HLT Stock Surges 5.2% With A 6-day Winning Spree On Analyst Target Hikes
Hilton Worldwide (HLT) stock hit day 6-day winning streak, with cumulative gains over this period amounting to a 5.2%. The company market cap has surged by about $3.5 Bil over the last 6 days, and currently stands at $70 Bil.
The stock has YTD (year-to-date) return of 4.7% compared to 1.7% for S&P 500. This calls for a re-evaluation of the stock’s valuation to find out whether this is an opportunity, or a trap.
What Triggered The Rally?
[1] Sanford C. Bernstein Price Target Increase to $304
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- Price target raised from $285
- Stock surged to about $295.95 after the announcement
- Impact: Initiated Winning Streak, Stock Hit New 52-Week High
[2] Jefferies Price Target Increase to $339
- Price target raised from $322
- Maintained “Buy” Rating
- Impact: Reinforced Bullish Momentum
Opportunity or Trap?
Below is our take on valuation.
There are only a couple of things to fear in HLT stock given its overall Moderate operating performance and financial condition. But keeping in mind its Very High valuation, we think that the stock is Unattractive (For details, see Buy or Sell HLT).
But here is the real interesting point.
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Returns vs S&P 500
The following table summarizes the return for HLT stock vs. the S&P 500 index over different periods, including the current streak:
| Return Period | HLT | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1D | 0.1% | -0.2% |
| 6D (Current Streak) | 5.2% | 0.9% |
| 1M (21D) | 8.1% | 0.9% |
| 3M (63D) | 14.2% | 4.6% |
| YTD 2026 | 4.7% | 1.7% |
| 2025 | 16.5% | 16.4% |
| 2024 | 36.1% | 23.3% |
| 2023 | 44.7% | 24.2% |
However, big gains can follow sharp reversals – but how has HLT behaved after prior drops? See HLT Dip Buyer Analysis to learn more.
Gains and Losses Streaks: S&P 500 Constituents
There are currently 91 S&P constituents with 3 days or more of consecutive gains and 75 constituents with 3 days or more of consecutive losses.
| Consecutive Days | # of Gainers | # of Losers |
|---|---|---|
| 3D | 26 | 62 |
| 4D | 54 | 7 |
| 5D | 6 | 6 |
| 6D | 3 | 0 |
| 7D or more | 2 | 0 |
| Total >=3 D | 91 | 75 |
Key Financials for Hilton Worldwide (HLT)
Last 2 Fiscal Years:
| Metric | FY2023 | FY2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenues | $10.2 Bil | $11.2 Bil |
| Operating Income | $2.3 Bil | $2.4 Bil |
| Net Income | $1.1 Bil | $1.5 Bil |
Last 2 Fiscal Quarters:
| Metric | 2025 FQ2 | 2025 FQ3 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenues | $3.1 Bil | $3.1 Bil |
| Operating Income | $778.0 Mil | $777.0 Mil |
| Net Income | $440.0 Mil | $420.0 Mil |
While HLT stock looks attractive given its winning streak, investing in a single stock without detailed, thorough analysis can be risky. The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming its benchmark that includes all 3 — the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices. Why is that? As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride, as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.