontinue hedge accounting prospectively, when the
derivative is not highly effective as a hedge, the underlying
hedged transaction is no longer probable, or the hedging
instrument expires, is sold, terminated or exercised.
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Share-based Compensation
As part of our 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Stock
Plan”), which was adopted on December 11, 2013, we have
awarded time-vesting restricted stock units (“RSUs”), non-
qualified stock options (“options”) and performance-vesting
restricted stock units (“performance shares”) to eligible
employees and directors.
» RSUs vest in annual installments over two or three
years from the date of grant, subject to the individual’s
continued employment through the applicable vesting
date. Vested RSUs generally will be settled for our
common stock, with the exception of certain awards
that will be settled in cash. The grant date fair value is
equal to the closing stock price on the date of grant.
» Options vest over three years in equal annual
installments from the date of grant, subject to the
individual’s continued employment through the
applicable vesting date, and will terminate 10 years
from the date of grant or earlier if the individual’s
service terminates. The exercise price is equal to the
closing price of the Company’s common stock on the
date of grant. The grant date fair value is estimated
using the Black-Scholes-Merton Model.
» Performance shares are settled at the end of a three-year
performance period with 50 percent of the shares
subject to achievement based on a measure of (1) the
Company’s total shareholder return relative to the total
shareholder return of members of a peer company
group (“relative shareholder return”) and the other
50 percent of the shares subject to achievement based
on (2) the Company’s earnings before interest expense,
taxes and depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”)
compound annual growth rate (“EBITDA CAGR”). The
total number of performance shares that vest based on
each performance measure (relative shareholder return
and EBITDA CAGR) is based on an achievement factor
that in each case, ranges from a zero to 200 percent
payout. The grant date fair value of the relative share-
holder return awards is estimated using the Monte
Carlo Simulation, and the grant date fair value for the
EBITDA CAGR awards is equal to the closing stock
price on the date of grant.
We recognize the cost of services received in these
share-based payment transactions with employees as services
are received and recognize either a corresponding increase
in additional paid-in capital or accounts payable, accrued
expenses and other in our consolidated balance sheets,
depending on whether the instruments granted satisfy the
equity or liability classification criteria. The measurement
objective for these equity awards is the estimated fair value
at the grant date of the equity instruments that we are
obligated to issue when employees have rendered the
requisite service and satisfied any other conditions necessary
to earn the right to benefit from the instruments. The
compensation expense for an award classified as an equity
instrument is recognized ratably over the requisite service
period, including an estimate of forfeitures. The requisite
service period is the period during which an employee is
required to provide service in exchange for an award.
Liability awards are measured based on the award’s fair
value, and the fair value is remeasured at each reporting
date until the date of settlement. Compensation expense
for each period until settlement is based on the change
(or a portion of the change, depending on the percentage of
the requisite service that has been rendered at the reporting
date) in the fair value of the instrument for each reporting
period, including an estimate of forfeitures. Forfeiture rates
are estimated based on historical employee terminations for
each grant cycle. Compensation expense for awards with
performance conditions is recognized over the requisite
service period if it is probable that the performance condition
will be satisfied. If such performance conditions are not
considered probable until they occur, no compensation
expense for these awards is recognized.
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes using the asset and liability
method. The objectives of accounting for income taxes are
to recognize the amount of taxes payable or refundable for
the current year, to recognize the deferred tax assets and
liabilities that relate to tax consequences in future years,
which result from differences between the respective tax
basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting
amounts, and tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred
tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax
rates in effect for the year in which the respective temporary
differences or operating loss or tax credit carry forwards
are expected to be recovered or settled. The realization of
deferred tax assets and tax loss and tax credit carry forwards
is contingent upon the generation of future taxable income
and other restrictions that may exist under the tax laws of
the jurisdiction in which a deferred tax asset exists. Valuation
allowances are provided to reduce such deferred tax assets
to amounts more likely than not to be ultimately realized.
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77
In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-05
(“ASU 2013-05”), Foreign Currency Matters (Topic 830): Parent’s
Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon
Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a
Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity. The ASU
clarifies when a cumulative translation adjustment should
be released to net income when a parent either sells a part
or all of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds
a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of
assets that is a nonprofit activity or a business (other than
a sale of in substance real estate) within a foreign entity.
The provisions of ASU 2013-05 are effective for reporting
periods beginning after December 15, 2013. The adoption
did not have a material effect on our consolidated
financial statements.
Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15
(“ASU 2014-15”), Presentation of Financial Statements—Going
Concern (Subtopic 205-40): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an
Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern. This ASU requires
management to assess and evaluate whether conditions
or events exist, considered in the aggregate, that raise
substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a
going concern within one year after the financial statements
issue date. The provisions of ASU 2014-15 are effective
for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and
for annual and interim periods thereafter; early adoption is
permitted. The adoption of ASU 2014-15 is not expected to
have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09
(“ASU 2014-09”), Revenue from Contracts with Customers
(Topic 606). This ASU supersedes the revenue recognition
requirements in “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605),” and
requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts
the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in
an amount that reflects the consideration to which the
entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods
or services. The provisions of ASU 2014-09 are effective
for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016,
including interim periods within that reporting period and
are to be applied retrospectively; early application is not
permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect that this
ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements.
We use a prescribed recognition threshold and measurement
attribute for the financial statement recognition and
measurement of a tax position taken in a tax return. For all
income tax positions, we first determine whether it is
“more-likely-than-not” that a tax position will be sustained
upon examination, including resolution of any related
appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits
of the position. If it is determined that a position meets the
more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the benefit
recognized in the financial statements is measured as the
largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent
likely of being realized upon settlement.
Business Combinations
In conjunction with business combinations, we record
the assets acquired, liabilities assumed and noncontrolling
interests at fair value as of the acquisition date, including any
contingent consideration. Furthermore, acquisition-related
costs, such as due diligence, legal and accounting fees, are
expensed in the period incurred and are not capitalized or
applied in determining the fair value of the acquired assets.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Adopted Accounting Standards
In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”)
No. 2014-08 (“ASU 2014-08”), Presentation of Financial
Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant and Equipment
(Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures
of Disposals of Components of an Entity. This ASU amends
guidance on reporting discontinued operations only if the
disposal of a component of an entity or group of components
of an entity represents a strategic shift that has (or will have)
a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results.
The provisions of ASU 2014-08 should be applied prospec-
tively for all disposals of components of an entity and for all
businesses that, on acquisition, are classified as held for sale
that occurred within annual periods beginning on or after
December 15, 2014, and interim periods within. We have
elected, as permitted by the standard, to early adopt ASU
2014-08 effective for components disposed of or held for
sale on or after October 1, 2014. The adoption did not have
a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11
(“ASU 2013-11”), Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an
Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward,
a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists. This ASU
provides guidance on the financial statement presentation
of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss
carryforward, a similar tax loss or a tax credit carryforward
exists in the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional
income taxes that would result from disallowance of the
tax position. The provisions of ASU 2013-11 are effective,
prospectively, for reporting periods beginning after
December 15, 2013. The adoption of this ASU resulted in the
reclassification of $108 million of unrecognized tax benefits
against deferred income tax assets.
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See Note 17: “Fair Value Measurements” for additional
details on the fair value techniques and inputs used for the
remeasurement of the assets and liabilities.
The results of operations from the five wholly owned hotels
included in the consolidated statement of operations for the
year ended December 31, 2014 following the exchange
were not material.
Hilton Bradford
In October 2013, we purchased the land and building
associated with the Hilton Bradford, which we previously
leased under a capital lease, for a cash payment of British
Pound Sterling (“GBP”) 9 million, or approximately $15 million.
As a result of the acquisition, we released our capital lease
obligation of $17 million and recognized a gain of $2 million
that was included in other gain, net in our consolidated state-
ment of operations for the year ended December 31, 2013.
Land Parcel Acquisition
In April 2013, we acquired a parcel of land for $28 million,
which we previously leased under a long-term ground lease.
Hilton Odawara
In December 2012, we purchased the remaining
53.5 percent ownership interest in the entity that leased
the Hilton Odawara for a cash payment of Japanese Yen
155 million, or approximately $1 million. Prior to the acquisition,
we were considered to be the primary beneficiary of this VIE
and, as such, the entity was consolidated in our consolidated
financial statements. Upon completion of the acquisition,
we wholly owned the entity, which resulted in a decrease
of approximately $4 million to additional paid-in capital.
In conjunction with this acquisition, the entity executed a
binding purchase agreement with the owner of the Hilton
Odawara to purchase the building and the surrounding land.
However, the closing of the sale, which will include the
exchange of cash and the acquisition of the title by Hilton, will
not occur until December 2015. As a result of this purchase
agreement and other factors, the Hilton Odawara lease,
which was previously accounted for as an operating lease,
was recorded as a capital lease asset and obligation of
$15 million as of December 31, 2012.
NOTE 3: ACQUISITIONS
Equity Investments Exchange
We had a portfolio of 11 hotels we owned through
noncontrolling interests in equity investments with one other
partner. In July 2014, we entered into an agreement to
exchange with our partner our ownership interest in six of
these hotels for the remaining interest in the other five hotels.
As a result of this exchange, we have a 100 percent owner-
ship interest in five of the 11 hotels and no longer have any
ownership interest in the remaining six hotels. The following
lists all 11 hotels involved in this exchange, including
pre-exchange and post-exchange ownership percentages:
Property
Embassy Suites Atlanta –
Perimeter Center
Embassy Suites Kansas City –
Overland Park
Embassy Suites Kansas City –
Plaza
Embassy Suites Parsippany
Embassy Suites San Rafael –
Marin County
Embassy Suites Austin –
Central
Embassy Suites Chicago –
Lombard/Oak Brook
Embassy Suites Raleigh –
Crabtree
Embassy Suites San Antonio –
International Airport
Embassy Suites San Antonio –
NW I-10
DoubleTree Guest Suites Austin
Pre-Exchange
Ownership %
Post-Exchange
Ownership %
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
50%
10%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
—%
—%
—%
—%
—%
—%
This transaction was accounted for as a business combination
achieved in stages, resulting in a remeasurement gain based
upon the fair values of the equity investments. The carrying
values of these equity investments immediately before the
exchange were $59 million, and the fair values of these
equity investments immediately before the exchange were
$83 million, resulting in a pre-tax gain of $24 million recog-
nized in other gain, net in our consolidated statement of
operations for the year ended December 31, 2014. We also
incurred transaction-related costs of $1 million recognized in
other gain, net in our consolidated statement of operations for
the year ended December 31, 2014. Following the exchange,
we consolidated the five hotels we owned 100 percent.
The fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired as a result
of the exchange were as follows:
(in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents
Property and equipment
Other intangible assets
Long-term debt
Net assets acquired
$
2
144
1
(64)
$ 83
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
79
NOTE 4
ASSETS HELD FOR SALE AND DISPOSALS
Waldorf Astoria New York
In October 2014, we announced the agreement to sell
the Waldorf Astoria New York, a wholly owned hotel, for
a purchase price of $1.95 billion, which is payable in cash
at closing and is subject to customary pro rations and
adjustments. The buyer provided a $100 million cash deposit,
which was held in escrow as earnest money. The transaction
closed in February 2015. For further discussion see Note 30:
“Subsequent Events” in our consolidated financial statements.
Assets and liabilities held for sale related to the Waldorf
Astoria New York, which is part of our ownership segment,
were as follows as of December 31, 2014:
(in millions)
Assets:
Current assets held for sale(1)
Property and equipment, net held for sale:
Land
Buildings and leasehold improvements
Furniture and equipment
Construction-in-progress
Accumulated depreciation and amortization
Total property and equipment, net held for sale
Total assets held for sale
Liabilities:
Current liabilities related to assets held for sale(2)
Total liabilities held for sale
$
42
1,057
588
64
6
1,715
(172)
1,543
$1,585
$
$
36
36
(1) Amounts included in other current assets in our consolidated balance sheet
as of December 31, 2014.
(2) Amounts included in accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other in our
consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014.
Sale of Other Property and Equipment
During the year ended December 31, 2014, we completed
the sale of two hotels for approximately $9 million and a
vacant parcel of land for approximately $6 million. As a result
of these sales, we recognized a pre-tax gain of $13 million,
including the reclassification of a currency translation
adjustment of $3 million, which was previously recognized in
accumulated other comprehensive loss. The gain was
included in other gain, net in our consolidated statement of
operations. Additionally, we completed the sale of certain
land and easement rights to a related party in connection
with a timeshare project. As a result, the related party
acquired the rights to the name, plans, designs, contracts
and other documents related to the timeshare project. The
total consideration received for this transaction was approx-
imately $37 million. We recognized $13 million, net of tax, as
a capital contribution within additional paid-in capital, rep-
resenting the excess of the fair value of the consideration
received over the carrying value of the assets sold.
Sale of Investments in Affiliates
During the year ended December 31, 2013, we completed
the sale of our 25 percent equity interest in a joint venture
entity that owns a hotel for $17 million. As a result of the
sale, we recognized a pre-tax loss of $1 million, including
the reclassification of a currency translation adjustment of
$14 million, which was previously recognized in accumulated
other comprehensive loss. The loss was included in other
gain, net in our consolidated statement of operations.
NOTE 5
INVENTORIES
Inventories were as follows:
(in millions)
Timeshare
Hotel
NOTE 6
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
Property and equipment were as follows:
(in millions)
Land
Buildings and leasehold improvements
Furniture and equipment
Construction-in-progress
Accumulated depreciation and amortization
December 31,
2014
$380
24
$404
2013
$371
25
$396
December 31,
2014
2013
$ 3,009
5,150
1,140
53
$ 4,098
5,511
1,172
67
9,352
(1,869)
10,848
(1,790)
$ 7,483
$ 9,058
Depreciation and amortization expense on property and
equipment, including amortization of assets recorded under
capital leases, was $313 million, $318 million and $290 million
during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and
2012, respectively.
As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, property and equipment
included approximately $149 million and $130 million, respec-
tively, of capital lease assets primarily consisting of buildings
and leasehold improvements, net of accumulated depreciation
and amortization of $64 million and $59 million, respectively.
The following table details the impairment losses recognized
on our assets included in property and equipment, by prop-
erty type, for the year ended December 31, 2012:
(in millions)
Owned and leased hotels
Corporate office facilities
$42
11
$53
We estimated the fair values of the assets for which
impairment losses were recognized during the year ended
December 31, 2012 using a discounted cash flow analysis
based on significant unobservable inputs.
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NOTE 7
FINANCING RECEIVABLES
Financing receivables were as follows:
(in millions)
Financing receivables
Less: allowance
Current portion of
financing receivables
Less: allowance
Total financing
receivables
(in millions)
Financing receivables
Less: allowance
Current portion of
financing receivables
Less: allowance
Total financing
receivables
December 31, 2014
Securitized Unsecuritized
Timeshare Timeshare
$430
(24)
406
66
(4)
62
$454
(58)
396
74
(10)
64
Other
$22
(2)
20
2
—
2
Total
$906
(84)
822
142
(14)
128
$468
$460
$22
$950
December 31, 2013
Securitized Unsecuritized
Timeshare Timeshare
$205
(11)
194
29
(2)
27
$654
(67)
587
106
(12)
94
Other
$49
(1)
48
—
—
—
Total
$908
(79)
829
135
(14)
121
$221
$681
$48
$950
Timeshare Financing Receivables
As of December 31, 2014, we had 52,299 timeshare
notes outstanding with interest rates ranging from zero to
20.50 percent, an average interest rate of 12.15 percent,
a weighted average remaining term of 7.4 years and
maturities through 2025. As of December 31, 2014 and
2013, we had ceased accruing interest on timeshare notes
with aggregate principal balances of $31 million and
$32 million, respectively.
In June 2014, we completed a securitization of approximately
$357 million of gross timeshare financing receivables and
issued approximately $304 million of 1.77 percent notes and
approximately $46 million of 2.07 percent notes, which have
a stated maturity date in November 2026. The securitization
transaction did not qualify as a sale for accounting purposes
and, accordingly, no gain or loss was recognized. In August
2013, we completed a securitization of approximately
$255 million of gross timeshare financing receivables and
issued $250 million of 2.28 percent notes that have a
stated maturity date in January 2026. The proceeds from
both transactions are presented as debt (collectively, the
“Securitized Timeshare Debt”). See Note 13: “Debt” for
additional details.
In May 2013, we entered into a revolving non-recourse
timeshare financing receivables credit facility (“Timeshare
Facility”) that is secured by certain of our timeshare
financing receivables. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013,
we had $164 million and $492 million, respectively, of
gross timeshare financing receivables secured under our
Timeshare Facility.
The changes in our allowance for uncollectible timeshare
financing receivables were as follows:
(in millions)
Balance as of December 31, 2011
Write-offs
Provision for uncollectibles on sales
Balance as of December 31, 2012
Write-offs
Provision for uncollectibles on sales
Balance as of December 31, 2013
Write-offs
Provision for uncollectibles on sales
Balance as of December 31, 2014
$ 97
(33)
29
93
(25)
24
92
(30)
34
$ 96
Our timeshare financing receivables as of December 31,
2014 mature as follows:
(in millions)
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Thereafter
Less: allowance
Securitized Unsecuritized
Timeshare
Timeshare
$ 66
68
70
70
66
156
496
(28)
$468
$ 74
54
56
57
55
232
528
(68)
$460
The following table details an aged analysis of our gross
timeshare financing receivables balance:
(in millions)
Current
30-89 days past due
90-119 days past due
120 days and greater past due
December 31,
2014
$ 980
13
2
29
$1,024
2013
$948
14
4
28
$994
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NOTE 8
INVESTMENTS IN AFFILIATES
Investments in affiliates were as follows:
(in millions)
Equity investments
Other investments
December 31,
2014
$153
17
$170
2013
$245
15
$260
We maintain investments in affiliates accounted for
under the equity method, which are primarily investments
n entities that owned or leased 16 and 30 hotels as of
December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
The equity investments had total debt of approximately
$0.9 billion and $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2014 and
2013, respectively. Substantially all of the debt is secured
solely by the affiliates’ assets or is guaranteed by other
partners without recourse to us. We were the creditor on
$2 million and $17 million of total debt from unconsolidated
affiliates as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively,
which was included in financing receivables, net in our
consolidated balance sheets.
In July 2014, we exchanged our noncontrolling ownership
interest in six hotels, held as part of a portfolio that owned
11 hotels previously classified in investments in affiliates and
accounted for under the equity method, for the remaining
interest in the other five hotels, the acquisition of which we
accounted for as a business combination. See Note 3:
“Acquisitions” for additional details.
We recorded $19 million and $1 million of impairment losses
on certain equity and cost method investments during the
year ended December 31, 2012, respectively, which were
included in equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated
affiliates and impairment losses, respectively, in our
consolidated statements of operations.
The unamortized basis difference from the Merger was
$55 million and $119 million, as of December 31, 2014 and
2013, respectively. We estimate our future amortization
expense to be approximately $2 million per year for the
remaining amortization period.
NOTE 9
CONSOLIDATED VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
As of December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, we consolidated
five, four and three VIEs, respectively. During the years ended
December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, we did not provide
any financial or other support to any VIEs that we were not
previously contractually required to provide, nor do we
intend to provide such support in the future.
Two of our VIEs lease hotels from unconsolidated affiliates
in Japan. We hold a significant ownership interest in these
VIEs and have the power to direct the activities that most
significantly affect their economic performance. Our con-
solidated balance sheets included the assets and liabilities
of these entities, which primarily comprised the following:
(in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents
Property and equipment, net
Non-recourse debt
December 31,
2014
$ 26
49
237
2013
$ 42
26
284
The assets of these entities are only available to settle
the obligations of these entities. Interest expense related
to the non-recourse debt of these two consolidated VIEs
was $18 million, $28 million and $33 million during the
years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, and was
included in interest expense in our consolidated statements
of operations.
In September 2014, we acquired an additional ownership
interest in one of our consolidated VIEs in Japan. The effect
of this acquisition was recognized during the year ended
December 31, 2014, resulting in a decrease in additional
paid-in capital of $6 million, a decrease in accumulated
other comprehensive loss of $1 million and an increase in
noncontrolling interests of $5 million. Additionally, we
identified an immaterial error as of and for the years ended
December 31, 2013 and 2012 with respect to accounting
for the acquisition of additional ownership interests in our
consolidated VIEs in Japan. The cumulative effect of the
correction of these transactions resulted in a decrease in
additional paid-in capital of $28 million, an increase in
accumulated other comprehensive loss of $7 million and
an increase in noncontrolling interests of $35 million, and
had no net effect on total assets, total liabilities or total
equity in any period. The correction has been reflected in our
consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014 and
within equity contributions to consolidated variable interest
entities in our consolidated statement of stockholders’
equity for the year ended December 31, 2014, and did
not affect our consolidated statements of operations, con-
solidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) or
consolidated statements of cash flows for the year ended
December 31, 2014.
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In December 2012, we acquired the remaining ownership
interest in one of our consolidated VIEs located in Japan. See
Note 3: “Acquisitions” for further discussion of this transaction.
In June 2014 and August 2013, we formed VIEs associated
with each of our securitization transactions to issue our
Securitized Timeshare Debt. We are the primary beneficia-
ries of these VIEs as we have the power to direct the activi-
ties that most significantly affect their economic
performance, the obligation to absorb their losses and the
right to receive benefits that are significant to them. Our
consolidated balance sheets included the assets and liabili-
ties of these entities, which primarily comprised the follow-
ing:
(in millions)
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Securitized financing receivables, net
Non-recourse debt
December 31,
2014
$ 20
468
481
2013
$ 8
221
222
Our consolidated statements of operations included interest
income related to these VIEs of $52 million and $17 million
for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively,
included in timeshare revenue, as well as interest expense
related to these VIEs of $8 million and $3 million, for the
years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively,
included in interest expense. See Note 7: “Financing
Receivables” and Note 13: “Debt” for additional details.
We have an additional VIE that owns one hotel that was
immaterial to our consolidated financial statements.
NOTE 10
GOODWILL
As part of the Merger, we recorded $10.5 billion of goodwill
representing the excess purchase price over the fair value
of the other identified assets and liabilities. During the year
ended December 31, 2008, we recognized approximately
$4.3 billion of impairment charges relating to our goodwill,
including impairment losses of $795 million on our goodwill
assigned to our timeshare reporting unit, resulting in no
remaining goodwill assigned to that reporting unit. There
was no impairment of our goodwill for the years ended
December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012. Our goodwill balances,
by reporting unit, were as follows:
Management
(in millions)
Ownership and Franchise Total
Goodwill
Accumulated impairment losses
$ 4,559
(3,527)
$5,165
—
$ 9,724
(3,527)
Balance as of December 31, 2012
Foreign currency translation
Goodwill
Accumulated impairment losses
Balance as of December 31, 2013
Foreign currency translation
Goodwill
Accumulated impairment losses
1,032
4
4,563
(3,527)
1,036
(11)
4,552
(3,527)
5,165
19
5,184
—
5,184
(55)
5,129
—
6,197
23
9,747
(3,527)
6,220
(66)
9,681
(3,527)
Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 1,025
$5,129
$ 6,154
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NOTE 11
OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Other intangible assets were as follows:
(in millions)
Amortizing Intangible Assets:
Management and
franchise agreements
Leases
Capitalized software
Hilton HHonors
Other
December 31, 2014
Gross
Net
Carrying Accumulated Carrying
Amount Amortization Amount
$2,609
410
409
345
34
$(1,303)
(144)
(201)
(155)
(24)
$1,306
266
208
190
10
$3,807
$(1,827)
$1,980
Non-amortizing Intangible Assets:
Brands
$4,963
$
—
$4,963
(in millions)
Amortizing Intangible Assets:
Management and
franchise agreements
Leases
Capitalized software
Hilton HHonors
Other
December 31, 2013
Gross
Net
Carrying Accumulated Carrying
Amount Amortization Amount
$2,573
436
342
351
34
$(1,121)
(132)
(124)
(136)
(20)
$1,452
304
218
215
14
$3,736
$(1,533)
$2,203
Non-amortizing Intangible Assets:
Brands
$5,013
$
—
$5,013
Our amortizing intangible assets related to management
and franchise agreements, leases, proprietary technologies,
capitalized software and Hilton HHonors have finite lives
and, accordingly, we recorded amortization expense of
$315 million, $285 million and $260 million for the years
ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
Included in this amortization expense total was amortization
expense on capitalized software of $79 million, $52 million
and $30 million for the years ended December 31, 2014,
2013 and 2012, respectively, and amortization expense on
the Hilton HHonors intangible of $22 million for the years
ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012. Changes to our
brands intangible asset during the years ended December 31,
2014 and 2013 were due to foreign currency translations.
During the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013
and 2012, we recorded no impairment relating to our
other intangible assets.
We estimate our future amortization expense for our
amortizing intangible assets to be as follows:
(in millions)
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Thereafter
$ 326
308
263
237
227
619
$1,980
NOTE 12
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, ACCRUED EXPENSES
AND OTHER
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other were
as follows:
(in millions)
December 31,
2014
2013
Accrued employee compensation
and benefits
Accounts payable
Liability for guest loyalty program, current
Deposit liabilities
Deferred revenues, current
Self-insurance reserves, current
Current liabilities related to assets held for sale(1)
Other accrued expenses
$ 475
299
449
201
52
82
36
505
$ 547
319
366
195
48
52
—
552
$2,099
$2,079
(1) See Note 4: “Assets Held for Sale and Disposals” for further information.
Deferred revenues and deposit liabilities are related to
our timeshare business and hotel operations. Other accrued
expenses consist of taxes, rent, interest and other
accrued balances.
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3,487
3,500
(in millions)
NOTE 13
DEBT
Long-term Debt
Long-term debt balances, including obligations for capital
leases, and associated interest rates were as follows:
(in millions)
Senior secured term loan facility
with a rate of 3.50%, due 2020
Senior notes with a rate of 5.625%,
due 2021
Commercial mortgage-backed
securities loan with an average rate
of 4.06%, due 2018(1)
Mortgage loan with a rate of 2.31%,
due 2018
Mortgage notes with an average rate
of 5.17%, due 2016 to 2017
Other unsecured notes with a rate
of 7.50%, due 2017
Capital lease obligations with an average
rate of 6.09%, due 2015 to 2097
Less: current maturities of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount on senior
secured term loan facility
December 31,
2014
2013
$5,000
$6,000
1,500
1,500
525
196
54
72
525
133
53
73
10,834
(10)
11,784
(4)
(21)
(29)
$10,803
$11,751
(1) The initial maturity date of the $862 million variable-rate component of this
borrowing is November 1, 2015. We have assumed all extensions, which are solely
at our option, were exercised.
Debt Refinancing
In October 2013, we entered into the following
borrowing arrangements:
» a senior secured credit facility (the “Senior Secured
Credit Facility”) consisting of a $1.0 billion senior secured
revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”)
and a $7.6 billion senior secured term loan facility (the
“Term Loans”);
» $1.5 billion of 5.625% senior notes due in 2021
(the “Senior Notes”);
» a $3.5 billion commercial mortgage-backed securities
loan secured by 23 of our U.S. owned real estate assets
(the “CMBS Loan”); and
» a $525 million mortgage loan secured by our Waldorf
Astoria New York property (the “Waldorf Astoria Loan”).
In October 2013, we used the cash proceeds from the
transactions above and available cash to repay in full all
$13.4 billion in borrowings outstanding, including accrued
interest, under our senior mortgage loans and secured
mezzanine loans (together, the “Secured Debt”). In addition,
we redeemed in full our unsecured notes due 2031 of
$96 million in November 2013. We refer to the transactions
discussed above as the “Debt Refinancing.”
Upon completion of the Debt Refinancing, we recognized
a $229 million gain on extinguishment of debt in our
consolidated statement of operations as follows:
Release of interest accrued under the interest method
Release of unamortized yield adjustments related
to prior debt modifications
Release of unamortized debt issuance costs
$201
43
(15)
$229
We also incurred $189 million of debt issuance costs across
the respective arrangements, which will be amortized over
the terms of each underlying debt agreement.
Senior Secured Credit Facility
Our Revolving Credit Facility, which matures on October 25,
2018, has a capacity of $1.0 billion and allows for up to
$150 million to be drawn in the form of letters of credit.
As of December 31, 2014, we had $45 million of letters of
credit outstanding and $955 million of available borrowings
under the Revolving Credit Facility. We are currently required
to pay a commitment fee of 0.125 percent per annum
under the Revolving Credit Facility in respect of the unused
commitments thereunder.
The Term Loans, which mature on October 25, 2020,
were issued with an original issue discount of 0.50 percent.
The Term Loans bear interest at variable rates, at our option,
which is payable monthly or quarterly depending upon the
variable rate that is chosen.
The obligations of the Senior Secured Credit Facility are
unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by us and all of
our direct or indirect wholly owned material domestic sub-
sidiaries, excluding our subsidiaries that are prohibited from
providing guarantees as a result of the agreements govern-
ing our Timeshare Facility and/or our Securitized Timeshare
Debt and our subsidiaries that secure our CMBS Loan and
our Waldorf Astoria Loan. Additionally, none of our foreign
subsidiaries or our non-wholly owned domestic subsidiaries
guarantee the Senior Secured Credit Facility.
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85
During the year ended December 31, 2014, we made
voluntary prepayments of $1 billion on our Term Loans.
Senior Notes
Interest on the Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in cash
in arrears on April 15 and October 15 of each year, begin-
ning on April 15, 2014. The Senior Notes are guaranteed on
a senior unsecured basis by us and certain of our wholly
owned subsidiaries. See Note 28: “Condensed Consolidating
Guarantor Financial Information” for additional details.
CMBS Loan
The CMBS loan has a fixed-rate component in the amount
of $2.625 billion bearing interest at 4.47 percent with a term
of five years and an initial $875 million variable-rate com-
ponent based on one-month LIBOR plus 265 basis points
that has an initial term of two years with three one-year
extensions solely at our option, for which the rate would
increase by 25 basis points during the final extension period.
Interest for both components is payable monthly. Under this
loan, we are required to deposit with the lender certain cash
reserves for restricted uses. As of December 31, 2014 and
2013, our consolidated balance sheets included $19 million
and $29 million, respectively, of restricted cash and cash
equivalents related to the CMBS Loan.
During the year ended December 31, 2014, we made a
contractually required prepayment of $13 million on the
variable-rate component of the CMBS Loan in exchange
for the release of certain collateral.
Waldorf Astoria Loan
The Waldorf Astoria Loan matures on October 25, 2018 and
bears interest at a variable-rate based on one-month LIBOR
plus 215 basis points that is payable monthly.
Non-recourse Debt
Non-recourse debt, including obligations for capital leases,
and associated interest rates were as follows:
(in millions)
Capital lease obligations of
consolidated VIEs with a rate of 6.34%,
due 2018 to 2026
Non-recourse debt of
consolidated VIEs with an average
rate of 3.70%, due 2015 to 2018(1)
Timeshare Facility with a rate of 1.16%,
due 2017
Securitized Timeshare Debt with a rate
of 1.98%, due 2026
Less: current maturities of non-recourse debt
December 31,
2014
2013
$ 216
$255
32
41
150
450
481
879
(127)
222
968
(48)
$ 752
$920
(1) Excludes the non-recourse debt of our VIE that issued the Securitized Timeshare
Debt, as this is presented separately.
Timeshare Facility
In May 2013, we entered into a receivables loan agreement
that is secured by certain of our timeshare financing
receivables. See Note 7: “Financing Receivables” for further
discussion. As of December 31, 2013, under the terms of the
loan agreement we were permitted to borrow up to a maxi-
mum amount of approximately $450 million based on the
amount and credit quality characteristics of the timeshare
financing receivables securing the loan. In September 2014,
we reduced our total borrowing capacity, as permitted by
the loan agreement from $450 million to $300 million.
The loan agreement allowed for us to borrow up to the
maximum amount until May 2015, and all amounts
borrowed must be repaid by May 2016. In December 2014,
we extended the commitment term from May 2015
to December 2016, the final maturity from May 2016 to
December 2017 and reduced the interest rate spread by
25 basis points from 1.25 percent to 1.00 percent.
We are required to deposit payments received from
customers on the pledged timeshare financing receivables
into a depository account maintained by a third party. On a
monthly basis, the depository account will first be utilized
to make required interest and other payments due under the
receivables loan agreement. After payment of all amounts
due under the receivables loan agreement, any remaining
amounts will be remitted to us for use in our operations. The
balance in the depository account, totaling $5 million and
$12 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively,
was included in restricted cash and cash equivalents in our
consolidated balance sheets.
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Securitized Timeshare Debt
In June 2014, we issued approximately $304 million of
1.77 percent notes and $46 million of 2.07 percent notes due
November 2026. In August 2013, we issued approximately
$250 million of 2.28 percent notes due January 2026.
The Securitized Timeshare Debt is backed by a pledge of
assets, consisting primarily of a pool of timeshare financing
receivables secured by first mortgages or deeds of trust on
timeshare interests. The Securitized Timeshare Debt is a
non-recourse obligation and is payable solely from the pool
of timeshare financing receivables pledged as collateral
to the debt and related assets. A majority of the proceeds
from the asset-backed notes were used to reduce the
outstanding balance on our Timeshare Facility.
We are required to deposit payments received from
customers on the securitized timeshare financing receivables
into a depository account maintained by a third party. On
a monthly basis, the depository account will first be utilized
to make required principal, interest and other payments
due with respect to the Securitized Timeshare Debt. After
payment of all amounts due with respect to the Securitized
Timeshare Debt, any remaining amounts will be remitted to
us for use in our operations. The balance in the depository
account, totaling $20 million and $8 million as of December 31,
2014 and 2013, respectively, was included in restricted cash
and cash equivalents in our consolidated balance sheets.
Debt Maturities
The contractual maturities of our long-term debt and
non-recourse debt as of December 31, 2014 were as follows:
(in millions)
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018(1)
2019
Thereafter
$
136
238
355
4,083
59
6,842
$11,713
(1) The CMBS Loan has three one-year extensions solely at our option that effectively
extend maturity to November 1, 2018. We have assumed all extensions for purposes
of calculating maturity dates.
NOTE 14
DEFERRED REVENUES
Deferred revenues were as follows:
(in millions)
Hilton HHonors points sales
Other
December 31,
2014
$429
66
$495
2013
$597
77
$674
Hilton HHonors Points Sales
In October 2013, we sold Hilton HHonors points to
American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
(“Amex”), and Citibank, N.A. (“Citi”), for $400 million and
$250 million, respectively, in cash. Amex and Citi and their
respective designees (collectively, the “co-branded card
issuers”) may use the points in connection with Hilton
HHonors co-branded credit cards and for promotions,
rewards and incentive programs or certain other activities
as they may establish or engage in from time to time. Upon
receipt of the cash, we recognized deferred revenues of
$650 million in our consolidated balance sheet, which is
reduced as the co-branded card issuers use the points for
these activities. We recognize revenue as the points are
issued by the co-branded issuers to their members.
Other
Other deferred revenues are primarily related to our
timeshare business and hotel operations.
NOTE 15
OTHER LIABILITIES
Other long-term liabilities were as follows:
(in millions)
Program surplus
Pension obligations
Other long-term tax liabilities
Deferred employee compensation
and benefits
Self-insurance reserves
Guarantee liability
Other
December 31,
2014
2013
$ 383
204
273
$ 314
138
344
103
83
37
85
147
81
51
74
$1,168
$1,149
Program surplus represents obligations to operate our
marketing, sales and brand programs on behalf of our hotel
owners. Guarantee liability is related to obligations under
our outstanding performance guarantees. Our obligations
related to the self-insurance claims are expected to be
satisfied, on average, over the next three years.
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87
NOTE 16
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND
HEDGING ACTIVITIES
Fair Value of Derivative Instruments
The effects of our derivative instruments on our consolidated
balance sheets were as follows:
During the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012,
derivatives were used to hedge the interest rate risk associ-
ated with variable-rate debt. Under the terms of the CMBS
Loan and Waldorf Astoria Loan entered into in connection
with the Debt Refinancing, we are required to hedge interest
rate risk using derivative instruments. Additionally, under
the terms of the Secured Debt, we were required to hedge
interest rate risk using derivative instruments with an
aggregate notional amount equal to the principal amount
of the Secured Debt.
During the year ended December 31, 2014, derivatives
were also used to hedge foreign exchange risk associated
with certain foreign currency denominated cash balances.
Cash Flow Hedges
As of December 31, 2014, we held four interest rate swaps
with an aggregate notional amount of $1.45 billion, which
swap three-month LIBOR on the Term Loans to a fixed rate
of 1.87 percent and expire in October 2018. We elected to
designate these interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges for
accounting purposes.
Non-designated Hedges
As of December 31, 2014, we held nine short-term foreign
exchange forward contracts in the notional amount of
$28 million to offset exposure to fluctuations in our foreign
currency denominated cash balances. We elected not to
designate these foreign exchange forward contracts as
hedging instruments.
As of December 31, 2014, we held one interest rate
cap in the notional amount of $875 million, for the
variable-rate component of the CMBS Loan, which
expires in November 2015 and caps one-month LIBOR
at 6.0 percent. We also held one interest rate cap in
the notional amount of $525 million that expires in
November 2015 and caps one-month LIBOR on the
Waldorf Astoria Loan at 4.0 percent. We elected not
to designate either of these interest rate caps as
hedging instruments.
(in millions)
Cash Flow
Hedges
Interest rate
swaps
Non-designated
Hedges
Interest rate
caps(1)
Forward
contracts(1)
December 31, 2014
December 31, 2013
Balance Sheet
Classification
Fair
Value
Balance Sheet
Fair
Classification Value
Other
liabilities
Other
assets
Other
assets/
Accounts
payable,
accrued
expenses
and other
$4
—
Other
assets
$10
Other
assets
—
—
N/A
N/A
(1) The fair values of our interest rate caps and forward contracts were immaterial
as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.
Earnings Effect of Derivative Instruments
The effects of our derivative instruments on our consolidated
statements of operations and consolidated statements of
comprehensive income (loss) before any effect for income
taxes were as follows:
(in millions)
Cash Flow
Hedges
Interest rate swaps(1)
Classification
of Gain (Loss)
Recognized
Other
comprehensive
income (loss)
Amount of Gain (Loss)
Recognized in Income
2014
2013
2012
$(14)
$10
N/A
Non-designated
Hedges
Interest rate caps(2) Other gain, net —
Forward contracts
Gain (loss) on
foreign currency
transactions
—
$(1)
1
N/A
N/A
(1) There were no amounts recognized in earnings related to hedge ineffectiveness
or amounts excluded from hedge effectiveness testing during the years ended
December 31, 2014 and 2013.
(2) An immaterial loss was recorded during the year ended December 31, 2013.
88
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NOTE 17
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
The carrying amounts and estimated fair values of our
financial assets and liabilities, which included related current
portions, were as follows:
(in millions)
Assets:
Cash equivalents
Restricted cash
equivalents
Timeshare financing
receivables
Liabilities:
Long-term debt(1)
Non-recourse debt(2)
Interest rate swaps
(in millions)
Assets:
Cash equivalents
Restricted cash
equivalents
Timeshare financing
receivables
Interest rate swaps
Liabilities:
Long-term debt(1)
Non-recourse debt(2)
December 31, 2014
Hierarchy Level
Carrying
Amount
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
$
326
$
—
$326
$
—
38
1,024
—
—
10,741
631
4
1,630
—
—
38
—
—
1,021
—
—
4
9,207
626
—
December 31, 2013
Hierarchy Level
Carrying
Amount
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
$
309
$ —
$ 309 $
—
107
994
10
11,682
672
—
—
—
57
—
107
—
—
10
996
—
1,560 10,358
670
—
(1) Excludes capital lease obligations with a carrying value of $72 million and $73 million
as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
(2) Excludes capital lease obligations of consolidated VIEs with a carrying value
of $216 million and $255 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively
and non-recourse debt of consolidated VIEs with a carrying value of $32 million
and $41 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
We believe the carrying amounts of our other financial assets
and liabilities approximated fair value as of December 31,
2014 and 2013. Our estimates of the fair values were deter-
mined using available market information and appropriate
valuation methods. Considerable judgment is necessary to
interpret market data and develop the estimated fair values.
Cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents primarily
consisted of short-term interest-bearing money market
funds with maturities of less than 90 days, time deposits
and commercial paper. The estimated fair values were
based on available market pricing information of similar
financial instruments.
The estimated fair values of our timeshare financing
receivables were based on the expected future cash flows
discounted at risk-adjusted rates. The primary sensitivity
in these estimates is based on the selection of appropriate
discount rates. Fluctuations in these assumptions will
result in different estimates of fair value. An increase in the
discount rate would result in a decrease in the fair values.
We measure our interest rate swaps at fair value, which
were estimated using an income approach. The primary
inputs into our fair value estimate include interest rates
and yield curves based on observable market inputs of
similar instruments.
The estimated fair values of our Level 1 long-term debt were
based on prices in active debt markets. The estimated fair
values of our Level 2 long-term debt were based on prices in
non-active debt markets. The estimated fair values of our
Level 3 fixed-rate long-term debt and certain of our Level 3
variable-rate long-term debt were estimated based on the
expected future cash flows discounted at risk-adjusted rates.
The primary sensitivity in these estimates is based on the
selection of appropriate discount rates. Fluctuations in these
assumptions will result in different estimates of fair value.
An increase in the discount rate would result in a decrease
in the fair values. The carrying amounts of certain of our
Level 3 variable-rate long-term debt and non-recourse debt
approximated fair value as the interest rates under the
loan agreements approximated current market rates. The
estimated fair values of our Level 3 fixed-rate non-recourse
debt were primarily based on indicative quotes received for
similar issuances.
As a result of our acquisition of the remaining ownership
interest in certain equity method investments, which
occurred during the year ended December 31, 2014, we
measured financial and nonfinancial assets at fair value on
a nonrecurring basis (see Note 3: “Acquisitions”), as follows:
(in millions)
Property and equipment
Long-term debt
Fair Value(1)
$144
64
(1) Fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).
We estimated the fair value of the property and equipment
using discounted cash flow analyses, with an estimated
stabilized growth rate of 2 percent to 3 percent, discounted
cash flow terms ranging from 11 years to 13 years, a
terminal capitalization rate of 10 percent to 11 percent and
a discount rate of 9 percent to 11 percent. The discount
and terminal capitalization rates used for the fair value of the
assets reflect the risk profile of the individual markets where
the assets are located, and are not necessarily indicative of
our hotel portfolio as a whole.
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89
The fair value of the long-term debt assumed approximated
the carrying amount as the interest rate under the loan
agreement approximated current market rates.
No financial or nonfinancial assets were measured at
fair value on a nonrecurring basis as of or for the year ended
December 31, 2013.
NOTE 18
LEASES
We lease hotel properties, land, equipment and corporate
office space under operating and capital leases. As of
December 31, 2014 and 2013, we leased 70 hotels under
operating leases and six and five hotels under capital leases.
As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, two of these capital
leases were liabilities of VIEs that we consolidated and were
non-recourse to us. Our leases expire at various dates from
2015 through 2196, with varying renewal options, and the
majority expire before 2026.
Our operating leases may require minimum rent payments,
contingent rent payments based on a percentage of revenue
or income or rent payments equal to the greater of a mini-
mum rent or contingent rent. In addition, we may be required
to pay some, or all, of the capital costs for property and
equipment in the hotel during the term of the lease.
Amortization of assets recorded under capital leases is
recorded in depreciation and amortization in our consolidated
statements of operations and is recognized over the lease term.
The future minimum rent payments, under non-cancelable
leases, due in each of the next five years and thereafter as of
December 31, 2014, were as follows:
(in millions)
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Thereafter
Total minimum rent
payments
Less: amount
representing interest
Present value of net
minimum rent payments
Operating
Leases
Capital
Leases
Non-Recourse
Capital
Leases
$ 263
253
240
234
223
1,894
$ 15
6
6
6
6
142
$ 23
23
23
23
23
216
$3,107
181
331
(109)
(115)
$ 72
$ 216
Rent expense for all operating leases was as follows:
(in millions)
Minimum rentals
Contingent rentals
Year Ended December 31,
2014
$293
146
$439
2013
$271
148
$419
2012
$286
161
$447
NOTE 19
INCOME TAXES
Our tax provision (benefit) includes federal, state and foreign
income taxes payable. The domestic and foreign components
of income before income taxes were as follows:
(in millions)
U.S. income before tax
Foreign income before tax
Income before income taxes
Year Ended December 31,
2014
$ 937
210
$1,147
2013
$502
196
$698
2012
$435
138
$573
The components of our provision (benefit) for income taxes
were as follows:
(in millions)
Current:
Federal
State
Foreign
Total current
Deferred:
Federal
State
Foreign
Total deferred
Total provision
for income taxes
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$323
28
100
451
8
10
(4)
14
$ 94
15
64
173
160
4
(99)
65
$ 71
13
57
141
63
2
8
73
$465
$238
$214
During 2013, based on our consideration of all available
positive and negative evidence, we determined that it was
more likely than not we would be able to realize the benefit
of various foreign deferred tax assets and state net operating
losses. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2013, we released
valuation allowances of $109 million and $12 million,
respectively, against our deferred tax assets related to our
foreign deferred tax assets and state net operating losses.
Reconciliations of our tax provision at the U.S. statutory rate
to the provision (benefit) for income taxes were as follows:
(in millions)
Statutory U.S. federal income
tax provision
State income taxes, net of
U.S. federal tax benefit
Foreign income tax expense
Foreign losses not subject to U.S. tax
Tax credits
Change in deferred tax asset
valuation allowance
Change in basis difference
in foreign subsidiaries
Provision for uncertain
tax positions
Non-deductible equity
based compensation
Other, net
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$402
$ 244
$201
35
56
(7)
(77)
14
10
5
11
16
31
74
(24)
(67)
(121)
24
(19)
94
2
10
18
(24)
(67)
56
18
(2)
—
4
Provision for income taxes
$465
$ 238
$214
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Deferred income taxes represent the tax effect of the
differences between the book and tax bases of assets
and liabilities plus carryforward items. The composition
of net deferred tax balances were as follows:
(in millions)
December 31,
2014
2013
Deferred income tax assets—current
Deferred income tax assets—non-current
Deferred income tax liabilities—non-current
$
20
155
(5,216)
$
23
193
(5,053)
Net deferred taxes
$(5,041) $(4,837)
The tax effects of the temporary differences and
carryforwards that give rise to our net deferred tax asset
(liability) were as follows:
(in millions)
Deferred tax assets:
Foreign tax credits
Net operating loss carryforwards
Compensation
Deferred transaction costs
Investments
Other reserves
Capital lease obligations
Self-insurance reserves
Program surplus
Other
Total gross deferred tax assets
Less: valuation allowance
Deferred tax assets
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment
Brands
Amortizable intangible assets
Unrealized foreign currency gains
Investment in foreign subsidiaries
Deferred income
Deferred tax liabilities
Net deferred taxes
$
December 31,
2014
2013
2
525
227
14
34
93
115
54
70
25
$
20
573
187
15
56
90
133
51
42
108
1,159
(498)
1,275
(503)
$
661
$
772
$(2,195)
(1,895)
(526)
(407)
(81)
(598)
$(2,075)
(1,910)
(616)
(279)
(81)
(648)
(5,702)
(5,609)
$(5,041)
$(4,837)
As of December 31, 2014, we had state and foreign net
operating loss carryforwards of $536 million and $1.8 billion,
respectively, which resulted in deferred tax assets of
$27 million for state jurisdictions and $498 million for foreign
jurisdictions. Approximately $43 million of our deferred tax
assets as of December 31, 2014 related to net operating loss
carryforwards that will expire between 2015 and 2034
with less than $1 million of that amount expiring in 2015.
Approximately $482 million of our deferred tax assets as
of December 31, 2014 resulted from net operating loss
carryforwards that are not subject to expiration. We believe
that it is more likely than not that the benefit from certain
state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards will not
be realized. In recognition of this assessment, we provided
a valuation allowance of $3 million and $434 million as of
December 31, 2014 on the deferred tax assets relating to
these state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards,
respectively. Our valuation allowance decreased $5 million
during the year ended December 31, 2014.
We classify reserves for tax uncertainties within current
income taxes payable and other long-term liabilities in
our consolidated balance sheets. Reconciliations of the
beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
were as follows:
(in millions)
Balance at beginning of year
Additions for tax positions
related to the prior year
Additions for tax positions
related to the current year
Reductions for tax positions
for prior years
Settlements
Lapse of statute of limitations
Currency translation adjustment
Year Ended December 31,
2014
$435
2013
$469
2012
$436
25
10
(63)
(1)
(2)
(3)
1
5
(2)
(35)
(2)
(1)
71
5
(23)
(14)
(6)
—
Balance at end of year
$401
$435
$469
The changes to our unrecognized tax benefits during the
years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 were primarily
the result of items identified, resolved, and settled as part of
our ongoing U.S. federal audit. We recognize interest and
penalties accrued related to uncertain tax positions in
income tax expense. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013,
we had accrued approximately $22 million and $45 million,
respectively, for the payment of interest and penalties. We
accrued approximately $8 million, $4 million, and $8 million
during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012,
respectively. Additionally, interest decreased by $31 million
during the year ended December 31, 2014 primarily as a
result of the effective settlement of certain unrecognized tax
benefits related to the 2006 and October 2007 Internal
Revenue Service (“IRS”) examination. Included in the balance
of uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2014 and
2013 were $367 million and $340 million, respectively, asso-
ciated with positions that if favorably resolved would provide
a benefit to our effective tax rate. As a result of the expected
resolution of examination issues with federal, state, and
foreign tax authorities, we believe it is reasonably possible
that during the next 12 months the amount of unrecognized
tax benefits will decrease up to $23 million.
We file income tax returns, including returns for our
subsidiaries, with federal, state and foreign jurisdictions. We
are under regular and recurring audit by the IRS on open tax
positions. The timing of the resolution of tax audits is highly
uncertain, as are the amounts, if any, that may ultimately be
paid upon such resolution. Changes may result from the
conclusion of ongoing audits, appeals or litigation in state,
local, federal and foreign tax jurisdictions or from the
reso lution of various proceedings between the U.S. and
foreign tax authorities. We are no longer subject to U.S.
federal income tax examination for years through 2004.
As of December 31, 2014, we remain subject to federal
examinations from 2005-2013, state examinations from
1999-2013 and foreign examinations of our income tax
returns for the years 1996 through 2013.
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
91
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NOTE 20
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
We sponsor multiple domestic and international employee
benefit plans. Benefits are based upon years of service and
compensation.
We have a noncontributory retirement plan in the U.S.
(the “Domestic Plan”), which covers certain employees not
earning union benefits. This plan was frozen for participant
benefit accruals in 1996; therefore, the projected benefit
obligation is equal to the accumulated benefit obligation.
Plan assets will be used to pay benefits due to employees for
service through December 31, 1996. As employees have not
accrued additional benefits since that time, we do not utilize
salary or pension inflation assumptions in calculating our
benefit obligation for the Domestic Plan. The annual
measurement date for the Domestic Plan is December 31.
We also have multiple employee benefit plans that cover
many of our international employees. These include a plan
that covers workers in the United Kingdom (the “U.K. Plan”)
which was frozen to further service accruals on November 30,
2013, and a number of smaller plans that cover workers in
various countries around the world (the “International
Plans”). The annual measurement date for all of these plans
is December 31.
We are required to recognize the funded status (the difference
between the fair value of plan assets and the projected
benefit obligations) of our pension plans in our consolidated
balance sheets with a corresponding adjustment to
accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax.
In April 2014, we received 30-day Letters from the IRS
and the Revenue Agents Report (“RAR”) for the 2006 and
October 2007 tax years. We disagreed with several of the
proposed adjustments in the RAR, filed a formal appeals
protest with the IRS and did not make any tax payments
related to this audit. The issues being protested in appeals
relate to assertions by the IRS that: (1) certain foreign
currency-denominated, intercompany loans from our
f oreign subsidiaries to certain U.S. subsidiaries should be
recharacterized as equity for U.S. federal income tax
purposes and constitute deemed dividends from such
foreign subsidiaries to our U.S. subsidiaries; (2) in calculating
the amount of U.S. taxable income resulting from our Hilton
HHonors guest loyalty program, we should not reduce gross
income by the estimated costs of future redemptions, but
rather such costs would be deductible at the time the points
are redeemed; and (3) certain foreign-currency denominated
loans issued by one of our Luxembourg subsidiaries whose
functional currency is USD, should instead be treated as
issued by one of our Belgian subsidiaries whose functional
currency is the Euro, and thus foreign currency gains and
losses with respect to such loans should have been measured
in Euros, instead of USD. In total, the proposed adjustments
sought by the IRS would result in additional U.S. federal tax
owed of approximately $696 million, excluding interest and
penalties and potential state income taxes. The portion of
this amount related to our Hilton HHonors guest loyalty
program would result in a decrease to our future tax liability
when the points are redeemed. We disagree with the IRS’s
position on each of these assertions and intend to vigorously
contest them. We plan to pursue all available administrative
remedies, and if we are not able to resolve these matters
administratively, we plan to pursue judicial remedies.
Accordingly, as of December 31, 2014, no accrual has been
made for these amounts. Additionally, during 2014, the
IRS commenced its audit of tax years December 2007
through 2010.
State income tax returns are generally subject to examination
for a period of three to five years after filing the respective
return; however, the state effect of any federal tax return
changes remains subject to examination by various states
for a period generally of up to one year after formal notifi-
cation to the states. The statute of limitations for the foreign
jurisdictions generally ranges from three to ten years after
filing the respective tax return.
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The following table presents the projected benefit obligation, fair value of plan assets, the funded status and the accumulated
benefit obligation for the Domestic Plan, the U.K. Plan and the International Plans:
(in millions)
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
Service cost
Interest cost
Employee contributions
Actuarial loss (gain)
Settlements and curtailments
Effect of foreign exchange rates
Benefits paid
Other(1)
Benefit obligation at end of year
Change in Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
Actual return on plan assets, net of expenses
Employer contribution
Employee contributions
Effect of foreign exchange rates
Benefits paid
Settlements
Other(1)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
Funded status at end of year (overfunded/(underfunded))
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
2014
2013
2014
2013
2014
2013
$ 424
—
17
—
51
(25)
—
(42)
—
$ 425
$ 320
20
10
—
—
(42)
(25)
—
283
(142)
$ 491
—
18
—
(51)
—
—
(45)
11
$ 424
$ 273
32
40
—
—
(45)
—
20
320
(104)
$380
1
17
—
55
—
(25)
(13)
—
$415
$385
41
1
—
(24)
(13)
—
—
390
(25)
$415
$365
5
16
2
(3)
—
8
(13)
—
$380
$363
20
5
2
8
(13)
—
—
385
5
$380
$112
2
4
—
13
(1)
(8)
(7)
—
$115
$87
5
6
—
(5)
(7)
(1)
—
85
(30)
$125
3
4
—
(6)
(2)
(4)
(8)
—
$112
$85
9
6
—
(4)
(7)
(2)
—
87
(25)
$115
$112
Accumulated benefit obligation
$ 425
$ 424
(1) Includes projected benefit obligations of $11 million and plan assets of $20 million related to certain employees of former Hilton affiliates that were assumed during the year
ended December 31, 2013.
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consisted of:
(in millions)
Other assets
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other
Other liabilities
Net amount recognized
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
2014
$
1
—
(143)
$(142)
2013
$
2
—
(106)
$(104)
2014
$ —
—
(25)
$(25)
2013
$ 8
—
(3)
$ 5
2014
$ 6
—
(36)
$(30)
2013
$ 5
(1)
(29)
$(25)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss consisted of:
(in millions)
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
Net actuarial loss (gain)
Prior service cost (credit)
Amortization of net loss (gain)
Net amount recognized
$42
(4)
(7)
$31
$(67)
(12)
(3)
$(82)
$29
(4)
1
$26
$33
—
(1)
$32
$—
3
(4)
$(1)
$17
16
(3)
$30
$10
—
(1)
$ 9
$(12)
—
(2)
$(14)
$ 9
—
(1)
$ 8
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
The estimated unrecognized net losses and prior service cost (credit) that will be amortized into net periodic pension cost
over the next fiscal year were as follows:
(in millions)
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
Unrecognized net losses
Unrecognized prior service cost (credit)
Amount unrecognized
$3
4
$7
$1
4
$5
$4
4
$8
$2
—
$2
$1
—
$1
$ 4
(3)
$ 1
$1
—
$1
$1
—
$1
$1
—
$1
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
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The net periodic pension cost was as follows:
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
(in millions)
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
Service cost
Interest cost
Expected return on plan assets
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)
Amortization of net loss (gain)
Settlement losses
$ 7
17
(18)
4
1
5
$ 4
17
(18)
4
3
—
$ —
21
(17)
4
(1)
—
$ 1
17
(24)
—
1
—
$ 5
17
(23)
(3)
4
—
Net periodic pension cost (credit)
$ 16
$ 10
$ 7
$ (5)
$ —
$ 5
16
(21)
(16)
3
—
$(13)
$ 2
4
(4)
—
1
1
$ 4
$ 4
4
(4)
—
1
—
$ 5
$ 4
5
(4)
—
1
—
$ 6
The weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations were as follows:
Discount rate
Salary inflation
Pension inflation
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
2014
2013
2014
2013
2014
2013
3.9%
N/A
N/A
4.7%
N/A
N/A
3.8%
N/A
N/A
4.7%
1.9%
3.0%
3.3%
2.2%
1.8%
4.3%
2.3%
1.9%
The weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic pension cost (credit) were as follows:
Discount rate
Expected return on plan assets
Salary inflation
Pension inflation
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
4.7%
7.5%
N/A
N/A
3.9%
7.5%
N/A
N/A
4.9%
6.8%
N/A
N/A
4.7%
6.5%
N/A
N/A
4.7%
6.5%
1.9%
2.8%
5.0%
6.5%
1.7%
2.9%
4.3%
6.0%
2.3%
1.9%
3.8%
6.3%
2.2%
2.0%
4.6%
6.2%
2.8%
1.8%
The investment objectives for the various plans are preservation of capital, current income and long-term growth of capital.
All plan assets are managed by outside investment managers and do not include investments in Company stock. Asset allocations
are reviewed periodically.
Expected long-term returns on plan assets are determined using historical performance for debt and equity securities held
by our plans, actual performance of plan assets and current and expected market conditions. Expected returns are formulated
based on the target asset allocation. The target asset allocation for the Domestic Plan as a percentage of total plan assets as
of December 31, 2014 and 2013 was 60 percent, in funds that invest in equity securities, and 40 percent, in funds that invest
in debt securities. The U.K. Plan and International Plans target asset allocation as a percentage of total plan assets, as of
December 31, 2014 and 2013, was 65 percent in funds that invest in equity and debt securities and 35 percent in bond funds.
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The following table presents the fair value hierarchy of total plan assets measured at fair value by asset category. The fair value
of Level 2 assets were based on available market pricing information of similar financial instruments. There were no Level 3
assets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.
(in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents
Equity funds
Debt securities
Bond funds
Common collective trusts
Other
Total
(in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents
Equity funds
Debt securities
Bond funds
Real estate funds
Common collective trusts
Other
Total
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
Level 1
Level 2
Level 1
Level 2
Level 1
Level 2
December 31, 2014
$ —
65
8
—
—
—
$73
$ —
—
86
—
124
—
$210
$—
—
—
—
—
—
$—
$ —
—
—
—
390
—
$390
December 31, 2013
$ 9
5
—
—
—
—
$14
$ —
9
—
15
46
1
$71
Domestic Plan
U.K. Plan
International Plans
Level 1
Level 2
Level 1
Level 2
Level 1
Level 2
$ —
70
10
—
—
—
—
$80
$ —
—
97
—
—
143
—
$240
$—
—
—
—
—
—
—
$—
$ —
—
—
—
—
385
—
$385
$10
5
—
—
—
—
—
$15
$ —
9
—
16
1
45
1
$72
We expect to contribute approximately $27 million,
$13 million and $6 million to the Domestic Plan, the U.K. Plan
and the International Plans, respectively, in 2015.
As of December 31, 2014, the benefits expected to be paid
in the next five years and in the aggregate for the five years
thereafter were as follows:
Domestic Plan
As of January 1, 2007, the frozen Domestic Plan and plans
maintained for certain domestic hotels currently or formerly
managed by us were merged into a multiple employer plan.
As of December 31, 2014, the multiple employer plan had
combined assets of $307 million and a projected benefit
obligation of $451 million.
(in millions)
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020-2024
Domestic
Plan
U.K.
Plan
International
Plans
$ 32
27
26
26
26
130
$267
$ 13
13
13
13
14
72
$138
$14
6
5
5
5
27
$62
In 2011, a class action lawsuit against Hilton and the
Domestic Plan claiming that the Domestic Plan did not
calculate benefit obligations in accordance with the terms
of the plan nor were vesting rules followed in accordance
with the plan resulted in an increase in our minimum pension
obligation and an equal increase to other comprehensive
loss as an adjustment of the pension liability. The other
comprehensive loss is amortized as prior service cost over
the remaining life expectancy of the plan participants as
additional pension expense.
In November 2013, we adopted an amendment to the
plan relating to the lawsuit, which required us to make a
contribution of $31 million at that time, to comply with
minimum legal funding obligations of the Domestic Plan.
We commenced benefit payments under the new plan
document in 2014, in accordance with the requirements
of the court order.
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In February 2012, we were required to post bond of $76
million under the litigation to support potential future plan
contributions. We were required by our insurers to fund this
bond with full cash collateral, which is classified as restricted
cash and cash equivalents. In November 2014, $57 million of
the cash collateral was returned to us based on a reduction
of the requirements of our insurer. In February 2015, the
bond was ordered to be released, and we expect to receive
the remaining cash collateral in the first quarter of 2015.
U.K. Plan
In March 2012, we, along with the trustees of the U.K. Plan,
adopted an agreement to freeze the defined benefit plan for
enrollment to new employees effective immediately, and to
freeze the accrual of benefits to existing employees, which
was implemented on November 30, 2013. A defined contri-
bution plan has been put in place for the affected employees.
We recognized an acceleration of prior service credit of
$13 million related to the adoption of this agreement during
the year ended December 31, 2012.
Other Benefit Plans
We also have plans covering qualifying employees and
non-officer directors (the “Supplemental Plans”). Benefits for
the Supplemental Plans are based upon years of service and
compensation. Since December 31, 1996, employees and
non-officer directors have not accrued additional benefits
under the Supplemental Plans. These plans are self-funded
by us and, therefore, have no plan assets isolated to pay
benefits due to employees. As of December 31, 2014 and
2013, these plans had benefit obligations of $13 million and
$14 million, respectively, which were fully accrued in our
consolidated balance sheets. Expense incurred under the
Supplemental Plans for the years ended December 31, 2014,
2013 and 2012 were less than $1 million in each period.
We have various employee defined contribution investment
plans whereby we contribute matching percentages of
employee contributions. The aggregate expense under
these plans totaled $23 million, $20 million and $18 million
for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and
2012, respectively.
Multi-Employer Pension Plans
Certain employees are covered by union sponsored multi-employer pension plans pursuant to agreements between us
and various unions. Our participation in these plans is outlined in the table below:
Pension Fund
New York Hotel Trades Council & Hotel Association
of New York City, Inc. Pension Fund
Other plans
Total contributions
Pension Protection
Act Zone Status
Contributions
(in millions)
EIN/Pension Plan
Number
2014
2013
2014
2013
2012
13-1764242
Pending
Yellow
$14
11
$25
$14
12
$26
$13
11
$24
Eligible employees at our owned hotels in New York City participate in the New York Hotel Trades Council and Hotel
Association of New York City, Inc. Pension Fund (“New York Pension Fund”). Our contributions are based on a percentage of all
union employee wages as dictated by the collective bargaining agreement that expires on June 30, 2024. Our contributions
exceeded 5 percent of the total contributions to the New York Pension Fund in 2013, as indicated in the New York Pension
Fund’s Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan on IRS Form 5500 for the year ended December 31, 2013. The New York
Pension Fund has implemented a funding improvement plan, and we have not paid a surcharge.
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NOTE 21
SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION
Stock Plan
We recorded share-based compensation expense for awards
granted under the Stock Plan of $90 million during the year
ended December 31, 2014, which includes amounts reim-
bursed by hotel owners. Compensation expense under the
Stock Plan for the year ended December 31, 2013 was less
than $1 million. The total tax benefit recognized related to
this compensation expense was $34 million for the year
ended December 31, 2014. As of December 31, 2014, we
accrued $12 million in accounts payable, accrued expenses
and other in our consolidated balance sheet for certain
awards settled in cash.
As of December 31, 2014, unrecognized compensation costs
for unvested awards was approximately $98 million, which is
expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period
of 1.8 years on a straight-line basis. There were 72,686,932
shares of common stock available for future issuance under
the Stock Plan as of December 31, 2014.
Restricted Stock Units
The following table summarizes the activity of our RSUs
during year ended December 31, 2014:
The grant date fair value of each of these option grants was
$7.58, which was determined using the Black-Scholes-Merton
option-pricing model with the following assumptions:
Expected volatility(1)
Dividend yield(2)
Risk-free rate(3)
Expected term (in years)(4)
33.00%
—%
1.85%
6.0
(1) Due to limited trading history for our common stock, we did not have sufficient
information available on which to base a reasonable and supportable estimate
of the expected volatility of our share price. As a result, we used an average historical
volatility of our peer group over a time period consistent with our expected term
assumption. Our peer group was determined based upon companies in our industry
with similar business models and is consistent with those used to benchmark our
executive compensation.
(2) At the date of grant we had no plans to pay dividends during the expected term
of these options.
(3) Based on the yields of U.S. Department of Treasury instruments with similar
expected lives.
(4) Estimated using the average of the vesting periods and the contractual term
of the options.
Performance Shares
The following table summarizes the activity of our
performance shares during year ended December 31, 2014:
Relative
Shareholder Return
EBITDA CAGR
Outstanding as of December 31, 2013
Granted
Vested
Forfeited
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
per Share
$20.00
21.53
20.38
21.53
Number
of Shares
19,500
5,650,362
(8,666)
(384,279)
Outstanding as of
December 31, 2013
Granted
Vested
Forfeited
Outstanding as of
December 31, 2014
Weighted
Weighted
Average
Average
Grant Date
Grant Date
Fair Value Number
Fair Value
per share of Shares per Share
—
—
$
23.56 529,984
—
(9,222)
—
23.56
—
$
21.53
—
21.53
Number
of Shares
—
529,984
—
(9,222)
520,762
23.56 520,762
21.53
Outstanding as of December 31, 2014
5,276,917
21.53
Stock Options
The following table summarizes the activity of our options
during year ended December 31, 2014:
Outstanding as of December 31, 2013
Granted
Exercised
Forfeited, canceled or expired
Number
of Shares
—
1,003,591
—
(17,463)
Outstanding as of December 31, 2014
986,128
Exercisable as of December 31, 2014
—
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
per Share
$—
21.53
—
21.53
21.53
—
The grant date fair value of each of the performance
shares based on relative shareholder return was determined
using a Monte Carlo simulation valuation model with the
following assumptions:
Expected volatility(1)
Dividend yield(2)
Risk-free rate(3)
Expected term (in years)(4)
30.00%
—%
0.70%
2.8
(1) Due to limited trading history for our common stock, we did not have sufficient
information available on which to base a reasonable and supportable estimate
of the expected volatility of our share price. As a result, we used an average historical
volatility of our peer group over a time period consistent with our expected term
assumption. Our peer group was determined based upon companies in our industry
with similar business models and is consistent with those used to benchmark our
executive compensation.
(2) At the date of grant we had no plans to pay dividends during the expected term of
these performance shares.
(3) Based on the yields of U.S. Department of Treasury instruments with similar
expected lives.
(4) Midpoint of the 30-calendar day period preceding the end of the performance period.
We determined that the performance condition for the
shares based on EBITDA CAGR is probable of achievement
and as of December 31, 2014, we recognized compensation
expense at 150 percent of the target amount.
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97
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Promote Plan
Prior to December 11, 2013, certain members of our senior
management team participated in an executive compensation
plan (“the Promote Plan”). The Promote Plan provided for
the grant of a Tier I liability award and a Tier II equity award.
As the vesting of a portion of the Tier I liability awards and
all of the Tier II equity awards were previously subject to
the achievement of a performance condition in the form
of a liquidity event that was not probable, no expense
was recognized related to these awards prior to their
modification on December 11, 2013.
On December 11, 2013, in connection with our IPO,
the Tier I liability awards of $52 million that remained
out standing became fully vested and were paid within
30 days. Additionally, the Tier II equity awards that remained
outstanding were exchanged for restricted shares of com-
mon stock of equivalent economic value that vest as follows:
(i) 40 percent of each award vested on December 11, 2013,
the pricing date of our IPO; (ii) 40 percent of each award
vested on December 11, 2014, the first anniversary of
the pricing date of our IPO, contingent upon continued
employment through that date; and (iii) 20 percent of
each award will vest on the date that our Sponsor and its
affiliates cease to own 50 percent or more of the shares
of the Company, contingent upon continued employment
through that date. We recorded incremental share-based
compensation expense of $306 million during the year
ended December 31, 2013 as a result of this modification.
During 2014, the vesting conditions of these restricted shares
of common stock were modified to accelerate vesting for six
participants. As a result of these modifications, we recorded
total incremental compensation expense of $8 million during
the year ended December 31, 2014.
The following table summarizes our common stock
activity related to the Promote Plan during year ended
December 31, 2014:
Balance as of December 31, 2013
Granted
Vested
Forfeited
Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
per Share
$20.00
—
20.24
—
Number
of Shares
11,195,778
—
(7,749,966)
—
Balance as of December 31, 2014
3,445,812
20.00
Total cash payments under the Promote Plan during the
years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were
$4 million, $65 million and $95 million, respectively.
We recorded total compensation expense under the
Promote Plan of $32 million, $313 million and $50 million
during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012,
respectively. As of December 31, 2014, unrecognized
compensation expense related to the Promote Plan was
$66 million and is subject to the achievement of a perfor-
mance condition in the form of a liquidity event that was
not probable.
Cash-based Long-term Incentive Plan
In February 2014, we terminated a cash-based, long-term
incentive plan and reversed the associated accruals resulting
in a reduction of compensation expense of approximately
$25 million for the year ended December 31, 2014.
NOTE 22
EARNINGS PER SHARE
The following table presents the calculation of basic and
diluted earnings per share (“EPS”):
(in millions, except per share amounts)
2014
2013
2012
December 31,
Basic EPS:
Numerator:
Net income attributable to
Hilton stockholders
Denominator:
Weighted average
shares outstanding
Basic EPS
Diluted EPS:
Numerator:
Net income attributable to
Hilton stockholders
Denominator:
Weighted average
shares outstanding(1)
Diluted EPS
$ 673
$ 415
$ 352
985
$0.68
923
921
$0.45
$0.38
$ 673
$ 415
$ 352
986
$0.68
923
921
$0.45
$0.38
(1) Includes the 19,500 RSUs granted on December 11, 2013 under the
2013 Director Grant.
Approximately 1 million share-based awards were excluded
from the computation of diluted EPS for the year ended
December 31, 2014 because their effect would have been
anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method.
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NOTE 23
ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
The components of accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of taxes, were as follows:
Currency
Translation
Adjustment(1)
Pension
Liability
Adjustment
Cash Flow
Hedge
Adjustment
$(336)
124
—
124
(212)
67
9
76
(136)
(299)
(5)
(304)
(6)
$(153)
(35)
(6)
(41)
(194)
54
6
60
(134)
(49)
4
(45)
—
$—
—
—
—
—
6
—
6
6
(9)
—
(9)
—
Total
$(489)
89
(6)
83
(406)
127
15
142
(264)
(357)
(1)
(358)
(6)
$(446)
$(179)
$(3)
$(628)
(in millions)
Balance as of December 31, 2011
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)
Balance as of December 31, 2012
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss
Net current period other comprehensive income
Balance as of December 31, 2013
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss
Net current period other comprehensive loss
Equity contribution to consolidated variable interest entities
Balance as of December 31, 2014
(1) Includes net investment hedges.
The following table presents additional information
about reclassifications out of accumulated other
comprehensive loss:
(in millions)
Currency translation adjustment:
Sale and liquidation of foreign assets(1)
Gains on net investment hedges (2)
Tax benefit(3)(4)
Total currency translation adjustment
reclassifications for the period, net of taxes
Pension liability adjustment:
Amortization of prior service cost(5)
Amortization of net loss(5)
Tax benefit(3)
Total pension liability adjustment
reclassifications for the period,
net of taxes
Total reclassifications for the period, net of tax
Year Ended
December 31,
2014
2013
$3
2
—
5
(4)
(3)
3
(4)
$1
$(15)
1
5
(9)
(1)
(8)
3
(6)
$(15)
(1) Reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss to other gain, net in the
consolidated statement of operations. Amounts in parentheses indicate a loss in our
consolidated statement of operations.
(2) Reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss to gain (loss) on foreign
currency transactions in our consolidated statement of operations.
(3) Reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss to income tax expense in
our consolidated statement of operations.
(4) The tax benefit was less than $1 million for the year ended December 31, 2014.
(5) Reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss to general, administrative
and other in the consolidated statement of operations. These amounts were
included in the computation of net periodic pension cost. See Note 20: “Employee
Benefit Plans” for additional information. Amounts in parentheses indicate a loss in
our consolidated statement of operations.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
99
The following table presents revenues and Adjusted
EBITDA for our reportable segments, reconciled to
consolidated amounts:
(in millions)
Revenues:
Ownership(1)(2)
Management and franchise(3)
Timeshare
Segment revenues
Other revenues from managed
and franchised properties
Other revenues(4)
Intersegment fees
elimination(1)(2)(3)(4)
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$ 4,271
1,468
1,171
$4,075
1,271
1,109
$4,006
1,180
1,085
6,910
6,455
6,271
3,691
99
3,405
69
3,124
66
(198)
(194)
(185)
Total revenues
$10,502
$9,735
$9,276
Adjusted EBITDA:
Ownership(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)
Management and franchise(3)
Timeshare(1)(3)
Corporate and other(2)(4)
$999
1,468
334
(293)
$926
1,271
297
(284)
$793
1,180
252
(269)
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 2,508
$2,210
$1,956
(1) Includes charges to timeshare operations for rental fees and fees for other
amenities, which were eliminated in our consolidated financial statements.
These charges totaled $28 million, $26 million and $24 million for the years ended
December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. While the net effect is zero,
our measures of segment revenues and Adjusted EBITDA include these fees as a
benefit to the ownership segment and a cost to timeshare Adjusted EBITDA.
(2) Includes various other intercompany charges of $4 million, $3 million and
$3 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
(3) Includes management, royalty and intellectual property fees of $113 million,
$100 million and $96 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and
2012, respectively. These fees are charged to consolidated owned and leased
properties and were eliminated in our consolidated financial statements. Also
includes a licensing fee of $44 million, $56 million and $52 million for the years
ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which is charged to
our timeshare segment by our management and franchise segment and was
eliminated in our consolidated financial statements. While the net effect is zero,
our measures of segment revenues and Adjusted EBITDA include these fees as
a benefit to the management and franchise segment and a cost to ownership
Adjusted EBITDA and timeshare Adjusted EBITDA.
(4) Includes charges to consolidated owned and leased properties for services
provided by our wholly owned laundry business of $9 million, $9 million and
$10 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
These charges were eliminated in our consolidated financial statements.
(5) Includes unconsolidated affiliate Adjusted EBITDA.
NOTE 24
BUSINESS SEGMENTS
We are a diversified hospitality company with operations
organized in three distinct operating segments: ownership,
management and franchise and timeshare. Each segment
is managed separately because of its distinct
economic characteristics.
The ownership segment includes all hotels that we wholly
own or lease, as well as consolidated non-wholly owned
entities and consolidated VIEs. As of December 31, 2014,
this segment included 121 wholly owned and leased hotels
and resorts, three non-wholly owned hotel properties and
three hotels of consolidated VIEs. While we do not include
equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates in
our measures of segment revenues, we manage these
investments in our ownership segment. Our unconsolidated
affiliates are primarily investments in entities that owned
or leased 16 hotels and one condominium management
company as of December 31, 2014.
The management and franchise segment includes all of
the hotels we manage for third-party owners, as well as all
franchised hotels operated or managed by someone other
than us under one of our proprietary brand names in our
brand portfolio. As of December 31, 2014, this segment
included 526 managed hotels and 3,608 franchised hotels.
This segment also earns fees for managing properties in
our ownership segment.
The timeshare segment includes the development of
vacation ownership clubs and resorts, marketing and selling
of timeshare intervals, providing timeshare customer
financing and resort operations. This segment also provides
assistance to third-party developers in selling their time-
share inventory. As of December 31, 2014, this segment
included 44 timeshare properties.
Corporate and other represents revenues and related
operating expenses generated by the incidental support of
hotel operations for owned, leased, managed and franchised
hotels and other rental income, as well as corporate assets
and related expenditures.
The performance of our operating segments is evaluated
primarily based on Adjusted EBITDA. We define Adjusted
EBITDA as EBITDA, further adjusted to exclude certain items,
including gains, losses and expenses in connection with:
(i) asset dispositions for both consolidated and unconsolidated
investments; (ii) foreign currency transactions; (iii) debt
restructurings/retirements; (iv) non-cash impairment losses;
(v) furniture, fixtures and equipment (“FF&E”) replacement
reserves required under certain lease agreements;
(vi) reorganization costs; (vii) share-based and certain
other compensation expenses prior to and in connection
with the IPO; (viii) severance, relocation and other
expenses; and (ix) other items.
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The table below provides a reconciliation of Adjusted
EBITDA to EBITDA and EBITDA to net income attributable
to Hilton stockholders:
(in millions)
Adjusted EBITDA
Net income attributable to
noncontrolling interests
Gain (loss) on foreign currency
transactions
FF&E replacement reserve
Share-based compensation
expense
Impairment losses
Impairment losses included
in equity in earnings (losses)
from unconsolidated affiliates
Gain on debt extinguishment
Other gain, net
Other adjustment items
EBITDA
Interest expense
Interest expense included
in equity in earnings (losses)
from unconsolidated affiliates
Income tax expense
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization
included in equity in earnings
(losses) from unconsolidated
affiliates
Net income attributable
to Hilton stockholders
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$2,508
$2,210
$1,956
(9)
(45)
(7)
26
(46)
(32)
—
—
—
37
(63)
(45)
(46)
(313)
—
—
229
7
(76)
23
(68)
(50)
(54)
(19)
—
15
(64)
2,421
(618)
1,921
(620)
1,732
(569)
(10)
(465)
(628)
(13)
(238)
(603)
(13)
(214)
(550)
(27)
(32)
(34)
$ 673
$ 415
$ 352
The following table presents assets for our reportable
segments, reconciled to consolidated amounts:
(in millions)
Ownership
Management and franchise
Timeshare
Corporate and other
December 31,
2014
2013
$11,595
10,530
1,840
2,160
$11,936
11,016
1,871
1,739
$26,125
$26,562
The following table presents capital expenditures for
property and equipment for our reportable segments,
reconciled to consolidated amounts:
(in millions)
Ownership
Timeshare
Corporate and other
Year Ended December 31,
2014
$245
14
9
$268
2013
$240
8
6
$254
2012
$396
28
9
$433
Revenues by country were as follows:
(in millions)
U.S.
All other
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$ 7,927
2,575
$7,262
2,473
$6,743
2,533
$10,502
$9,735
$9,276
Other than the U.S., there were no countries that individually
represented more than 10 percent of total revenues for the
years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012.
Property and equipment, net by country were as follows:
(in millions)
U.S.(1)
All other
December 31,
2014
2013
$6,673
810
$8,204
854
$7,483
$9,058
(1) Excludes property and equipment, net held for sale as of December 31, 2014.
Other than the U.S. there were no countries that
individually represented over 10 percent of total property
and equipment, net as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.
NOTE 25
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
As of December 31, 2014, we had outstanding guarantees
of $25 million, with remaining terms ranging from five years
to eight years, for debt and other obligations of third parties.
We have one letter of credit, supported by restricted cash
and cash equivalents, for a total of $25 million that have been
pledged as collateral for one of these guarantees. Although
we believe it is unlikely that material payments will be
required under these guarantees or letter of credit, there
can be no assurance that this will be the case.
We have also provided performance guarantees to certain
owners of hotels that we operate under management
contracts. Most of these guarantees allow us to terminate the
contract, rather than fund shortfalls, if specified performance
levels are not achieved. However, in limited cases, we are
obligated to fund performance shortfalls. As of December 31,
2014, we had seven contracts containing performance
guarantees, with expirations ranging from 2018 to 2030,
and possible cash outlays totaling approximately $119 million.
Our obligations under these guarantees in future periods is
dependent on the operating performance levels of these
hotels over the remaining terms of the performance
guarantees. We do not have any letters of credit pledged
as collateral against these guarantees. As of December 31,
2014 and 2013, we recorded current liabilities of
approximately $8 million and $9 million, respectively, and
non-current liabilities of approximately $37 million and
$51 million, respectively, in our consolidated balance
sheets for obligations under our outstanding performance
guarantees that are related to certain VIEs for which we
are not the primary beneficiary.
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We are involved in other litigation arising from the normal
course of business, some of which includes claims for
substantial sums. Accruals are recorded when the outcome
is probable and can be reasonably estimated in accordance
with applicable accounting requirements regarding
accounting for contingencies. While the ultimate results
of claims and litigation cannot be predicted with certainty,
we expect that the ultimate resolution of all pending or
threatened claims and litigation as of December 31, 2014
will not have a material effect on our consolidated results
of operations, financial position or cash flows.
NOTE 26
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Investment in Affiliates
We hold investments in affiliates that own or lease properties
that we manage or franchise. See Note 8: “Investments
in Affiliates” for additional information. The following tables
summarize amounts included in our consolidated financial
statements related to these management and
franchise agreements:
(in millions)
Balance Sheets
Assets:
Accounts receivable, net of allowance
for doubtful accounts
Financing receivables, net
Management and franchise contracts, net
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses
and other
December 31,
2014
2013
$19
—
16
$21
15
18
10
—
(in millions)
Statements of Operations
Revenues:
Management and franchise fees
and other
Other revenues from managed
and franchised properties
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$ 25
$ 31
$ 29
167
174
172
Expenses:
Other expenses from managed
and franchised properties
Non-operating income and expenses:
Interest income
167
174
172
1
3
3
As of December 31, 2014, we had outstanding commitments
under third-party contracts of approximately $68 million for
capital expenditures at certain owned and leased properties,
including our consolidated VIEs. Our contracts contain
clauses that allow us to cancel all or some portion of the
work. If cancellation of a contract occurred, our commit-
ment would be any costs incurred up to the cancellation
date, in addition to any costs associated with the discharge
of the contract.
We have entered into an agreement with an affiliate of
the owner of a hotel whereby we have agreed to provide
a $60 million junior mezzanine loan to finance the con-
struction of a new hotel. The junior mezzanine loan will
be subordinated to a senior mortgage loan and senior
mezzanine loan provided by third parties unaffiliated with
the Company and will be funded on a pro rata basis with
these loans as the construction costs are incurred. The
conditions precedent to the Company’s obligation to fund
the loan were not met until February 2015. We expect to
fund $59 million of this commitment as follows; $24 million
in 2015, $34 million in 2016, and $1 million in 2017.
We have entered into an agreement with a developer in
Las Vegas, Nevada, whereby we have agreed to purchase
residential units from the developer that we will convert to
timeshare units to be marketed and sold under our Hilton
Grand Vacations brand. Subject to certain conditions, we are
required to purchase approximately $92 million of inventory
ratably over a maximum period of four years, which is equiv-
alent to purchases of approximately $6 million per quarter.
We began purchasing inventory during the quarter ended
March 31, 2013, and during the years ended December 31,
2014 and 2013, we purchased $29 million and $35 million,
respectively, of inventory under this agreement. As of
December 31, 2014, our contractual obligations for the
years ending December 31, 2015 and 2016, respectively,
were $24 million and $4 million.
During 2010, an affiliate of our Sponsor settled a $75 million
liability on our behalf in conjunction with a lawsuit settlement
by entering into service contracts with the plaintiff. We
recorded the portion settled by this affiliate as a capital
contribution. Additionally, as part of the settlement, we
entered into a guarantee with the plaintiff to pay any
shortfall that this affiliate does not fund related to those
service contracts up to the value of the settlement amount
made by the affiliate. The remaining potential exposure
under this guarantee as of December 31, 2014 was
approximately $33 million. We have not accrued a liability
for this guarantee as we believe the likelihood of any
material funding to be remote.
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The Blackstone Group
Blackstone directly and indirectly owns or controls hotels
that we manage or franchise and for which we receive
fees in connection with the management and franchise
agreements. Our maximum exposure to loss related to
these hotels is limited to the amounts discussed below;
therefore, our involvement with these hotels does not
expose us to additional variability or risk of loss. The
f ollowing tables summarize amounts included in our
consolidated financial statements related to these
management and franchise agreements:
(in millions)
Balance Sheets
Assets:
Accounts receivable, net of allowance
for doubtful accounts
Management and franchise contracts, net
Liabilities:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses
and other
December 31,
2014
2013
$52
38
$26
20
22
14
(in millions)
Statements of Operations
Revenues:
Management and franchise fees
and other
Other revenues from managed
and franchised properties
Expenses:
Other expenses from managed
and franchised properties
Statements of Cash Flows
Investing Activities:
Contract acquisition costs(1)
Year Ended December 31,
2014
2013
2012
$ 60
$ 42
$ 29
293
174
135
293
174
135
7
15
—
(1) Contract acquisition costs were less than $1 million for the year ended
December 31, 2012.
In April 2014, we completed the sale of certain land
and easement rights at one of our hotels to an affiliate
of Blackstone in connection with a timeshare project.
The total consideration received for this transaction was
approximately $37 million. See Note 4: “Assets Held for
Sale and Disposals” for additional details.
We also purchase products and services from entities
affiliated with or owned by Blackstone. The fees paid for
these products and services were $31 million, $24 million
and $26 million during the years ended December 31, 2014,
2013 and 2012, respectively.
NOTE 27
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES
OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Interest paid during the years ended December 31, 2014,
2013 and 2012, was $514 million, $535 million and
$486 million, respectively.
Income taxes, net of refunds, paid during the years ended
December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were $429 million,
$233 million and $103 million, respectively.
In connection with our IPO in 2013, we incurred net
underwriting discounts and commissions of $27 million and
other offering expenses of $12 million, which are included
in net proceeds from issuance of common stock in our
consolidated statement of cash flows.
The following non-cash investing and financing
activities were excluded from the consolidated statements
of cash flows:
» In 2014, we transferred $45 million of property and
equipment to timeshare inventory as part of a conversion
of certain floors at one of our owned properties into
timeshare units.
» In 2014, we completed an equity investments exchange
with a joint venture partner of our ownership interest in
six hotels for the remaining interest in five other hotels.
As a result of the exchange, we acquired $144 million of
property and equipment, $1 million of other intangible
assets and assumed $64 million of long-term debt. We
also disposed of $59 million in equity method investments.
See Note 3: “Acquisitions” for further discussion.
» In 2014, we restructured a capital lease in conjunction
with a rent arbitration ruling, for which we recorded an
additional capital lease asset and obligation of $11 million.
» In 2013, one of our consolidated VIEs restructured the
terms of its capital lease resulting in a reduction in our
capital lease asset and obligation of $44 million and
$48 million, respectively.
» In 2013, we incurred $189 million of debt issuance costs
related to the Debt Refinancing, of which $9 million
had not been paid as of December 31, 2013 and were
included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and
other in our consolidated balance sheet. See Note 13:
“Debt” for further discussion.
» In 2012, we executed a capital lease in conjunction
with the acquisition of the remaining interest of one of
our VIEs, for which we recorded a capital lease asset
and obligation of $15 million. See Note 3: “Acquisitions”
for further discussion.
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 103
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
103
NOTE 28
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION
In October 2013, Hilton Worldwide Finance LLC and Hilton Worldwide Finance Corp. (the “Subsidiary Issuers”), entities formed
in August 2013 which are 100 percent owned by the Parent, issued the Senior Notes. The obligations of the Subsidiary Issuers
are guaranteed jointly and severally on a senior unsecured basis by the Parent, and certain of the Parent’s 100 percent owned
domestic restricted subsidiaries (the “Guarantors”). The indenture that governs the Senior Notes provides that any subsidiary
of the Company that provides a guarantee of the Senior Secured Credit Facility will guarantee the Senior Notes. None of our
foreign subsidiaries or U.S. subsidiaries owned by foreign subsidiaries or conducting foreign operations, our non-wholly owned
subsidiaries, our subsidiaries that secure the CMBS Loan and $589 million in mortgage loans, or certain of our special purpose
subsidiaries formed in connection with our Timeshare Facility and Securitized Timeshare Debt guarantee the Senior Notes
(collectively, the “Non-Guarantors”).
The guarantees are full and unconditional, subject to certain customary release provisions. The indenture that governs the
Senior Notes provides that any Guarantor may be released from its guarantee so long as: (a) the subsidiary is sold or sells all of
its assets; (b) the subsidiary is released from its guaranty under the Senior Secured Credit Facility; (c) the subsidiary is declared
“unrestricted” for covenant purposes; or (d) the requirements for legal defeasance or covenant defeasance or to discharge the
indenture have been satisfied.
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The following schedules present the condensed consolidating financial information as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and the
years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, for the Parent, Subsidiary Issuers, Guarantors and Non-Guarantors.
(in millions)
ASSETS
Current Assets:
Parent
Subsidiary
Issuers
December 31, 2014
Non-
Guarantors Guarantors
Eliminations
Total
$
Intercompany receivables
Inventories
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Accounts receivable, net
—
—
—
—
—
—
Deferred income tax assets
Current portion of financing receivables, net
—
Current portion of securitized financing receivables, net —
—
Prepaid expenses
—
—
Income taxes receivable
Other
Total current assets
Property, Investments and Other Assets:
Property and equipment, net
Property and equipment, net held for sale
Financing receivables, net
Securitized financing receivables, net
Investments in affiliates
Investments in subsidiaries
Goodwill
Brands
Management and franchise contracts, net
Other intangible assets, net
Deferred income tax assets
Other
Total property, investments and other assets
—
—
—
—
—
—
4,924
—
—
—
—
22
—
4,946
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other
$
Intercompany payables
Current maturities of long-term debt
Current maturities of non-recourse debt
Income taxes payable
Total current liabilities
Long-term debt
Non-recourse debt
Deferred revenues
Deferred income tax liabilities
Liability for guest loyalty program
Other
Total liabilities
Equity:
Total Hilton stockholders’ equity
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity
$
$
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
$
270
135
477
46
380
10
47
—
29
154
5
$
296
67
367
—
24
10
19
62
124
—
65
1,553
1,034
$
—
—
—
(46)
—
—
—
—
(20)
(22)
—
(88)
—
—
—
—
—
11,361
—
—
—
—
1
85
11,447
305
—
272
—
123
4,935
3,847
4,405
1,007
466
—
119
7,178
1,543
144
406
47
—
2,307
558
299
208
155
152
—
—
—
—
—
(21,220)
—
—
—
—
(23)
—
15,479
12,997
(21,243)
23,626
566
202
844
—
404
20
66
62
133
132
70
2,499
7,483
1,543
416
406
170
—
6,154
4,963
1,306
674
155
356
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
194
194
4,752
—
4,752
$
40
—
—
—
—
40
6,479
—
—
—
—
4
6,523
4,924
—
4,924
$
$ 1,382
—
—
—
5
1,387
54
—
491
2,309
720
710
5,671
697
46
10
127
38
918
4,270
752
4
2,930
—
260
9,134
$
(20)
(46)
—
—
(22)
$ 2,099
—
10
127
21
(88)
—
—
—
(23)
—
—
2,257
10,803
752
495
5,216
720
1,168
(111)
21,411
11,361
—
11,361
4,935
(38)
(21,220)
—
4,897
(21,220)
4,752
(38)
4,714
TOTAL ASSETS
$4,946
$11,447
$17,032
$14,031
$(21,331)
$26,125
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
$4,946
$11,447
$17,032
$14,031
$(21,331)
$26,125
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105
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(in millions)
ASSETS
Current Assets:
Parent
Subsidiary
Issuers
December 31, 2013
Non-
Guarantors Guarantors
Eliminations
Total
$
Inventories
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash and cash equivalents
Accounts receivable, net
—
—
—
—
—
Deferred income tax assets
Current portion of financing receivables, net
—
Current portion of securitized financing receivables, net —
—
Prepaid expenses
—
—
Income taxes receivable
Other
Total current assets
Property, Investments and Other Assets:
Property and equipment, net
Financing receivables, net
Securitized financing receivables, net
Investments in affiliates
Investments in subsidiaries
Goodwill
Brands
Management and franchise contracts, net
Other intangible assets, net
Deferred income tax assets
Other
Total property, investments and other assets
—
—
—
—
—
4,528
—
—
—
—
21
—
4,549
$
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
11,942
—
—
—
—
—
121
12,063
$
329
194
426
370
6
38
—
15
98
3
1,479
341
199
—
210
5,253
3,847
4,405
1,143
511
—
133
$
265
72
305
26
17
56
27
133
—
26
927
8,717
436
194
50
—
2,373
608
309
240
193
149
$
$
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(23)
—
(23)
—
—
—
—
(21,723)
—
—
—
—
(21)
—
594
266
731
396
23
94
27
148
75
29
2,383
9,058
635
194
260
—
6,220
5,013
1,452
751
193
403
16,042
13,269
(21,744)
24,179
TOTAL ASSETS
$4,549
$12,063
$17,521
$14,196
$(21,767)
$26,562
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other
Current maturities of long-term debt
Current maturities of non-recourse debt
$
Income taxes payable
Total current liabilities
Long-term debt
Non-recourse debt
Deferred revenues
Deferred income tax liabilities
Liability for guest loyalty program
Other
Total liabilities
Equity:
Total Hilton stockholders’ equity
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
186
186
4,363
—
4,363
$
60
—
—
—
60
7,470
—
—
5
—
—
7,535
4,528
—
4,528
$
$ 1,335
—
—
3
1,338
54
—
674
2,298
597
618
5,579
$
684
4
48
31
767
4,227
920
—
2,771
—
345
9,030
—
—
—
(23)
(23)
—
—
—
(21)
—
—
(44)
$ 2,079
4
48
11
2,142
11,751
920
674
5,053
597
1,149
22,286
11,942
—
11,942
5,253
(87)
(21,723)
—
5,166
(21,723)
4,363
(87)
4,276
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
$4,549
$12,063
$17,521
$14,196
$(21,767)
$26,562
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Subsidiary
Issuers
December 31, 2014
Non-
Guarantors Guarantors
Eliminations
Total
$ 217
788
1,075
2,080
4,128
6,208
$4,053
727
96
4,876
427
5,303
$
(31)
(114)
—
(145)
(864)
$ 4,239
1,401
1,171
6,811
3,691
(1,009)
10,502
$
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(334)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(in millions)
Revenues
Owned and leased hotels
Management and franchise fees and other
Timeshare
Parent
$ —
—
—
—
Other revenues from managed and franchised properties —
Total revenues
Expenses
Owned and leased hotels
Timeshare
Depreciation and amortization
General, administrative and other
—
—
—
—
—
—
Other expenses from managed and franchised properties —
Total expenses
Operating income
Interest income
Interest expense
Equity in earnings from unconsolidated affiliates
Gain (loss) on foreign currency transactions
Other gain, net
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity
in earnings from subsidiaries
Income tax benefit (expense)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings
from subsidiaries
Equity in earnings from subsidiaries
Net income
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net income attributable to Hilton stockholders
Comprehensive income
Comprehensive income attributable
to noncontrolling interests
Comprehensive income attributable
to Hilton stockholders
162
798
306
379
1,645
4,128
5,773
435
7
(58)
15
441
6
3,162
18
322
136
3,638
427
4,065
1,238
3
(226)
4
(415)
31
(72)
(49)
—
(24)
(145)
(864)
(1,009)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
3,252
767
628
491
5,138
3,691
8,829
1,673
10
(618)
19
26
37
1,147
(465)
682
—
682
(9)
—
(5)
(334)
128
846
(321)
635
(267)
(5)
678
(206)
884
673
—
$673
$315
678
—
$ 678
$ 669
525
359
884
—
368
—
368
(9)
—
(1,921)
(1,921)
—
$ 884
$ 359
$(1,921)
$ 813
$
95
$(1,563)
$
$
673
329
—
—
—
(14)
—
(14)
$315
$ 669
$ 813
$
81
$(1,563)
$
315
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 107
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
107
(in millions)
Revenues
Owned and leased hotels
Management and franchise fees and other
Timeshare
Parent
$ —
—
—
Subsidiary
Issuers
$ —
—
—
—
Other revenues from managed and franchised properties —
Total revenues
Expenses
Owned and leased hotels
Timeshare
Depreciation and amortization
General, administrative and other
—
—
—
—
—
—
Other expenses from managed and franchised properties —
Total expenses
Operating income (loss)
Interest income
Interest expense
Equity in earnings from unconsolidated affiliates
Gain (loss) on foreign currency transactions
Gain on debt extinguishment
Other gain, net
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity
in earnings from subsidiaries
Income tax benefit (expense)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings
from subsidiaries
Equity in earnings from subsidiaries
Net income
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net income attributable to Hilton stockholders
Comprehensive income
Comprehensive income attributable
to noncontrolling interests
Comprehensive income attributable
to Hilton stockholders
—
—
217
—
—
—
—
—
217
(84)
133
282
415
—
$415
$557
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(105)
—
—
—
—
(105)
40
(65)
347
282
—
$ 282
$ 288
December 31, 2013
Non-
Guarantors Guarantors
Eliminations
Total
$ 190
587
1,052
1,829
3,869
5,698
148
797
277
620
1,842
3,869
5,711
(13)
7
(642)
13
35
229
2
(369)
48
(321)
668
347
—
$
$3,882
733
57
4,672
351
5,023
3,058
12
326
161
3,557
351
3,908
1,115
2
(90)
3
(80)
—
5
955
(242)
713
—
713
(45)
(26)
(145)
—
(171)
(815)
(986)
(59)
(79)
—
(33)
(171)
(815)
(986)
—
(217)
217
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(1,297)
(1,297)
—
$4,046
1,175
1,109
6,330
3,405
9,735
3,147
730
603
748
5,228
3,405
8,633
1,102
9
(620)
16
(45)
229
7
698
(238)
460
—
460
(45)
$ 347
$ 668
$(1,297)
$ 415
$ 417
$ 797
$(1,439)
$ 620
—
—
—
(63)
—
(63)
$557
$ 288
$ 417
$ 734
$(1,439)
$ 557
108
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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(in millions)
Revenues
Owned and leased hotels
Management and franchise fees and other
Timeshare
Parent
$
—
—
—
—
Other revenues from managed and franchised properties —
Total revenues
Expenses
Owned and leased hotels
Timeshare
Depreciation and amortization
Impairment losses
General, administrative and other
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Other expenses from managed and franchised properties —
Total expenses
—
Operating income
Interest income
Interest expense
—
403
—
Equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates —
—
Gain on foreign currency transactions
—
Other gain, net
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity
in earnings from subsidiaries
Income tax benefit (expense)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings
from subsidiaries
Equity in earnings from subsidiaries
Net income
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net income attributable to Hilton stockholders
Comprehensive income
Comprehensive income attributable
to noncontrolling interests
Comprehensive income attributable
to Hilton stockholders
403
(155)
248
104
352
—
$ 352
$ 435
—
Subsidiary
Issuers
December 31, 2012
Non-
Guarantors Guarantors
Eliminations
Total
$—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
$—
$—
—
$ 181
459
1,081
1,721
3,643
5,364
$3,821
762
4
4,587
295
4,882
$ (23)
(133)
—
(156)
(814)
(970)
$3,979
1,088
1,085
6,152
3,124
9,276
142
827
251
13
342
1,575
3,643
5,218
146
7
(916)
(12)
12
6
3,141
4
299
41
148
3,633
295
3,928
954
8
(56)
1
11
9
(53)
(73)
—
—
(30)
(156)
(814)
(970)
—
(403)
403
—
—
—
3,230
758
550
54
460
5,052
3,124
8,176
1,100
15
(569)
(11)
23
15
(757)
312
927
(371)
—
—
573
(214)
(445)
549
104
—
556
—
556
(7)
—
(653)
(653)
—
359
—
359
(7)
$ 104
$ 549
$(653)
$ 352
$ 126
$ 631
$(736)
$ 456
—
(21)
—
(21)
$ 435
$—
$ 126
$ 610
$(736)
$ 435
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 109
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
109
(in millions)
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures for property and equipment
Payments received on other financing receivables
Issuance of other financing receivables
Investments in affiliates
Distributions from unconsolidated affiliates
Proceeds from asset dispositions
Contract acquisition costs
Software capitalization costs
Net cash used in investing activities
Financing Activities:
Borrowings
Repayment of debt
Debt issuance costs
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents
Capital contribution
Proceeds from intercompany sales
leaseback transaction
Intercompany transfers
Dividends paid to Guarantors
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Net cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
and cash equivalents
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Parent
Subsidiary
Issuers
December 31, 2014
Non-
Guarantors Guarantors
Eliminations
Total
$—
$
—
$ 873
$ 771
$(278)
$ 1,366
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(1,000)
(6)
—
—
—
1,006
—
—
—
—
—
—
(27)
17
—
(9)
36
10
(19)
(69)
(61)
—
—
—
—
—
—
(871)
—
—
(871)
—
(59)
329
(241)
3
(1)
—
2
34
(46)
—
(249)
350
(424)
(3)
5
22
22
(135)
(309)
(5)
(477)
(14)
31
265
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(9)
(22)
—
309
—
278
—
—
—
(268)
20
(1)
(9)
38
44
(65)
(69)
(310)
350
(1,424)
(9)
5
13
—
—
—
(5)
$(1,070)
(14)
(28)
594
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$—
$
—
$ 270
$ 296
$
—
$
566
110
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(in millions)
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures for property and equipment
Acquisitions
Payments received on other financing receivables
Issuance of other financing receivables
Investments in affiliates
Distributions from unconsolidated affiliates
Contract acquisition costs
Software capitalization costs
Net cash used in investing activities
Financing Activities:
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock
Borrowings
Repayment of debt
Debt issuance costs
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents
Intercompany transfers
Dividends paid to Guarantors
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Net cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
and cash equivalents
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Parent
Subsidiary
Issuers
December 31, 2013
Non-
Guarantors Guarantors
Eliminations
Total
$
—
$
—
$ 1,574
$
630
$(103)
$ 2,101
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(23)
—
4
(6)
(4)
33
(14)
(78)
(88)
(231)
(30)
1
(4)
—
—
(30)
—
(294)
1,243
—
—
—
—
(1,243)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
9,062
(1,600)
(123)
—
(7,339)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(15,245)
—
222
13,324
—
—
—
5,026
(358)
(57)
(29)
(4,742)
(103)
(4)
(1,699)
(267)
—
(213)
542
(17)
52
213
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
103
—
103
—
—
—
(254)
(30)
5
(10)
(4)
33
(44)
(78)
(382)
1,243
14,088
(17,203)
(180)
193
—
—
(4)
(1,863)
(17)
(161)
755
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$
—
$
—
$
329
$265
$
—
$
594
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 111
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
111
(in millions)
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities
Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures for property and equipment
Payments received on other financing receivables
Issuance of other financing receivables
Investments in affiliates
Distributions from unconsolidated affiliates
Contract acquisition costs
Software capitalization costs
Net cash used in investing activities
Financing Activities:
Borrowings
Repayment of debt
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents
Intercompany transfers
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Acquisitions of noncontrolling interests
Net cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
and cash equivalents
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Parent
Subsidiary
Issuers
December 31, 2012
Non-
Guarantors Guarantors
Eliminations
Total
$—
$—
$ 271
$ 853
$(14)
$1,110
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(57)
5
(1)
(3)
8
(28)
(103)
(179)
—
(735)
193
449
—
—
(93)
—
(1)
543
(376)
3
(3)
—
—
(3)
—
(379)
96
(119)
(6)
(463)
(4)
(1)
(497)
(2)
(25)
238
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
14
—
—
14
—
—
—
(433)
8
(4)
(3)
8
(31)
(103)
(558)
96
(854)
187
—
(4)
(1)
(576)
(2)
(26)
781
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$—
$—
$ 542
$ 213
$ —
$ 755
NOTE 29
SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)
The following table sets forth the historical unaudited quarterly financial data for the periods indicated. The information for
each of these periods has been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and, in our opinion,
reflects all adjustments necessary to present fairly our financial results. Operating results for previous periods do not necessarily
indicate results that may be achieved in any future period.
(in millions, except per share data)
Revenues
Operating income
Net income
Net income attributable to Hilton stockholders
Basic and diluted earnings per share
(in millions, except per share data)
Revenues
Operating income
Net income
Net income attributable to Hilton stockholders
Basic and diluted earnings per share
First
Quarter
$2,363
338
124
123
$ 0.12
First
Quarter
$2,263
252
38
34
$ 0.03
Second
Quarter
$2,667
435
212
209
$ 0.21
Second
Quarter
$2,380
404
157
155
$ 0.17
2014
Third
Quarter
$2,644
445
187
183
$ 0.19
2013
Third
Quarter
$2,449
357
203
200
$ 0.22
Fourth
Quarter
$2,828
455
159
158
$ 0.16
Fourth
Quarter
$2,643
89
62
26
$ 0.03
Year
$10,502
1,673
682
673
$ 0.68
Year
$ 9,735
1,102
460
415
$ 0.45
112
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and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by
this annual report, were effective to provide reasonable
assurance that information required to be disclosed by the
Company in reports that it files or submits under the
Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and
forms and is accumulated and communicated to the
Company’s management, including the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow
timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management’s Annual Report on
Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have set forth management’s report on internal control
over financial reporting and the attestation report of our
independent registered public accounting firm on the
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting
in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Management’s
report on internal control over financial reporting is
incorporated in this Item 9A by reference.
Changes in Internal Control
There has been no change in the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting during the Company’s most recent
fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably
likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting.
In May 2013, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations
of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) released an updated
version of its Internal Control—Integrated Framework
(“2013 Framework”). Initially issued in 1992, the original
framework (“1992 Framework”) provided guidance to
organizations to design, implement and evaluate the
effectiveness of internal control concepts and simplify their
use and application. The 2013 Framework is intended to
improve upon systems of internal control over external
financial reporting by formalizing the principles embedded in
the 1992 Framework, incorporating business and operating
environment changes, and increasing the framework’s ease
of use and application. The 1992 Framework was available
until December 15, 2014, after which it was superseded
by the 2013 Framework. We transitioned to the 2013
Framework during the fourth quarter of 2014 which
resulted in no significant changes to our internal control
over financial reporting.
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.
NOTE 30
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
In February 2015, we completed the sale of the Waldorf
Astoria New York for a purchase price of $1.95 billion
and the existing Waldorf Astoria Loan of approximately
$525 million was repaid in full. We used the proceeds from
the sale as part of a tax deferred exchange of real property
to acquire the following five properties for a total purchase
price of $1.76 billion:
» the resort complex consisting of the Waldorf Astoria
Orlando and the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek in
Orlando, Florida (the “Bonnet Creek Resort”);
» the Casa Marina Resort in Key West, Florida;
» the Reach Resort in Key West, Florida; and
» the Parc 55 hotel in San Francisco, California.
As part of the acquisition of the Bonnet Creek Resort,
we assumed $450 million of mortgage debt. The sellers of
the five properties are affiliated with Blackstone. We will
recognize the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities
assumed, primarily property and equipment and mortgage
debt, and expect to complete the valuation of these assets
and liabilities in the first quarter of 2015.
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS
WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The Company maintains a set of disclosure controls and
procedures as that term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act that are designed to
ensure that information required to be disclosed by the
Company in reports that it files or submits under the
Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules
and forms, and that such information is accumulated and
communicated to the Company’s management, including
its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as
appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosures. The design of any disclosure controls and proce-
dures is based in part upon certain assumptions about the
likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance
that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals
under all potential future conditions. Any controls and
procedures, no matter how well designed and operated,
can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance of
achieving the desired control objectives. In accordance with
Rule 13a-15(b) of the Exchange Act, as of the end of the
period covered by this annual report, an evaluation was
carried out under the supervision and with the participation
of the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of its
disclosure controls and procedures. Based on that evaluation,
the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 113
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
113
PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS
AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The information required by this item is incorporated by ref-
erence to our definitive proxy statement for the 2015
Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC
within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
The information required by this item is incorporated by ref-
erence to our definitive proxy statement for the 2015
Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC
within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The information required by this item is incorporated by ref-
erence to our definitive proxy statement for the 2015
Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC
within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The information required by this item is incorporated by
reference to our definitive proxy statement for the 2015
Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC
within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES
AND SERVICES
The information required by this item is incorporated by ref-
erence to our definitive proxy statement for the 2015
Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC
within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
114
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
The following documents are filed as part of this report.
(a) Financial Statements
We include this portion of Item 15 under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(b) Financial Statement Schedules
All schedules are omitted as the required information is either not present, not present in material amounts
or presented within the consolidated financial statements or related notes.
(c)
Exhibits:
Exhibit
Number
Exhibit Description
3.1
3.2
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5
10.6
Certificate of Incorporation of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the
Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-36243) filed on December 17, 2013).
Bylaws of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current
Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-36243) filed on December 17, 2013).
Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2013, among Hilton Worldwide Finance LLC and Hilton Worldwide Finance
Corp. as issuers, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., as guarantor and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as
trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-191110)).
First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 25, 2013, among the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and
Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s
Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).
Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 8, 2014, between Hilton International Holding
Corporation and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to
the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-198693)).
Form of 5.625% Senior Note due 2021 (included in Exhibit 4.1).
Credit Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2013, among Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., as parent, Hilton
Worldwide Finance LLC, as borrower, the other guarantors from time to time party thereto, Deutsche Bank AG
New York Branch, as administrative agent, collateral agent, swing line lender and L/C issuer, and the other lenders
from time to time party thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Registration
Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).
Security Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2013, among the grantors identified therein and Deutsche Bank AG
New York Branch, as collateral agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Registration
Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).
Loan Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2013, among the subsidiaries party thereto, collectively, as borrower
and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, German American Capital Corporation, Bank of America, N.A.,
GS Commercial Real Estate LP and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, collectively, as lender
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-191110)).
Guaranty Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2013, among the guarantors named therein and JPMorgan Chase
Bank, National Association, German American Capital Corporation, Bank of America, N.A., GS Commercial Real
Estate LP and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, collectively, as lender (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).
Loan Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2013, among HLT NY Waldorf LLC, as borrower, HSBC Bank USA,
National Association, as agent, the lenders named therein, HSBC Bank USA, National Association and
DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale, as lead arrangers and HSBC Bank USA, National Association, as syndication
agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-191110)).
Guaranty of Recourse Carveouts, dated as of October 25, 2013, among the guarantors named therein and
HSBC Bank USA, National Association, as agent and lender and any other co-lenders from time to time party
thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-191110)).
133317_10k_BL_R1.indd 115
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
115
Exhibit
Number
10.7
10.8
10.9
10.10
10.11
10.12
10.13
10.14
10.15
10.16
10.17
10.18
10.19
10.20
10.21
10.22
Exhibit Description
Receivables Loan Agreement, dated as of May 9, 2013, among Hilton Grand Vacations Trust I LLC, as borrower,
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as paying agent and securities intermediary, the persons from time to
time party thereto as conduit lenders, the financial institutions from time to time party thereto as committed
lenders, the financial institutions from time to time party thereto as managing agents, and Deutsche Bank
Securities, Inc., as administrative agent and structuring agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).
Amendment No. 1 to Receivables Loan Agreement, effective as of July 25, 2013, among Hilton Grand Vacations
Trust I LLC, as borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as paying agent and securities intermediary,
Deutsche Bank AG, New York Branch, as a committed lender and a managing agent, Montage Funding, LLC, as
a conduit lender, Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., as administrative agent, and Bank of America, N.A., as assignee
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-191110)).
Omnibus Amendment No. 2 to Receivables Loan Agreement, Amendment No. 1 to Sale and Contribution
Agreement and Consent to Custody Agreement, effective as of October 25, 2013, among Hilton Grand Vacations
Trust I LLC, as borrower, Grand Vacations Services, LLC, as servicer, Hilton Resorts Corporation, as seller, Wells
Fargo Bank, National Association, as custodian, the financial institutions signatory thereto, as managing agents,
and Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., as administrative agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).
Amendment No. 3 to Receivables Loan Agreement, effective as of December 5, 2014, among Hilton Grand
Vacations Trust I LLC, as borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as paying agent and securities inter-
mediary, Deutsche Bank AG, New York Branch, as a committed lender and a managing agent, Bank of America,
N.A., as a committed lender and a managing agent, and Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., as administrative agent
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-36243)
filed on December 8, 2014).
Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of October 4, 2013, among Hilton Worldwide Finance LLC, Hilton
Worldwide Finance Corp., Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
as representative of the several initial purchasers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Company’s
Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).
Joinder Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2013, among the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated as representative of the several initial purchasers (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).
Stockholders Agreement, dated as of December 17, 2013, by and among Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and
certain of its stockholders (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on
Form 8-K (File No. 001-36243) filed on December 17, 2013).
Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 17, 2013, among Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
and certain of its stockholders (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on
Form 8-K (File No. 001-36243) filed on December 17, 2013).
2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to the Company’s Registration
Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).*
Form of Restricted Stock Grant and Acknowledgment (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).*
Form of Director Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).*
Severance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18 to the Company’s Registration Statement on
Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).*
Form of Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.19 to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).*
Separation Agreement and Release dated as of September 24, 2013, between Hilton Worldwide, Inc. and
Thomas C. Kennedy (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 to the Company’s Registration Statement on
Form S-1 (No. 333-191110)).*
2005 Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (as Amended and Restated Effective as of January 1, 2005)
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.20 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-36243)
for the year ended December 31, 2013).*
Form of Performance Share Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-36243) for the quarter ended March 31, 2014).*
116
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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Exhibit
Number
Exhibit Description
10.23
10.24
12
21.1
23.1
31.1
31.2
32.1
32.2
99.1
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-36243) for the quarter ended March 31, 2014).*
Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-36243) for the quarter ended March 31, 2014).*
Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
Subsidiaries of the Registrant.
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
Certificate of Christopher J. Nassetta, President and Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Section 302 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Certificate of Kevin J. Jacobs, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Section 302 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Certificate of Christopher J. Nassetta, President and Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Section 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith).
Certificate of Kevin J. Jacobs, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Section 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith).
Section 13(r) Disclosure.
*This document has been identified as a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
The agreements and other documents filed as exhibits to this report are not intended to provide factual information or other
disclosure other than with respect to the terms of the agreements or other documents themselves, and you should not rely on
them for that purpose. In particular, any representations and warranties made by us in these agreements or other documents
were made solely within the specific context of the relevant agreement or document and may not describe the actual state
of affairs as of the date they were made or at any other time.
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Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
117
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused
this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in McLean, Virginia, on the 18th day
of February 2015.
HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.
/s/ Christopher J. Nassetta
By:
Name: Christopher J. Nassetta
Title:
President and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, this report has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on the 18th day of February, 2015.
Signature
Title
/s/ Christopher J. Nassetta
Christopher J. Nassetta
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(principal executive officer)
/s/ Jonathan D. Gray
Jonathan D. Gray
/s/ Michael S. Chae
Michael S. Chae
/s/ Tyler S. Henritze
Tyler S. Henritze
/s/ Judith A. McHale
Judith A. McHale
/s/ John G. Schreiber
John G. Schreiber
/s/ Elizabeth A. Smith
Elizabeth A. Smith
/s/ Douglas M. Steenland
Douglas M. Steenland
/s/ William J. Stein
William J. Stein
/s/ Kevin J. Jacobs
Kevin. J. Jacobs
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial officer)
/s/ Paula A. Kuykendall
Paula A. Kuykendall
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
(principal accounting officer)
118
Hilton Worldwide 2014 Annual Report
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AT-A-GLANCE
As the world’s largest and fastest-growing global hospitality
company, Hilton Worldwide builds on a century of excellence as the
strength of our brands and the power of our innovation continue to
drive guest satisfaction, increase loyalty and support one of the
foremost unit growth stories in the industry. We strive to spread the
light and warmth of hospitality that keeps guests, team members,
Global RevPAR Index
115
12
owners and stockholders returning for more.
Award-winning brands
Top line 2014 – RevPAR
UP 7.1%(1)
Bottom line – Adjusted EBITDA
UP 13.5%
Margin growth – Adjusted EBITDA margin increase
190BPS to 36.8%(2)
Net unit growth
UP 6% or 36,000 ROOMS(3)
Adjusted EBITDA
DOLLARS IN MILLIONS
$1,956
13% CAGR
$2,210
$2,508
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0
2012
2013
2014
44 Million
Hilton HHonors members
#1 Ranked(4)
System size, pipeline & rooms under
construction
715,000
Rooms
4,322
Properties
94
Countries and territories
230,000
Rooms in the pipeline –
over half under construction
(1) Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) is hotel room
revenue divided by room nights available for guests.
(2) Adjusted EBITDA Margin is calculated as Adjusted
EBITDA divided by total revenues, excluding other
revenues from Managed and Franchised properties.
(3) Of the Management and Franchise segment.
(4) Source: Smith Travel Research, Inc. (STR) Global Census,
January 2015 (adjusted to December 2014) and STR Global
New Development Pipeline, December 2014.
(5) Excluding Corporate and Other.
Our Locations
R O P E
E U
Rooms:
67,000
Pipeline: 29,000
Under
Construction:
15,000
E
A M
R I C AS
Rooms:
581,000
Pipeline: 112,000
Under
Construction:
42,000
LE E A
D
D
I
M
S T & AFRIC
A
Rooms:
21,000
Pipeline: 25,000
Under
Construction:
19,000
SIA P
A
A C I FIC
Rooms:
46,000
Pipeline: 64,000
Under
Construction:
45,000
Adjusted EBITDA
by Segment(5)
Rooms by
Chain Scale
Adjusted EBITDA
by Geography
Management & Franchise 52%
Ownership 36%
Timeshare 12%
Upper Upscale 36%
Upscale 32%
Upper Midscale 29%
Luxury 2%
Other 1%
U.S. 78%
Europe 9%
Asia Pacific 5%
Americas Non-U.S. 5%
Middle East and Africa 3%
The stylish,
Offers unforgettable
Offers smart luxury
Energizing neighborhood
A collection of unique
Warm. Comfortable.
Relaxed, upscale
Offers the amenities
Quality experience,
For guests seeking
experiences at iconic
travelers inspiring
hotels that create a
hotels, each with its
Friendly. Providing
environment with over
and services that
great value and friendly
home-like
destinations around
connections and
positive stay with simple
the world.
intuitive service in a
pleasures, thoughtful
true upscale comfort
200 all-suite locations
allow guests to
service in its signature
accommodations
to today’s business
in the U.S., Canada and
discover and connect
Hamptonality style.
when traveling for an
Offering flexible guest
room configurations
and inspired
amenities for the
High-quality
The award-winning
vacation ownership
guest loyalty program
resorts in celebrated
that honors members
destinations.
with travel experiences
world of style.
extras and nice surprises.
and leisure travellers.
Latin America.
while on the road.
extended stay.
cost-conscious guest.
worth sharing.
own history and
character in cities
across the globe.
forward-
thinking
global leader
in hospitality.
Executive Committee
CHRISTOPHER J. NASSETTA*
President & Chief Executive Officer
JOE BERGER
Executive Vice President
& President, Americas
KRISTIN CAMPBELL*
Executive Vice President
& General Counsel
IAN R. CARTER*
Executive Vice President
& President, Development,
Architecture & Construction
Board of Directors
JEFFREY A. DISKIN*
Executive Vice President,
Commercial Services
JAMES E. HOLTHOUSER*
Executive Vice President,
Global Brands
KEVIN J. JACOBS*
Executive Vice President
& Chief Financial Officer
MATT RICHARDSON
Head of Architecture,
Design and Construction
MARTIN RINCK
Executive Vice President
& President, Asia Pacific
MATTHEW W. SCHUYLER*
Executive Vice President
& Chief Human Resources Officer
SIMON VINCENT
Executive Vice President &
President, Europe, Middle East & Africa
MARK D. WANG*
Executive Vice President &
President, Hilton Grand Vacations
* Executive officer as defined under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
CHRISTOPHER J. NASSETTA
President & Chief Executive Officer,
Hilton Worldwide
TYLER S. HENRITZE
Senior Managing Director, Real Estate,
The Blackstone Group
JONATHAN D. GRAY
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Global Head of Real Estate,
The Blackstone Group
MICHAEL S. CHAE
Senior Managing Director &
Head of International Private Equity,
The Blackstone Group
JUDITH A. MCHALE
President & Chief Executive Officer,
Cane Investments
JOHN G. SCHREIBER
President of Centaur Capital Partners &
Partner, Blackstone Real Estate Advisors
ELIZABETH A. SMITH
Chairman of the Board
& Chief Executive Officer,
Bloomin’ Brands
DOUGLAS M. STEENLAND
Former President &
Chief Executive Officer,
Northwest Airlines Corporation
WILLIAM J. STEIN
Senior Managing Director and Global
Head of Asset Management, Real Estate,
The Blackstone Group
Stockholder Information
Stock Market Information
Ticker Symbol: HLT
Market Listed and Traded: NYSE
Corporate Office
Hilton Worldwide
7930 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 883 1000
www.hiltonworldwide.com
Investor Relations
7930 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 883 5476
ir.hiltonworldwide.com
ir@hilton.com
Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
8484 Westpark Drive
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 747 1000
www.ey.com
Printed on paper from well managed forests. © 2015 Hilton Worldwide.
Designed and produced by Corporate Reports Inc./Atlanta. www.corporatereport.com.
Transfer Agent
Wells Fargo Shareowner Services
1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-4101
Telephone: +1 800 468 9716
Facsimile: +1 651 552 6942
General Inquiries:
www.wellsfargo.com/
shareownerservices
Account Information:
www.shareowneronline.com
Annual Meeting of Stockholders
May 6, 2015
10:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
7920 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22102
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RETURN FOR MORE
2014 ANNUAL REPORT
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hiltonworldwide.com
Selected 2014 property openings include (from top to bottom, and left to right): Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Kayasehir; DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Residences Dubai – Al Barsha;
Embassy Suites by Hilton Santo Domingo; Homewood Suites by Hilton New York Midtown Manhattan Times Square – South, NY; Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations Club;
Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, Curio Collection by Hilton; Hilton Garden Inn Astana; Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam; Home2 Suites by Hilton Sioux Falls/Sanford Medical Center, SD;
Conrad London St. James; Hilton Al Hamra Beach & Golf Resort.
Cover photo: theWit – A DoubleTree by Hilton
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