Edgar Filing: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

10-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

(Mark One)



x	ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015



¨	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		27-4384691
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

7930 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 1100, McLean, VA		22102
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (703) 883-1000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:



(Title of Class)		(Name of each exchange on which registered)
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share		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 x 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 x

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 x 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 x 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. x

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 x 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 x

As of June 30, 2015, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $14,679 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 19, 2016 was 987,873,503.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Part III incorporate information by reference from the registrant's definitive proxy statement relating to its 2016 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.

HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS INC.

FORM 10-K TABLE OF CONTENTS

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015



		Page No.
PART I
	Forward-Looking Statements	2
	Terms Used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K	2
Item 1.	Business	2
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	12
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments	35
Item 2.	Properties	36
Item 3	Legal Proceedings	39
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	40

PART II
Item 5.	Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of
	Equity Securities	41
Item 6.	Selected Financial Data	43
Item 7.	Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	45
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	71
Item 8	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	73
Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosures	132
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures	132
Item 9B.	Other Information	132

PART III		133
Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance	133
Item 11.	Executive Compensation	133
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder
	Matters	133
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence	133
Item 14.	Principal Accounting Fees and Services	133

PART IV
Item 15.	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules	134
	Signatures	137

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, the proposed spin-offs 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 of America ("U.S."), risks related to our proposed spin-offs 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 former majority owners, are referred to herein as "Blackstone."

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 4,610 hotels, resorts and timeshare properties comprising 758,502 rooms in 100 countries and territories as of December 31, 2015. In the nearly 100 years since our founding, we have defined the hospitality industry and established a portfolio of distinct, market-leading brands. Our flagship full service Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand is the most recognized hotel brand in the world. Our premier brand portfolio 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 by Hilton, our focused service hotel brands, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton, our timeshare brand, Hilton Grand Vacations, and our new focused service midscale brand, Tru by Hilton, launched in January 2016. More than 164,000 employees proudly serve in our managed, owned, leased and timeshare properties and corporate offices around the world, and we have approximately 51 million members in our award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors.

We operate our business through three segments: (1) ownership; (2) management and franchise; and (3) timeshare. These complementary business segments enable us to capitalize on our strong brands, global market presence and significant operational scale. Our ownership segment consists of 146 hotels with 59,463 rooms as of December 31, 2015 in which we have an ownership interest or lease. Through our management and franchise segment, which consists of 4,419 hotels with 691,887 rooms as of December 31, 2015, we manage hotels, resorts and timeshare properties owned by third parties and we license our brands to franchisees. Through our timeshare segment, which consists of 45 properties comprising 7,152 units as of December 31, 2015, we market and sell timeshare intervals; operate timeshare resorts and a timeshare membership club; and provide consumer financing.

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 pipeline, which includes over 266,000 rooms, all in our management and franchise segment, scheduled to be opened in the future. As of December 31, 2015, approximately 134,000 rooms, representing over half of our development pipeline, were under construction. The expansion of our business is supported by strong lodging industry fundamentals, including limited supply growth, 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, well-defined brands that operate throughout the lodging industry chain scales 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 with 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 from us, put us in a strong position to further improve our business and serve our customers in the future.

In February 2016, we announced a plan to separate a substantial portion of our ownership business, consisting primarily of our owned hotels located in the U.S., as well as our timeshare business from Hilton to form two additional new publicly traded companies. See Item 1A. Risk Factors and Note 29: "Subsequent Events" in our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional discussion.

Our Brand Portfolio

The goal of each of our brands is to deliver exceptional customer experiences and superior operating performance.



		December 31, 2015
Brand⁽¹⁾	Chain Scale	Countries/ Territories	Properties	Rooms	Percentage of Total Rooms	Selected Competitors⁽²⁾
	Luxury	12	25	10,303	1.4%	Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Peninsula, St. Regis, Mandarin Oriental
	Luxury	18	23	7,785	1.0%	Park Hyatt, Sofitel, Intercontinental, JW Marriott, Fairmont
	Lifestyle	—	—	—	N/A	Kimpton, Le Meridien, Hyatt Centric, Joie De Vivre
	Upper Upscale	85	572	206,635	27.2%	Marriott, Sheraton, Hyatt Regency, Radisson Blu, Renaissance, Westin, Sofitel
	Upper Upscale	4	18	4,704	0.6%	Autograph Collection, Luxury Collection, Ascend Collection, Tribute
	Upscale	38	457	110,772	14.6%	Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Wyndham, Radisson, Holiday Inn, Renaissance, Delta, Hyatt
	Upper Upscale	6	225	53,284	7.0%	Renaissance, Sheraton, Hyatt, Residence Inn
	Upscale	26	668	94,031	12.4%	Courtyard, Holiday Inn, Hyatt Place, Novotel, Aloft, Four Points
	Upper Midscale	20	2,108	210,372	27.7%	Fairfield Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, La Quinta Inns, Wyngate, AmericInn
	Upscale	3	387	43,401	5.7%	Residence Inn, Hyatt House, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites
	Upper Midscale	3	73	7,600	1.0%	Candlewood Suites, Towne Place Suites, Hawthorn Suites
	Timeshare	4	45	7,152	0.9%	Marriott Vacation Club, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Hyatt Residence, Wyndham Vacations Resorts

____________


⁽¹⁾	The table above excludes nine unbranded properties with 2,463 rooms, representing approximately 0.5 percent of total rooms. The table also excludes our new midscale brand, Tru by Hilton, which launched in January 2016.


⁽²⁾	The table excludes lesser known regional competitors.

Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts: What began as an iconic hotel in New York City is today a portfolio of 25 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 facilities, 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 23 properties offering guests personalized experiences with sophisticated, locally inspired surroundings and an intuitive service model based on customization and control, as demonstrated 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 December 31, 2015, 28 properties were in the pipeline or in various states of approval. The first Canopy hotel is expected to open in March 2016.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts: Hilton is our global flagship brand and ranks number one for global brand awareness in the hospitality industry, with 572 hotels and resorts in 85 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, 2015, Curio had 18 properties open, contributing 4,704 rooms to our portfolio, and 66 properties were in the pipeline or in various states of approval.

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 457 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 by Hilton: Embassy Suites by Hilton comprises 225 upper upscale, all-suite hotels that feature two-room guest suites with a separate living room and dining/work area, a complimentary 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 668 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 by Hilton: Hampton by Hilton is our moderately priced, upper midscale hotel with limited food and beverage facilities. The Hampton by Hilton brand also includes Hampton Inn & Suites hotels, which offer both traditional hotel rooms and suite accommodations within one property. Across our over 2,100 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 100% Hampton Guarantee.

Tru by Hilton: Tru by Hilton is a new midscale brand, launched in January 2016, designed to attract a cross-generation of travelers who share a desire for human connection. Tru by Hilton embraces the value-conscious traveler, offering a back-to-basics experience. Each property will include lively social spaces in a large, first floor lobby with a work, play and eat zone, all with a unique personality. As of February 16, 2016, Tru by Hilton had commitments for 163 properties. The first property is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2016.

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 387 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 73 hotels, 28 of which were opened in 2015, offers complimentary continental breakfast, integrated laundry and exercise facility, recycling and sustainability initiatives and a pet-friendly policy. During 2015, 143 properties were added to our pipeline, and as of December 31, 2015, 297 properties were in the pipeline or in various states of approval.

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 45 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 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 4,500 hotels worldwide, which are then redeemable for free hotel nights and other rewards. Members also can transact with over 140 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 51 million members. Our Hilton HHonors members represented approximately 52 percent of our system-wide occupancy and contributed hotel-level revenues to us and our hotel owners of over $15 billion during the year ended December 31, 2015. 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.

Our Business

We operate our business across three segments: (1) ownership; (2) management and franchise; 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 23: "Business Segments" in our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

As of December 31, 2015, our system included the following properties and rooms, by type, brand and region:



	Owned / Leased⁽¹⁾		Managed		Franchised		Total
	Properties	Rooms	Properties	Rooms	Properties	Rooms	Properties	Rooms
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
U.S.	4	1,148	8	5,523	—	—	12	6,671
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	1	153	1	984	2	1,137
Europe	2	463	4	898	—	—	6	1,361
Middle East and Africa	—	—	3	703	—	—	3	703
Asia Pacific	—	—	2	431	—	—	2	431
Conrad Hotels & Resorts
U.S.	—	—	3	1,029	—	—	3	1,029
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	—	—	1	294	1	294
Europe	1	191	2	707	1	256	4	1,154
Middle East and Africa	1	614	2	641	—	—	3	1,255
Asia Pacific	—	—	11	3,417	1	636	12	4,053
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
U.S.	25	23,143	40	24,042	173	52,622	238	99,807
Americas (excluding U.S.)	3	1,836	23	7,656	19	5,994	45	15,486
Europe	69	17,927	57	16,650	28	7,879	154	42,456
Middle East and Africa	6	2,276	45	14,186	1	410	52	16,872
Asia Pacific	7	3,380	68	25,652	8	2,982	83	32,014
Curio - A Collection by Hilton
U.S.	1	224	1	998	12	2,679	14	3,901
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	—	—	3	525	3	525
Europe	—	—	—	—	1	278	1	278
DoubleTree by Hilton
U.S.	11	4,264	28	8,276	274	65,848	313	78,388
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	4	785	17	3,283	21	4,068
Europe	—	—	11	3,456	56	9,665	67	13,121
Middle East and Africa	—	—	9	1,874	4	488	13	2,362
Asia Pacific	—	—	41	11,868	2	965	43	12,833
Embassy Suites by Hilton
U.S.	10	2,523	34	9,154	173	39,702	217	51,379
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	3	623	5	1,282	8	1,905
Hilton Garden Inn
U.S.	2	290	4	430	569	77,887	575	78,607
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	7	948	28	4,371	35	5,319
Europe	—	—	18	3,306	27	4,453	45	7,759
Middle East and Africa	—	—	5	1,017	—	—	5	1,017
Asia Pacific	—	—	8	1,329	—	—	8	1,329
Hampton by Hilton
U.S.	1	130	50	6,178	1,927	186,943	1,978	193,251
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	11	1,416	77	9,164	88	10,580
Europe	—	—	10	1,537	30	4,630	40	6,167
Asia Pacific	—	—	—	—	2	374	2	374
Homewood Suites by Hilton
U.S.	—	—	25	2,687	345	38,791	370	41,478
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	2	224	15	1,699	17	1,923
Home2 Suites by Hilton
U.S.	—	—	—	—	71	7,376	71	7,376
Americas (excluding U.S.)	—	—	1	97	1	127	2	224
Other	3	1,054	3	957	3	452	9	2,463
Lodging	146	59,463	544	158,848	3,875	533,039	4,565	751,350
Hilton Grand Vacations	—	—	45	7,152	—	—	45	7,152
Total	146	59,463	589	166,000	3,875	533,039	4,610	758,502

____________


⁽¹⁾	Includes properties owned or leased by entities in which we own a noncontrolling interest.

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 and Tokyo. The portfolio 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 franchise 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 residential, retail or timeshare in order to deploy our real estate to its highest and best use.

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 homeowners’ 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 parties, 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 the 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 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. Owners are also 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. As of December 31, 2015, we managed 544 hotels with 158,848 rooms, excluding our owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties.

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, 2015, we provided management services for 45 timeshare properties owned by homeowners' associations and 146 owned, leased and joint venture hotels from which we recognized management fee revenues. Revenues from our owned and leased hotels are eliminated in our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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. 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, 2015, we franchised 3,875 hotels with 533,039 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 have a contractual right or obligation to 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.

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 using the Hilton Grand Vacations brand 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, 2015, HGV managed a global system of 45 resorts and the HGV Club and the Hilton Club had nearly 250,000 members in total.

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. In addition, we source intervals by acquiring units in third-party developed properties, which requires less capital than constructing timeshare properties. Our supply of third-party developed timeshare intervals was approximately 114,000, or 85

percent of our total supply, as of December 31, 2015, and the percentage of sales of timeshare intervals developed by third parties was 66 percent for the year ended December 31, 2015.

Competition

We encounter active and robust competition as a hotel, residential, resort and timeshare manager, franchisor, owner 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 reputation 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, 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 Diamond Resorts International, Hyatt Residence Club, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Starwood Vacation Ownership and Wyndham Vacation Resorts.

Seasonality

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 combination 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, registration 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.

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 permit 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 consultants 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 100 countries and territories, we also are subject to the local laws and regulations in each country in which we operate, including employment laws and practices, 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 environmental, 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 generate 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 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.

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 hotels owned by such third parties.

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, 2015, more than 164,000 people were employed at our managed, owned, leased and timeshare properties and corporate locations.

As of December 31, 2015, approximately 31 percent of our employees globally (or 32 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 taxes 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;


•	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, volcanic 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 profitability 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.

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 revenues 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, home and apartment sharing services 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 accommodations, customer satisfaction, amenities and the ability to earn and

redeem loyalty program points. Our competitors may have greater commercial, 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, or they could offer a type of lodging product that customers find attractive but that we do not offer.

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 management 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.

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 their owned interval for use of 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 for our services 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.

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 relationships 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 management 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, and our 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 improvement plans of existing hotels, result in the delay or stoppage of the development of our existing pipeline and limit additional development to further expand our hotel portfolio.

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.

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 properties, 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;


•


•	loss in value of real estate due to changes in 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;


•	periodic total or partial closures due to renovations and facility improvements;


•	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.

The negative effect on profitability and cash flow from declines in revenues is more pronounced in owned properties because we, as the owner, bear the risk of their high fixed-cost structure. Further, during times of economic distress, 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 performance. 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 of development;


•	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, hurricanes, floods or tsunamis, or acts of terrorism; and


•	design defects that could increase costs.

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.

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.

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 investment 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 operating 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.

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 distribute 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 connection 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 developers, 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.

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, 2015, we had approximately $1,082 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, 2015, we had a total of 1,616 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, not every hotel in our development pipeline may develop into a new hotel that enters 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 launched a new midscale brand, Tru by Hilton, in January 2016. We introduced a new 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 and opened our first Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel in 2011. 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 systems 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.

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 communications 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. In November 2015, we announced that we had identified and taken action to eradicate unauthorized malware that targeted payment card information in some point-of-sale systems in our hotels and had determined that specific payment card information was targeted by this malware. We expect we will be subject to additional cyber-attacks in the future and may experience data breaches.

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 information 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 costs or liabilities, 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 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 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 addition, 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 or otherwise fail to achieve the benefits we expect. 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 attention 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 practices. Any further restrictions in laws and court or agency interpretation of such 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.

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. Search engines and peer-to-peer inventory sources also provide online travel services that compete with our business. If these bookings increase, certain hospitality intermediaries may be able to obtain higher commissions, reduced room rates or other significant concessions from us or our franchisees. These hospitality intermediaries also may reduce these bookings by de-ranking our hotels in search results on their platforms, and other online providers may divert business away from our hotels. Although our agreements with many hospitality 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 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 business, in recent years they have 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, by telephone to our call centers or through devices via our mobile application, 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.

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 accumulate 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 100 countries and territories around the world. Our operations outside the United States represented approximately 22 percent and 25 percent of our revenues for each of the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. 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 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 company 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.

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, significant customers, 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 operations 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 31 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 collective bargaining agreements, representing approximately 11 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.

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 164,000 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 operations. 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 5,100 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 registered 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.

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 adequate 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;


•	limit our ability to develop new 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.

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 through December 31, 2010 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 $874 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. See Note 18: "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 accounting rules or regulations may require retrospective application and affect our reporting of transactions completed before the change is effective, and future changes to accounting rules or regulations 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.

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 regulations, 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 relationships with employees, including minimum wage requirements, overtime, working conditions status and citizenship requirements. In addition, the National Labor Relations Board has revised 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 liabilities 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 revocation 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.

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 expenditures 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. Our obligations under this settlement expired in March 2015 except that certain managed and franchised hotels that were required to conduct surveys of their facilities remain under an obligation to remove architectural barriers at their facilities through March 15, 2022 and we have an obligation to have an independent consultant to monitor those barrier removal efforts during this period. If we fail to comply with the requirements of the ADA, we could be subject to fines, penalties, injunctive action, reputational harm and other business effects that 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 and political 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 suspension 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.

Risks Related to Our Proposed Spin-offs

The proposed spin-offs of our ownership business and timeshare business are contingent upon the satisfaction of a number of conditions, may require significant time and attention of our management, and may have a material adverse effect on us whether or not they are completed.

On February 26, 2016, we announced a plan to pursue a separation of a substantial portion of our ownership business, consisting primarily of our owned hotels located in the U.S. (the "ownership business"), and our timeshare business into separate, publicly-traded companies through spin-offs. The proposed spin-offs are subject to customary conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of opinions concerning the tax-free nature of the transactions and the qualification of the entity holding the ownership business as a real estate investment trust (a "REIT") for U.S. federal income tax purposes, effectiveness

of appropriate filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and final approval by our board of directors. In addition, ability to execute the transaction as intended, unanticipated developments or changes in the macroeconomic environment, credit markets and equity markets, as well as other market conditions, may affect our proposed spin-offs. For these and other reasons, we may not complete the spin-offs as expected or at all.

Whether or not we complete the spin-offs, our ongoing businesses may be adversely affected and we may be subject to certain risks and consequences as a result of pursuing the spin-offs, including, among others, the following:


•	execution of the proposed spin-offs will require significant time and attention from management, which may distract them from the operation of our business and the execution of other initiatives that may have been beneficial to us;


•	our employees may be distracted due to uncertainty about their future roles with each of the separate companies pending the completion of the spin-offs;


•	we will be required to pay significant costs and expenses relating to the spin-offs, such as legal, accounting and other professional fees, whether or not the spin-offs are completed; and


•	we may experience negative reactions from the financial markets if we fail to complete the spin-offs.

Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or the price of our common stock.

We may be unable to achieve some or all of the benefits that we expect to achieve from the spin-offs.

Although we believe that separating our ownership business and our timeshare business by means of the spin-offs will provide financial, operational, managerial and other benefits to us and our stockholders, the spin-offs may not provide results on the scope or scale we anticipate, and we may not realize any or all of the intended benefits. For example, if the statutory and regulatory requirements relating to REITs are not met, the benefits of spinning off the ownership business may be reduced or may be unavailable to us and our stockholders. In addition, we will incur one-time costs and ongoing costs in connection with, or as a result of, the spin-offs, including costs of operating as independent, publicly-traded companies that the spun-off businesses will no longer be able to share. Those costs may exceed our estimates or could negate some of the benefits we expect to realize. If we do not realize the intended benefits of the spin-offs or if our costs exceed our estimates, the Company or the businesses that are spun off could suffer a material adverse effect on their business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

If the proposed spin-offs of our ownership business and our timeshare business are completed, the trading price of our common stock will decline.

We expect the trading price of our common stock immediately following the spin-offs, which will only represent the value of our remaining management and franchise business, to be lower than immediately prior to the spin-offs because the trading price for our common stock will no longer reflect the value of our ownership business and our timeshare business.

Following the spin-offs, the aggregate value of your common stock of the Company and the businesses that are spun off may be less than the aggregate value at which the Company's common stock might have traded had the spin-offs not occurred.

The common stock of the Company and the businesses that are spun off that you may hold following the spin-offs may collectively trade at an aggregate value less than the value at which the Company's common stock might have traded had the spin-offs not occurred due to, among other factors, the expected or actual future performance of either the Company or the businesses that are spun off as separate, independent companies and the future stockholder base and market for the Company's common stock and the shares of the businesses that are spun off.

The proposed spin-offs could result in substantial tax liability to us and our stockholders.

The spin-offs are conditioned on an opinion of tax counsel regarding the qualification of the spin-offs as tax-free distributions under Section 355 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Although the private letter ruling generally is binding on the IRS, the continued validity of the private letter ruling will be based upon and subject to the accuracy of factual statements and representations made to the IRS by us. Further, the private letter ruling is limited to specified aspects of the spin-offs under Section 355 of the Code and will not represent a determination by the IRS that all of the requirements necessary to obtain tax-free treatment to holders of our common stock and to us have been satisfied. Moreover, if

any statement or representation upon which the private letter ruling is based is incorrect or untrue in any material respect, or if the facts upon which the private letter ruling is based are materially different from the facts that prevail at the time of the spin-offs, the private letter ruling could be invalidated. The opinion will similarly rely on, among other things, the continuing validity of the private letter ruling and various assumptions and representations as to factual matters made by each of the spun-off companies and us which, if inaccurate or incomplete in any material respect, would jeopardize the conclusions reached by counsel in its opinion. The opinion will not be binding on the IRS or the courts, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or the courts will not challenge the conclusions stated in the opinion or that any such challenge would not prevail. Additionally, recently enacted legislation denies tax-free treatment to a spin-off in which either the distributing corporation or the spun-off corporation is a REIT and prevents a distributing corporation or a spun-off corporation from electing REIT status for a 10-year period following a tax-free spin-off. Under an effective date provision, the legislation does not apply to distributions described in a ruling request initially submitted to the IRS before December 7, 2015. Because our initial request for the private letter ruling was submitted before that date and because we believe the distribution will be considered to have been described in that initial request, we believe the legislation will not apply to the spin-off of our ownership business. However, no ruling will be obtained on that issue and thus no assurance can be given in that regard. In particular, the IRS or a court could disagree with our view regarding the effective date provision based on any differences that exist between the description in the ruling request and the actual facts relating to the spin-offs. If the legislation applied to the spin-off of our ownership business, either the spin-off would not qualify for tax-free treatment or the entity holding the ownership business would not be eligible to elect REIT status for a 10-year period following the spin-off.

If the spin-offs and certain related transactions were determined to be taxable, the Company would be subject to a substantial tax liability that would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, if the spin-offs were taxable, each holder of our common stock who receives shares of the new spin-off companies would generally be treated as receiving a taxable distribution of property in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares received.

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, 2015, our total indebtedness was approximately $10.5 billion, including $726 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, 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively, were $227 million, $285 million and $3,493 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 instruments, 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 payments 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.

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.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock

Blackstone's interests may conflict with ours or yours in the future.

Blackstone and its affiliates beneficially owned approximately 45.9 percent of our common stock as of December 31, 2015. Moreover, under our bylaws and the stockholders’ agreement with Blackstone, for so long as it retains specified levels of ownership of us, we have agreed to nominate to our board individuals designated by Blackstone. Thus, for so long as Blackstone continues to own specified percentages of our stock, it will be able to influence the composition of our board of directors and the approval of actions requiring stockholder approval. Accordingly, during that period of time, Blackstone will have influence with respect to our management, business plans and policies, including the appointment and removal of our officers. In particular, for so long as Blackstone continues to own a significant percentage of our stock, it may 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.

Blackstone 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, Blackstone and its affiliates may engage in activities where their interests conflict with our interests or those of our stockholders. For example, Blackstone owns interests in Extended Stay America, Inc. and La Quinta Holdings Inc., and certain other investments in the hotel industry and may pursue ventures that compete directly or indirectly with us. In addition, affiliates of Blackstone 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 Blackstone, 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. Blackstone 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.

We are no longer a "controlled company" within the meaning of New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") rules, however, we are permitted to rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements during a one-year transition period. As a result, our stockholders do not yet have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to those requirements.

Until May 2015, Blackstone controlled 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 were 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 and has one year following ceasing to be a controlled company to comply with all of NYSE’s corporate governance standards.

Because of these NYSE transition rules for companies that cease to be controlled companies, we are not required to have our nominating and corporate governance committee consist entirely of independent directors until May 2016. We intend to continue to utilize the NYSE's transition period for companies that are no longer controlled companies. Accordingly, our stockholders do not yet have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements.

While we currently pay a quarterly cash dividend to holders of our common stock, we may change our dividend policy at any time.

Our board of directors declared our first quarterly dividend in July 2015. Although we currently pay a quarterly cash dividend to holders of our common stock, we have no obligation to do so, and our dividend policy may change at any time without notice to our stockholders. The declaration and payment of dividends is at the discretion of our board of directors in accordance with applicable law after taking into account various factors, including our financial condition, operating results, current and anticipated cash needs, limitations imposed by our indebtedness, legal requirements and other factors that our board of directors deems relevant.

Future issuances of common stock by us, and the availability for resale of shares held by certain 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. In addition, Blackstone 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, Blackstone and certain management stockholders have 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 46.7 percent of our outstanding common stock as of December 31, 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.

In addition, as of December 31, 2015, we had 9,251,754 shares of common stock to be issued upon vesting or exercise of outstanding equity-based awards and an aggregate of 68,627,645 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 outstanding 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.

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 transaction 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.

Item 2. Properties

Hotel Properties

Owned or Controlled Hotels

As of December 31, 2015, we owned a majority or controlling financial interest in the following 56 hotels, representing 29,269 rooms.



Property	Location	Rooms	Ownership
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
Waldorf Astoria Orlando	Orlando, FL, USA	498	100%
Casa Marina, A Waldorf Astoria Resort	Key West, FL, USA	311	100%
The Reach, A Waldorf Astoria Resort	Key West, FL, USA	150	100%
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort	Honolulu, HI, USA	2,860	100%
Hilton New York	New York, NY, USA	1,985	100%
Hilton San Francisco Union Square	San Francisco, CA, USA	1,919	100%
Hilton New Orleans Riverside	New Orleans, LA, USA	1,622	100%
Hilton Chicago	Chicago, IL, USA	1,544	100%
Hilton Waikoloa Village	Waikoloa, HI, USA	1,241	100%
Hilton Parc 55	San Francisco, CA, USA	1,024	100%
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek	Orlando, FL, USA	1,001	100%
Caribe Hilton	San Juan, Puerto Rico	915	100%
Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport	Chicago, IL, USA	860	100%
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista	Orlando, FL, USA	814	100%
Hilton Boston Logan Airport	Boston, MA, USA	599	100%
Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort	Phoenix, AZ, USA	563	100%
Hilton Miami Airport	Miami, FL, USA	508	100%
Hilton Atlanta Airport	Atlanta, GA, USA	507	100%
Hilton São Paulo Morumbi	São Paulo, Brazil	503	100%
Hilton McLean Tysons Corner	McLean, VA, USA	458	100%
Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center	Seattle, WA, USA	396	100%
Hilton Oakland Airport	Oakland, CA, USA	360	100%
Hilton Paris Orly Airport	Paris, France	340	100%
Hilton Durban	Durban, South Africa	324	100%
Hilton New Orleans Airport	Kenner, LA, USA	317	100%
Hilton Short Hills	Short Hills, NJ, USA	304	100%
Hilton Blackpool	Blackpool, United Kingdom	274	100%
Hilton Rotterdam	Rotterdam, Netherlands	254	100%
Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Suites	Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA	211	100%
Hilton Belfast	Belfast, United Kingdom	198	100%
Hilton London Angel Islington	London, United Kingdom	190	100%
Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor	Edinburgh, United Kingdom	184	100%
Hilton Coylumbridge	Coylumbridge, United Kingdom	175	100%
Hilton Bath City	Bath, United Kingdom	173	100%
Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa	Odawara City, Japan	173	100%
Hilton Nuremberg	Nuremberg, Germany	152	100%
Hilton Milton Keynes	Milton Keynes, United Kingdom	138	100%
Hilton Belfast Templepatrick Golf & Country Club	Templepatrick, United Kingdom	129	100%
Hilton Sheffield	Sheffield, United Kingdom	128	100%
Curio - A Collection by Hilton
Juniper Hotel Cupertino, Curio Collection by Hilton	Cupertino, CA, USA	224	100%
DoubleTree by Hilton
DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC – Crystal City	Arlington, VA, USA	627	100%
DoubleTree by Hilton San Jose	San Jose, CA, USA	505	100%
DoubleTree by Hilton Ontario Airport	Ontario, CA, USA	482	67%
DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane – City Center	Spokane, WA, USA	375	10%



Property	Location	Rooms	Ownership
The Fess Parker Santa Barbara Hotel – a DoubleTree by Hilton Resort	Santa Barbara, CA, USA	360	50%
Embassy Suites by Hilton
Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington DC Georgetown	Washington, D.C., USA	318	100%
Embassy Suites by Hilton Parsippany	Parsippany, NJ, USA	274	100%
Embassy Suites by Hilton Kansas City Plaza	Kansas City, MO, USA	266	100%
Embassy Suites by Hilton Austin Downtown Town Lake	Austin, TX, USA	259	100%
Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta Perimeter Center	Atlanta, GA, USA	241	100%
Embassy Suites by Hilton San Rafael Marin County	San Rafael, CA, USA	235	100%
Embassy Suites by Hilton Kansas City Overland Park	Overland Park, KS, USA	199	100%
Embassy Suites by Hilton Phoenix Airport	Phoenix, AZ, USA	182	100%
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn LAX El Segundo	El Segundo, CA, USA	162	100%
Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Oakbrook Terrace	Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA	128	100%
Hampton by Hilton
Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis – Shady Grove	Memphis, TN, USA	130	100%

Joint Venture Hotels

As of December 31, 2015, we had a minority or noncontrolling financial interest in and operated the following 17 properties, representing 8,186 rooms. We have a right of first refusal to purchase additional equity interests in certain of these joint ventures. We manage each of the hotels for the entity owning or leasing the hotel.



Property	Location	Rooms	Ownership
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
Waldorf Astoria Chicago	Chicago, IL, USA	189	12%
Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Conrad Cairo	Cairo, Egypt	614	10%
Conrad Dublin	Dublin, Ireland	191	48%
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Orlando	Orlando, FL, USA	1,417	20%
Hilton San Diego Bayfront	San Diego, CA, USA	1,190	25%
Hilton Tokyo Bay	Urayasu-shi, Japan	819	24%
Hilton Berlin	Berlin, Germany	601	40%
Capital Hilton	Washington, D.C., USA	550	25%
Hilton Nagoya	Nagoya, Japan	449	24%
Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines	La Jolla, CA, USA	394	25%
Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa	Flic-en-Flac, Mauritius	193	20%
Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik	Dubrovnik, Croatia	147	18%
DoubleTree by Hilton
DoubleTree by Hilton Las Vegas – Airport	Las Vegas, NV, USA	190	50%
DoubleTree by Hilton Missoula/Edgewater	Missoula, MT, USA	171	50%
Embassy Suites by Hilton
Embassy Suites by Hilton Alexandria Old Town	Alexandria, VA, USA	288	50%
Embassy Suites by Hilton Secaucus Meadowlands	Secaucus, NJ, USA	261	50%
Other
Kingston Plantation Condos	Myrtle Beach, SC, USA	522	50%

Leased Hotels

As of December 31, 2015, we leased the following 73 hotels, representing 22,008 rooms.



Property	Location	Rooms
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
Rome Cavalieri, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts	Rome, Italy	370
Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam	Amsterdam, Netherlands	93
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Tokyo⁽¹⁾	(Shinjuku-ku) Tokyo, Japan	809
Ramses Hilton	Cairo, Egypt	771
Hilton London Kensington	London, United Kingdom	601
Hilton Vienna	Vienna, Austria	579
Hilton Tel Aviv	Tel Aviv, Israel	560
Hilton Osaka⁽¹⁾	Osaka, Japan	527
Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus	Istanbul, Turkey	500
Hilton Salt Lake City	Salt Lake City, UT, USA	499
Hilton Munich Park	Munich, Germany	484
Hilton Munich City	Munich, Germany	480
London Hilton on Park Lane	London, United Kingdom	453
Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona	Barcelona, Spain	433
Hilton Mainz	Mainz, Germany	431
Hilton Trinidad & Conference Centre	Port of Spain, Trinidad	418
Hilton London Heathrow Airport	London, United Kingdom	398
Hilton Izmir	Izmir, Turkey	380
Hilton Addis Ababa	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	372
Hilton Vienna Danube Waterfront	Vienna, Austria	367
Hilton Frankfurt	Frankfurt, Germany	342
Hilton Brighton Metropole	Brighton, United Kingdom	340
Hilton Sandton	Sandton, South Africa	329
Hilton Milan	Milan, Italy	320
Hilton Brisbane	Brisbane, Australia	319
Hilton Glasgow	Glasgow, United Kingdom	319
Ankara Hilton	Ankara, Turkey	309
Adana Hilton	Adana, Turkey	308
The Waldorf Hilton, London	London, United Kingdom	298
Hilton Cologne	Cologne, Germany	296
Hilton Stockholm Slussen	Stockholm, Sweden	289
Hilton Nairobi⁽¹⁾	Nairobi, Kenya	287
Hilton Madrid Airport	Madrid, Spain	284
Parmelia Hilton Perth	Parmelia Perth, Australia	284
Hilton London Canary Wharf	London, United Kingdom	282
Hilton Amsterdam	Amsterdam, Netherlands	271
Hilton Newcastle Gateshead	Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom	254
Hilton Vienna Plaza	Vienna, Austria	254
Hilton Bonn	Bonn, Germany	252
Hilton London Tower Bridge	London, United Kingdom	245
Hilton London Stansted Airport	Stansted, United Kingdom	239
Hilton Manchester Airport	Manchester, United Kingdom	230
Hilton Bracknell	Bracknell, United Kingdom	215
Hilton Antwerp Old Town	Antwerp, Belgium	210
Hilton Reading	Reading, United Kingdom	210
Hilton Leeds City	Leeds, United Kingdom	208
Hilton Watford	Watford, United Kingdom	200
Mersin Hilton	Mersin, Turkey	186
Hilton Warwick/Stratford-upon-Avon	Warwick, United Kingdom	181
Hilton Leicester	Leicester, United Kingdom	179
Hilton Innsbruck	Innsbruck, Austria	176
Hilton Nottingham	Nottingham, United Kingdom	176



Property	Location	Rooms
Hilton St. Anne’s Manor, Bracknell	Wokingham, United Kingdom	170
Hilton London Croydon	Croydon, United Kingdom	168
Hilton London Green Park	London, United Kingdom	163
Hilton Cobham	Cobham, United Kingdom	158
Hilton Paris La Defense	Paris, France	153
Hilton East Midlands Airport	Derby, United Kingdom	152
Hilton Maidstone	Maidstone, United Kingdom	146
Hilton Avisford Park, Arundel	Arundel, United Kingdom	140
Hilton Northampton	Northampton, United Kingdom	139
Hilton London Hyde Park	London, United Kingdom	132
Hilton York	York, United Kingdom	131
Hilton Mainz City	Mainz, Germany	127
Hilton ParkSA Istanbul	Istanbul, Turkey	117
Hilton Puckrup Hall, Tewkesbury	Tewkesbury, United Kingdom	112
Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor	Glasgow, United Kingdom	97
DoubleTree by Hilton
DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle – Airport	Seattle, WA, USA	850
DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego – Mission Valley	San Diego, CA, USA	300
DoubleTree by Hilton Sonoma Wine Country	Rohnert Park, CA, USA	245
DoubleTree by Hilton Durango	Durango, CO, USA	159
Other
Scandic Sergel Plaza Stockholm⁽²⁾	Stockholm, Sweden	403
The Trafalgar, London	London, United Kingdom	129

____________


⁽¹⁾	We own a majority or controlling financial interest, but less than a 100 percent interest, in entities that lease these properties.


⁽²⁾	The lease on this property expired at the end of December 31, 2015.

Corporate Headquarters and Regional Offices

Our corporate headquarters are located at 7930 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia 22102. These offices consist of approximately 180,464 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 footage. We also have corporate offices in Watford, England (Europe), Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Middle East and Africa) and Singapore (Asia Pacific). Additionally, to support our operations, 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 the U.S. in Hawaii, Nevada, New York, Florida, South Carolina and Utah and in Japan and South Korea.

Other non-operating real estate holdings include a centralized operations center located in Memphis, Tennessee, and our 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 insurance 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, depending 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. As of December 31, 2015, there were approximately 35 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:



	Stock Price
	High		Low
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2015
First Quarter	$	30.06	$	24.36
Second Quarter	31.60		27.30
Third Quarter	28.52		20.93
Fourth Quarter	26.27		20.91

Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2014
First Quarter	$	23.10	$	20.55
Second Quarter	23.80		20.96
Third Quarter	25.92		23.15
Fourth Quarter	26.53		20.72

Dividends

We declared regular quarterly cash dividends beginning in the third quarter of 2015 and expect to continue paying regular dividends on a quarterly basis. We paid cash dividends of $0.07 per share on our common stock during the third and fourth quarters of 2015. We did not declare or pay any dividends during the first and second quarters of 2015, or the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.

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 operations, 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.

Performance Graph

The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return since December 12, 2013 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.



	12/12/2013	12/31/2013	12/31/2014	12/31/2015
Hilton Worldwide	$100.0	$103.5	$121.3	$99.5
S&P 500	$100.0	$104.1	$116.0	$115.1
S&P Hotel	$100.0	$109.2	$132.8	$135.5

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

None.

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

We derived the selected statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 and the selected balance sheet data as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 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, 2012 and 2011 and the selected balance sheet data as of December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 from our audited 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.



	Year ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013		2012		2011
	(in millions, except per share data)
Statement of Operations Data:
Revenues
Owned and leased hotels	$	4,233	$	4,239	$	4,046	$	3,979	$	3,898
Management and franchise fees and other	1,601		1,401		1,175		1,088		1,014
Timeshare	1,308		1,171		1,109		1,085		944
	7,142		6,811		6,330		6,152		5,856
Other revenues from managed and franchised properties	4,130		3,691		3,405		3,124		2,927
Total revenues	11,272		10,502		9,735		9,276		8,783

Expenses
Owned and leased hotels	3,168		3,252		3,147		3,230		3,213
Timeshare	897		767		730		758		668
Depreciation and amortization	692		628		603		550		564
Impairment losses	9		—		—		54		20
General, administrative and other	611		491		748		460		416
	5,377		5,138		5,228		5,052		4,881
Other expenses from managed and franchised properties	4,130		3,691		3,405		3,124		2,927
Total expenses	9,507		8,829		8,633		8,176		7,808

Gain on sales of assets, net	306		—		—		—		—

Operating income	2,071		1,673		1,102		1,100		975
Net income attributable to Hilton stockholders	1,404		673		415		352		253

Earnings per share:
Basic	$	1.42	$	0.68	$	0.45	$	0.38	$	0.27
Diluted	$	1.42	$	0.68	$	0.45	$	0.38	$	0.27