2013 HWH 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, 2013
or
¨
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
Commission File Number 001-36243
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
 
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 ¨ No x
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 ¨ No x
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 definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer ¨                         Accelerated filer ¨
Non -accelerated filer x (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, 2013, the last day of the registrant’s most recently completed second quarter, the registrant’s common stock was not publicly traded. The registrant's common stock, $0.01 par value per share, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on December 12, 2013. As of February 12, 2014, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $4,787 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 12, 2014 was 984,615,364.
Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Part III incorporate information by reference from the registrant's definitive proxy statement relating to its 2014 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, 2013

 
 
Page No.
PART I
 
 
 
Forward-Looking Statements
 
Terms Used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
Item 1.
Business
Item 1A.
Risk Factors
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments
Item 2.
Properties
Item 3
Legal Proceedings
Item 4.
Mine Safety Disclosures
 
 
 
PART II
 
 
Item 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of
 
 
     Equity Securities
Item 6.
Selected Financial Data
Item 7.
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Item 8
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosures
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures
Item 9B.
Other Information
 
 
 
PART III
 
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Item 11.
Executive Compensation
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder
 
 
     Matters
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence
Item 14.
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
 
 
 
PART IV
 
 
Item 15.
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
 
Signatures


1


PART I
Forward -Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). These statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding the performance of our business, our financial results, our liquidity and capital resources and other non-historical statements. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seeks," "approximately," "projects," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. 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. We refer to the estimated 314,000 individuals working at our owned, leased, managed, franchised, timeshare and corporate locations worldwide as of December 31, 2013 as our "team members." Of these team members, approximately 152,000 were directly employed or supervised by us and the remaining team members were employed or supervised by third parties. Except where the context requires otherwise, references to our "properties," "hotels" and "rooms" refer to the hotels, resorts and timeshare properties managed, franchised, owned or leased by us. Of these hotels, resorts and rooms, a portion are directly owned or leased by us or joint ventures in which we have an interest and the remaining hotels, resorts and rooms are owned by our third-party owners.

Investment funds associated with or designated by The Blackstone Group L.P. and their affiliates, our current majority owners, are referred to herein as "Blackstone" or "our Sponsor."

 
Reference to "ADR" or "Average Daily Rate" means hotel room revenue divided by total number of rooms 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 over these financial metrics.

Item 1.    Business

Overview

Hilton Worldwide is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality companies in the world, with 4,115 hotels, resorts and timeshare properties comprising 678,630 rooms in 91 countries and territories. In the nearly 100 years since our founding, we have defined the hospitality industry and established a portfolio of 10 world-class brands. Our flagship full-service Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand is the most recognized hotel brand in the world. Our premier brand portfolio also includes our luxury hotel brands, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts, our full-service hotel brands, DoubleTree by Hilton and Embassy Suites Hotels, our focused-service hotel brands, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton and our timeshare brand, Hilton Grand Vacations. More than 314,000 team members proudly serve in our properties and corporate offices around the world, and we have approximately 40 million members in our award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors.

We operate our business through three segments: (1) management and franchise; (2) ownership; and (3) timeshare. These complementary business segments enable us to capitalize on our strong brands, global market presence and significant operational scale. Through our management and franchise segment, which consists of 3,918 hotels with 610,413 rooms, we manage hotels, resorts and timeshare properties owned by third parties and we license our brands to franchisees. Our ownership

2


segment consists of 155 hotels with 61,670 rooms in which we have an ownership interest or lease. Through our timeshare segment, which consists of 42 properties comprising 6,547 units, 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 194,572 rooms scheduled to be opened in the future, 99 percent of which are in our management and franchise segment. As of December 31, 2013, 101,810 rooms, representing 52 percent of our development pipeline, were under construction. The expansion of our business is supported by strong lodging industry fundamentals in the current economic environment and long-term growth prospects based on increasing global travel and tourism.

Overall, we believe that our experience in the hotel industry and strong brands and commercial service offerings will continue to drive customer loyalty, including participation in our Hilton HHonors loyalty program, which has approximately 40 million members. Satisfied customers will continue to provide strong overall hotel performance for our hotel owners and us, and encourage further development of additional hotels under our brands and existing and new hotel owners, which further supports our growth and future financial performance. We believe that our existing portfolio and development pipeline, which will require minimal initial capital investment, put us in a strong position to further improve our business.

3


Our Brand Portfolio

The goal of each of our brands is to deliver exceptional customer experiences and superior operating performance.
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2013
 
 
Brand(1)
 
Segment
 
Countries/ Territories
 
Hotels
 
Rooms
 
Percentage of Total Rooms
 
Selected Competitors(2)
 
Luxury
 
10
 
24
 
10,529
 
1.6%
 
Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Peninsula, St. Regis, Mandarin Oriental
 
Luxury
 
17
 
23
 
7,877
 
1.2%
 
Park Hyatt, Sofitel, Intercontinental, JW Marriott, Fairmont
 
Upper Upscale
 
80
 
554
 
196,670
 
29.0%
 
Marriott, Sheraton, Hyatt, Radisson Blu, Renaissance, Westin, Sofitel, Swissotel, Mövenpick
 
Upscale
 
32
 
371
 
93,054
 
13.7%
 
Sheraton, Marriott, Crowne Plaza, Wyndham, Radisson, Moevenpick, Hotel Nikko, Holiday Inn, Renaissance
 
Upper Upscale
 
5
 
215
 
51,367
 
7.6%
 
Renaissance, Sheraton, Hyatt, Residence Inn by Marriott
 
Upscale
 
19
 
581
 
79,878
 
11.8%
 
Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn, Hyatt Place, Novotel, Aloft, Four Points by Sheraton
 
Upper Midscale
 
15
 
1,937
 
190,635
 
28.1%
 
Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, La Quinta Inns, Wyngate by Wyndham
 
Upscale
 
3
 
333
 
36,778
 
5.4%
 
Residence Inn by Marriott, Hyatt House, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites
 
Upper Midscale
 
2
 
27
 
2,928
 
0.4%
 
Candlewood Suites, AmericInn, Towne Place Suites
 
Timeshare
 
3
 
42
 
6,547
 
1.0%
 
Marriott Vacation Club, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Hyatt Residence, Wyndham Vacations Resorts
____________
(1)  
The table above excludes 8 unbranded hotels with 2,367 rooms, representing approximately 0.2% of total rooms.
(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 24 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 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

4


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.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts: Hilton is our global flagship brand and ranks number one for global brand awareness in the hospitality industry, with 554 hotels and resorts in 80 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.

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 is united by the brand’s CARE ("Creating a Rewarding Experience") culture and a warm chocolate chip cookie served at check-in. DoubleTree’s diverse portfolio includes historic icons, small contemporary hotels, resorts and large urban hotels.

Embassy Suites Hotels: Embassy Suites are our 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 value at a single price.

Hilton Garden Inn: Hilton Garden Inn is our award-winning, upscale hotel brand 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 Inn: Hampton Inn hotels are our moderately priced, upper midscale hotels with limited food and beverage facilities. The Hampton brand also includes Hampton Inn & Suites hotels, which offer both traditional hotel room accommodations and apartment style suites within one property. Across our over 1,900 Hampton locations around the world, guests receive free hot breakfast and free high-speed Internet access, all for a great price and all supported by the Hampton satisfaction guarantee.

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. The brand provides 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, our newest brand, 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. The hotel offers a complimentary continental breakfast, integrated laundry and exercise facility, recycling and sustainability initiatives and a pet-friendly policy.

Hilton Grand Vacations: Hilton Grand Vacations ("HGV") is our timeshare brand. Ownership of a deeded real estate interest with club membership points provides members with a lifetime of vacation advantages and the comfort and convenience of residential-style resort accommodations in select, renowned vacation destinations. Each club property 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 10 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 4,000 hotels worldwide, which are then redeemable for free hotel nights and other rewards. Members also can earn points 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 40 million members. Our Hilton HHonors members represented approximately 50 percent of our system-wide occupancy and contributed hotel-level revenues of over $12 billion during the year ended December 31, 2013. 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.


5


Our Businesses

We operate our business across three segments: (1) management and franchise; (2) ownership; and (3) timeshare. For more information regarding our segments, see "Part II—Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and Note 24: "Business Segments" in our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.


6


As of December 31, 2013, our system included the following properties and rooms, by type, brand and region:
 
Owned / Leased(1)
 
Managed
 
Franchised
 
Total
 
Hotels
 
Rooms
 
Hotels
 
Rooms
 
Hotels
 
Rooms
 
Hotels
 
Rooms
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.
2

 
1,601

 
12

 
5,691

 

 

 
14

 
7,292

Americas (excluding U.S.)

 

 
1

 
248

 
1

 
984

 
2

 
1,232

Europe
1

 
370

 
3

 
672

 

 

 
4

 
1,042

MEA

 

 
3

 
703

 

 

 
3

 
703

Asia Pacific

 

 
1

 
260

 

 

 
1

 
260

Conrad Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.

 

 
4

 
1,335

 

 

 
4

 
1,335

Americas (excluding U.S.)

 

 

 

 
1

 
294

 
1

 
294

Europe
1

 
191

 
2

 
741

 

 

 
3

 
932

MEA
1

 
617

 
2

 
641

 

 

 
3

 
1,258

Asia Pacific

 

 
11

 
3,422

 
1

 
636

 
12

 
4,058

Hilton Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.
23

 
21,096

 
42

 
24,939

 
181

 
54,083

 
246

 
100,118

Americas (excluding U.S.)
3

 
1,836

 
21

 
7,339

 
18

 
5,487

 
42

 
14,662

Europe
74

 
19,014

 
56

 
15,798

 
21

 
5,309

 
151

 
40,121

MEA
6

 
2,279

 
43

 
13,411

 
1

 
410

 
50

 
16,100

Asia Pacific
8

 
3,957

 
49

 
18,738

 
8

 
2,974

 
65

 
25,669

DoubleTree by Hilton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.
12

 
4,456

 
28

 
8,204

 
237

 
58,329

 
277

 
70,989

Americas (excluding U.S.)

 

 
3

 
637

 
11

 
2,063

 
14

 
2,700

Europe

 

 
11

 
3,474

 
34

 
5,523

 
45

 
8,997

MEA

 

 
4

 
842

 
3

 
431

 
7

 
1,273

Asia Pacific

 

 
26

 
8,130

 
2

 
965

 
28

 
9,095

Embassy Suites Hotels
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.
18

 
4,561

 
39

 
10,323

 
151

 
34,740

 
208

 
49,624

Americas (excluding U.S.)

 

 
2

 
473

 
5

 
1,270

 
7

 
1,743

Hilton Garden Inn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.
2

 
290

 
5

 
635

 
514

 
69,607

 
521

 
70,532

Americas (excluding U.S.)

 

 
5

 
685

 
23

 
3,575

 
28

 
4,260

Europe

 

 
15

 
2,620

 
12

 
1,751

 
27

 
4,371

MEA

 

 
1

 
180

 

 

 
1

 
180

Asia Pacific

 

 
4

 
535

 

 

 
4

 
535

Hampton Inn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.
1

 
130

 
50

 
6,238

 
1,803

 
173,677

 
1,854

 
180,045

Americas (excluding U.S.)

 

 
6

 
729

 
53

 
6,536

 
59

 
7,265

Europe

 

 
4

 
492

 
19

 
2,761

 
23

 
3,253

Asia Pacific

 

 

 

 
1

 
72

 
1

 
72

Homewood Suites by Hilton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.

 

 
38

 
4,342

 
284

 
31,266

 
322

 
35,608

Americas (excluding U.S.)

 

 
1

 
102

 
10

 
1,068

 
11

 
1,170

Home2 Suites by Hilton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S.

 

 

 

 
26

 
2,831

 
26

 
2,831

Americas (excluding U.S.)

 

 
1

 
97

 

 

 
1

 
97

Other
3

 
1,272

 
5

 
1,095

 

 

 
8

 
2,367

Lodging
155

 
61,670

 
498

 
143,771

 
3,420

 
466,642

 
4,073

 
672,083

Hilton Grand Vacations

 

 
42

 
6,547

 

 

 
42

 
6,547

Total
155

 
61,670

 
540

 
150,318

 
3,420

 
466,642

 
4,115

 
678,630

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


7


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 each hotel’s gross revenue, and we also may earn an incentive fee based on gross operating profits, cash flow or a combination thereof. In general, the owner pays all operating and other expenses and reimburses our out-of-pocket expenses. In turn, our managerial discretion typically is subject to approval by the owner in certain major areas, including the approval of annual operating and capital expenditure budgets. Additionally, the owners generally pay a monthly program fee based on a percentage of the total gross room revenue that covers the costs of advertising and marketing programs; internet, technology and reservation systems expenses; and quality assurance program costs. As of December 31, 2013, we managed 498 hotels with 143,771 rooms, excluding our owned and leased hotels.

The initial terms of our management agreements for full-service hotels typically are 20 years. In certain cases where we have entered into a franchise agreement as well as a management agreement, we classify these hotels as managed hotels in our portfolio. Extension options for our management agreements are negotiated and vary, but typically are more prevalent in full-service hotels. Typically these agreements contain one or two extension options that are either for 5 or 10 years and can be exercised at our or the other party’s option or by mutual agreement.

Some of our management agreements provide early termination rights to hotel owners upon certain events, including the failure to meet certain financial or performance criteria. Performance test measures typically are based upon the hotel’s performance individually and/or in comparison to specified competitive hotels. We often have a cure right by paying an amount equal to the performance shortfall over a specified period, although in some cases our cure rights are limited.

In addition to the third-party owned hotels we manage, we provide management services for 42 timeshare properties owned by homeowners' associations and 155 owned, leased and joint venture hotels, from which we recognize management fee revenues.

Franchising

We franchise our brand names, trade and service marks and operating systems to hotel owners under franchise agreements. We do not directly participate in the day-to-day management or operation of franchised hotels. We conduct periodic inspections to ensure that brand standards are maintained and consult with franchisees concerning certain aspects of hotel operations. We approve the location for new construction of franchised hotels, as well as certain aspects of development. In some cases, we provide franchisees with product improvement plans that must be completed in accordance with brand standards to remain in our hotel system. As of December 31, 2013, there were 3,420 franchised hotels with 466,642 rooms.

Each franchisee pays us a franchise application fee. Franchisees also pay a royalty fee, generally based on a percentage of the hotel’s total gross room revenue (and a percentage of food and beverage revenue in some brands), as well as a monthly program fee based on a percentage of the total gross room revenue that covers the costs of advertising and marketing programs; internet, technology and reservation systems expenses; and quality assurance program costs. Franchisees also are responsible for various other fees and charges, including payments for participation in our Hilton HHonors reward program, training, consultation and procurement of certain goods and services.

Our franchise agreements typically have initial terms of approximately 20 years for new construction and approximately 10 to 20 years for properties that are converted from other brands. At the expiration of the initial term, we may relicense the hotel to the franchisee, at our or the hotel owner’s option or by mutual agreement, for an additional term ranging from 10 to 15 years. We have the right to terminate a franchise agreement upon specified events of default, including nonpayment of fees or noncompliance with brand standards. If a franchise agreement is terminated by us because of a franchisee’s default, the franchisee is contractually required to pay us liquidated damages.


8


Ownership

We are among the largest hotel owners in the world based upon the number of rooms at our owned, leased and joint venture hotels. Our diverse global portfolio of owned and leased properties includes a number of leading hotels in major gateway cities such as New York City, London, San Francisco, Chicago, São Paolo, Sydney and Tokyo. The portfolio includes iconic hotels with significant underlying real estate value, including The Waldorf Astoria New York, the 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.

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 units on behalf of third-party developers in exchange for sales, marketing and branding fees on interval sales, and to earn fees from resort operations and the servicing of consumer loans while deploying little up-front capital related to the construction of the property.

Resort Operations—We manage the HGV Club, receiving enrollment fees, annual dues and transaction fees from member exchanges for other vacation products. We generate rental revenue from unit rentals of unsold inventory and inventory made available due to ownership exchanges under our HGV Club program. We also earn revenue from retail and spa outlets at our timeshare properties.

Financing—We provide consumer financing, which includes interest income generated from the origination of consumer loans to customers to finance their purchase of timeshare intervals and revenue from servicing the loans.

HGV’s primary product is a fee-simple timeshare interest deeded in perpetuity. 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, 2013, HGV managed a global system of 42 resorts and the HGV Club and the Hilton Club had more than 212,000 members in total.

Competition

We encounter active and robust competition as a hotel, residential, resort and timeshare manager, franchisor and developer. Competition in the hotel and lodging industry generally is based on the attractiveness of the facility, location, level of service, quality of accommodations, amenities, food and beverage options and outlets, public spaces and other guest services, consistency of service, room rate, brand 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 owner, operator, manager and franchisor of hotels makes us one of the largest and most geographically diverse lodging companies in the world.

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Our principal competitors include other branded and independent hotel operating companies, national and international hotel brands and ownership companies, including hotel REITs. While local and independent brand competitors vary, on a global scale our primary competitors are firms such as Accor S.A., Carlson Rezidor Group, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Marriott International, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation.

In the timeshare business, we compete with other hotel and resort timeshare operators for sales of timeshare intervals based principally on location, quality of accommodations, price, financing terms, quality of service, terms of property use and opportunity for timeshare owners to exchange into time at other timeshare properties or other travel rewards. In addition, we compete based on brand name recognition and reputation, as well as with national and independent timeshare resale companies and owners reselling existing timeshare intervals, which could reduce demand or prices for sales of new timeshare intervals. Our competitors in the timeshare space include Hyatt Residence Club, Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp., Starwood Vacation Ownership and Wyndham Vacation Resorts.

Seasonality

The hospitality industry is seasonal in nature. The periods during which our lodging properties experience higher revenues vary from property to property, depending 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.

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. 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

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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 91 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, or pursuant to our management or franchise agreements, but there can be no assurance that we would be able to recover all or any costs we incur in addressing such problems. From time to time, we may also be required to manage, abate, remove or contain mold, lead, asbestos-containing materials, radon gas or other hazardous conditions found in or on our properties. We have implemented an on-going operations and maintenance plan at each of our owned and operated properties that seeks to identify and remediate these conditions as appropriate. Although we have incurred, and expect that we will continue to incur, costs relating to the investigation, identification and remediation of hazardous materials known or discovered to exist at our properties, those costs have not had, and are not expected to have, a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flow.

Insurance

We maintain insurance coverage for general liability, property including business interruption, terrorism, workers’ compensation and other risks with respect to our business for all of our owned hotels. Most of our insurance policies are written with self-insured retentions or deductibles that are common in the insurance market for similar risks. These policies provide coverage for claim amounts that exceed our self-insured retentions or deductibles. Our insurance provides coverage related to any claims or losses arising out of the design, development and operation of our hotels.

U.S. hotels that we manage are permitted to participate in our insurance programs by mutual agreement with our hotel owners or, if not participating, must purchase insurance programs consistent with our requirements. U.S. franchised hotels are not permitted to participate in our insurance programs but rather must purchase insurance programs consistent with our requirements. Non-U.S. managed and franchised hotels are required to participate in certain of our insurance programs. All other insurance programs purchased by hotel owners must meet our requirements. In addition, our management and franchise agreements typically include provisions requiring the owner of the hotel property to indemnify us against losses arising from the design, development and operation of our hotels.

History

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. was incorporated in Delaware in March 2010. In 1919, our founder Conrad Hilton purchased his first hotel in Cisco, Texas. Through our predecessors, we commenced operations in 1946 when our subsidiary Hilton Hotels Corporation, later renamed Hilton Worldwide, Inc., was incorporated in Delaware.


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Employees

As of December 31, 2013, approximately 152,000 people were employed at our managed, owned, leased, timeshare and corporate locations. There were an additional estimated 162,000 individuals working at our franchised locations that we do not employ or supervise.

As of December 31, 2013, approximately 26 percent of our employees globally (or 29 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 Relating 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, compensation, benefits and insurance;

increases in costs due to inflation that may not be fully offset by price and fee increases in our business;

changes in tax and governmental regulations that influence or set wages, prices, interest rates or construction and maintenance procedures and costs;

the costs and administrative burdens associated with complying with applicable laws and regulations;

the costs or desirability of complying with local practices and customs;

significant increases in cost for health care coverage for employees and potential government regulation with respect to health care coverage;

shortages of labor or labor disruptions;

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, which in the case of our managed and franchised hotels and timeshare properties controlled by homeowner associations are generally not within our control;


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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;

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;

the ability of third-party internet and other travel intermediaries to attract and retain customers; 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 services and timeshare products, 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 which negatively shape public perception of travel, including travel-related accidents and outbreaks of pandemic or contagious diseases, such as 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;

cyclical over-building in the hotel and timeshare industries; and


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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, on a lagged basis, the general economy. 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 and timeshare properties, including other major hospitality chains with well-established and recognized brands. We also compete against smaller hotel chains, independent and local hotel owners and operators and independent timeshare operators. If we are unable to compete successfully, our revenues or profits may decline.

Competition for hotel guests

We face competition for individual guests, group reservations and conference business. We compete for these customers based primarily on brand name recognition and reputation, as well as location, room rates, property size and availability of rooms and conference space, quality of the accommodations, customer satisfaction, amenities and the ability to earn and redeem loyalty program points. Our competitors may have greater financial and marketing resources and more efficient technology platforms, which could allow them to improve their properties and expand and improve their marketing efforts in ways that could affect our ability to compete for guests effectively.

Competition for management and franchise agreements

We compete to enter into management and franchise agreements. Our ability to compete effectively is based primarily on the value and quality of our management services, brand name recognition and reputation, our ability and willingness to invest capital, availability of suitable properties in certain geographic areas, and the overall economic terms of our agreements and the economic advantages to the property owner of retaining our 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.


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Competition for sales of timeshare properties

We compete with other timeshare operators for sales of timeshare intervals based principally on location, quality of accommodations, price, financing terms, quality of service, terms of property use, opportunity for timeshare owners to exchange into time at other timeshare properties or other travel rewards as well as brand name recognition and reputation. Our ability to attract and retain purchasers of timeshare intervals depends on our success in distinguishing the quality and value of our timeshare offerings from those offered by others. If we are unable to do so, our ability to compete effectively for sales of timeshare intervals could be adversely affected.
 

Any deterioration in the quality or reputation of our brands could have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our brands and our reputation are among our most important assets. Our ability to attract and retain guests depends, in part, on the public recognition of our brands and their associated reputation. In addition, the success of our hotel owners’ businesses and their ability to make payments to us may indirectly depend on the strength and reputation of our brands. Such dependence makes our business susceptible to risks regarding brand obsolescence and to reputational damage. If our brands become obsolete or are viewed as unfashionable or lacking in consistency and quality, we may be unable to attract guests to our hotels, and further we may be unable to attract or retain our hotel owners.

In addition, many factors can negatively affect the reputation of any individual brand, or the overall brand of our company. Changes in ownership or management practices, the occurrence of accidents or injuries, natural disasters, crime, individual guest notoriety or similar events can have a substantial negative effect on 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 have a resulting negative effect on the reputation and operations of otherwise successful individual locations. In addition, the considerable expansion in the use of social media over recent years has compounded the potential scope of the negative publicity that could be generated by such incidents. We could also face legal claims related to these events, along with adverse publicity resulting from such litigation. 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.

If we are unable to 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 on our ability to renew existing, and enter into new, management and franchise agreements. The management and franchise contracts we enter into with third-party owners are typically long-term arrangements, but may allow the hotel owner to terminate the agreement under certain circumstances, including in certain cases, the failure to meet certain 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, any 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, 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.

The ability to grow our management and franchise business is subject to the range of risks associated with real estate investments. Our ability to sustain continued growth through management and franchise agreements for new hotels and the conversion of existing facilities to managed or franchised branded hotels is affected, and may potentially be limited, by a variety of factors influencing real estate development generally. These include site availability, the availability of financing, planning, zoning and other local approvals. Other limitations that may be imposed by market factors include 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. Any inability by us or our third-party owners to manage these factors effectively could adversely affect our operational results and our prospects for growth.

 

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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 the properties owned by our third-party property owners are pledged as collateral for mortgage loans entered into when such properties were purchased or refinanced by them. 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. Any such repossessions could result in the termination of our management and franchise agreements or eliminate revenues and cash flows from such property, which could negatively affect our business and results of operations. 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 with respect to existing hotels, as well as result in the delay or stoppage of the development of our existing pipeline.

If third-party property owners fail to make investments necessary to maintain or improve their properties, guest preference for Hilton brands and reputation and performance results could suffer.

Substantially all of our management and franchise agreements require third-party property owners to comply with standards that are essential to maintaining the quality and reputation of our branded hotel properties. This includes requirements related to the physical condition, safety standards and appearance of the properties as well as the service levels provided by employees. These standards may evolve with customer preference, or we may introduce new requirements and team members over time. If our property owners fail to make investments necessary to maintain or improve the properties in accordance with such standards, guest preference for our brands could diminish, and this could result in an adverse effect on our results of operations. In addition, if third-party property owners fail to observe standards and 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 relationships. 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. At any given time, we may be in disputes with one or more of our hotel owners. Any such dispute 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. An adverse result in any of these proceedings could materially adversely affect our results of operations. 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. In the event of any such termination, our fees from such properties would be eliminated, and accordingly may negatively affect our results of operations.

We are exposed to the risks resulting from significant investments in owned and leased real estate, which 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 as one of our three business segments. Real estate ownership and leasing is subject to various risks that may or 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;

 
changes in market conditions or the area in which real estate is located losing value;

differences in potential civil liability between owners and operators 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;

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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, which could reduce revenues or impair our ability to compete effectively.

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. While we have budgeted for replacements and repairs to furniture, fixtures and hotel equipment at our properties there can be no assurance that these 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) that may increase project costs;

obtaining zoning, occupancy and other required permits or authorizations;

changes in economic conditions that may result in weakened or lack of demand 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; 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 properties 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 share control in joint venture projects, which limits our ability to manage third-party risks associated with these projects.

Joint venturers often have shared control over the operation of our joint venture assets. In most cases, we are minority participants and do not control the decisions of the ventures. 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

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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 have an adverse effect on 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 such co-venturer defaults on its guarantee obligation. The non-performance of such obligations may cause losses to us in excess of the capital we initially may have invested or committed under such obligations.

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 return on these investments.

The timeshare business is subject to extensive regulation and failure to comply with such regulation may have an adverse effect on our business.

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, we provide financing to some purchasers of timeshare intervals and we also service the resulting loans. This practice subjects us to various federal and state regulations, including those which require 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 not be able to offer timeshare intervals or associated financing in certain areas, and as a result, the timeshare business could suffer a decline in 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 inventory from our owned timeshare properties, we source inventory 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 inventory available to be sold by us, which could result in a decrease in our revenues. In addition, a decline in timeshare interval inventory 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 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, 2013, we had approximately $994 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 through foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure. If the timeshare interval has declined in value, we may incur impairment losses that reduce our profits. In addition, 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.


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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, 2013, we had a total of 1,123 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, obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals and adequate financing. As a result, our entire development pipeline may not develop into new hotels.

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 have launched several new brand concepts over the last few years. We opened our first Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel in 2011, launched the eforea: spa at Hilton brand in 2010 and opened the first Herb N' Kitchen Restaurant in 2013. We may continue to build our portfolio of branded hotel products and non-hotel branded concepts 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 brands 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 developing or expanding such brands and this 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. In addition, substantially all of our data center operations are currently located in a single facility, and any loss or damage to the facility could result in operational disruption and data loss. 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 and the provision of information technology and business process services. 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

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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 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. For example, in 2011 we were notified by Epsilon, our database marketing vendor, that we were among a group of companies served by Epsilon that were affected by a data breach that resulted in an unauthorized third party gaining access to Epsilon’s files that included names and e-mails of certain of our customers.

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 increased in recent years. Any breach, theft, loss, or fraudulent use of customer, employee or company data could cause consumers to lose confidence in the security of our websites, mobile applications and other information technology systems and choose not to purchase from us. Any such security breach could expose us to risks of data loss, business disruption, litigation and other liability, any of which could adversely affect our business.

We may be exposed to risks and costs associated with protecting the integrity and security of our guests’ personal information.

We are subject to various risks associated with the collection, handling, storage and transmission of sensitive information, including risks related to compliance with U.S. and foreign data collection and privacy laws and other contractual obligations, as well as the risk that our systems collecting such information could be compromised. In the course of doing business, we collect large volumes of internal and customer data, including credit card numbers and other personally identifiable information for various 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. Our various information technology systems enter, process, summarize and report such data. If we fail 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, we could be exposed to fines, penalties, restrictions, litigation or other expenses, and our business could be adversely affected.

In addition, states and the federal government have recently enacted additional laws and regulations to protect consumers against identity theft. These laws and similar laws in other jurisdictions have increased the costs of doing business and, if we fail to implement appropriate safeguards or we fail to detect and provide prompt notice of unauthorized access as required by some of these laws, we could be subject 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.


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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 not be restricted by the terms of our indebtedness. In addition, the success of any acquisitions or investments also will depend, in part, on our ability to integrate the acquisition or investment with our existing operations.

We may also divest certain properties or assets, and any such divestments may yield lower than expected returns. In some circumstances, sales of properties or other assets may result in losses. Upon a sale 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 which govern marketing and advertising practices. Any further restrictions in laws, such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, and various U.S. state laws, new laws, or international data protection laws, such as the EU member states’ implementation of proposed privacy regulation, that govern these activities could adversely affect current or planned marketing activities and cause us to change our marketing strategy. If this occurs, we may not be able to develop adequate alternative marketing strategies, which could affect our ability to maintain relationships with our customers and acquire new customers. We also obtain access to names of potential customers from travel service providers or other companies and we market to some individuals on these lists directly or through other companies’ marketing materials. If access to these lists was 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 is booked through internet travel intermediaries. We contract with such intermediaries and pay them various commissions and transaction fees for sales of our rooms through their systems. If such bookings increase, these intermediaries may be able to obtain higher commissions, reduced room rates or other significant concessions from us or our franchisees. Although we have established agreements with many of these intermediaries that 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.

In addition, in general, internet travel intermediaries have traditionally competed to attract individual consumers or "transient" business rather than group and convention business. However, hospitality intermediaries have recently grown 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 it could also increase our cost of sales for group and convention business.

Recent class action litigation against several online travel intermediaries and lodging companies, including Hilton, challenges the legality under certain antitrust laws of certain provisions in contracts and alleged practices with third-party intermediaries. While we are vigorously defending the litigation, and believe the contract provisions are lawful, the courts will

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ultimately determine this issue. Our fees and expenses associated with this litigation, even if we ultimately prevail, could be material. Any adverse outcome could require us to alter our business arrangements with these intermediaries, and consequently could have a negative effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Our reservation system is an important component of our business operations and a disruption to its functioning could have an adverse effect on our performance and results.

We manage a global reservation system that communicates reservations to our branded hotels when made by individuals directly, either online or by telephone to our call centers, or through intermediaries like travel agents, internet travel web sites and other distribution channels. The cost, speed, efficacy and efficiency of the reservation system are important aspects of our business and are important considerations of hotel owners in choosing to affiliate with our brands. Any failure to maintain or upgrade, and any other disruption to our reservation system may adversely affect our business.

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 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 91 countries around the world. Our operations outside the United States represented approximately 25 percent and 27 percent of our revenues for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, 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 effect of disruptions caused by severe weather, natural disasters, outbreak of disease or other events that make travel to a particular region less attractive or more difficult;

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;


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uncertainties as to local laws 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 companies whose securities are listed in the U.S. to keep books and records that accurately and fairly reflect those companies’ transactions and to devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls. 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. We have policies in place designed to comply with applicable sanctions, rules and regulations. Given the nature of our business, 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 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, team members 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 companies subject to SEC reporting obligations under Section 13 of the Exchange Act 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 during the period covered by the relevant periodic report. In some cases, ITRSHRA requires companies to disclose these types of transactions even if they would otherwise be permissible under U.S. law. 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, 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. In addition, because the SEC defines the term "affiliate" broadly, it includes any entity controlled by us as well as any person or entity that controls us or is under common control with us. Because 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. Disclosure of such activities, even if such activities are permissible under applicable law, 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 impact on our results of operations.

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The loss of senior executives or key field personnel, such as general managers, could significantly harm our business.

Our ability to maintain our competitive position depends somewhat on the efforts and abilities of our senior executives. Finding suitable replacements for senior executives could be difficult. Losing the services of one or more of these senior executives could adversely affect strategic relationships, including relationships with third-party property owners, joint venture partners and vendors, and limit our ability to execute our business strategies.

We also rely on the general managers at each of our managed, owned, leased and joint venture hotels to manage daily operations and oversee the efforts of team members. 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, leased and joint venture 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 26 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 17 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. Our managed, owned, leased and joint venture hotels are staffed by approximately 152,000 team members around the world. If we are unable to attract, retain, train, manage and engage skilled employees, our ability to manage and staff the managed, owned, leased and joint venture 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.

Any failure to protect our trademarks and other intellectual property could reduce the value of the Hilton brands and harm our business.

The recognition and reputation of our brands are important to our success. We have over 4,700 trademark registrations in jurisdictions around the world for use in connection with our services. At any given time, we also have a number of pending applications to register trademarks and other intellectual property in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. However, those trademark or other intellectual property registrations may not be granted or that 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,

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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. Such rights include the right to grant sublicenses to franchisees. If we are unable to use such 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;

divert management’s attention and resources; 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 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 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 to reduce certain of our exposures to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. However, these hedging agreements

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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 which 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 can 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 Insurance Program to provide insurance capacity for terrorist acts. On December 26, 2007, the Terrorism Insurance Program was extended by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 through December 31, 2014 ("TRIPRA"). 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 TRIPRA is not extended or renewed upon its expiration in 2014, 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 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.

Certain of our buildings are also highly profitable properties to our business. In addition to the effects noted above, the occurrence of a terrorist attack with respect to one of these properties could directly and materially adversely affect our results

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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 record tax expense based in part on our estimates of expected future tax rates, reserves for uncertain tax positions in multiple tax jurisdictions and valuation allowances related to certain net deferred tax assets, including net operating loss carryforwards.

We are subject to ongoing and periodic tax audits and disputes in U.S. federal and various state, local and foreign jurisdictions. In particular, our consolidated U.S. federal income tax returns for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and October 24, 2007 are under audit by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), and the IRS has proposed adjustments to increase our taxable income based on several assertions involving intercompany loans, our Hilton HHonors guest loyalty and reward program and our foreign-currency denominated loans issued by one of our subsidiaries. In total, the proposed adjustments sought by the IRS would result in U.S. federal tax owed of approximately $696 million, excluding interest and penalties and potential state income taxes. We disagree with the IRS’s position on each of the assertions and intend to vigorously contest them. See Note 19: "Income Taxes" in our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information. An unfavorable outcome from any tax audit could result in higher tax costs, penalties and interest, thereby adversely affecting our financial condition or results of operations.

Changes to accounting rules or regulations may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

New accounting rules or regulations and varying interpretations of existing accounting rules or regulations have occurred and may occur in the future. A change in accounting rules or regulations may even affect our reporting of transactions completed before the change is effective, and future changes to accounting rules or regulations or the questioning of current accounting practices may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. For example, in 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"), issued a revised exposure draft outlining proposed changes to current lease accounting in FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 840, Leases. The proposed accounting standards update, if ultimately adopted in its current form, could result in significant changes to current accounting, including the capitalization of leases on the balance sheet that currently are recorded off-balance sheet as operating leases. While this change would not affect the cash flow related to our leased hotels and other leased assets, it could adversely affect our balance sheet and could therefore affect our ability to raise financing from banks or other sources.

Changes to estimates or projections used to assess the fair value of our assets, or operating results that are lower than our current estimates at certain locations, may cause us to incur impairment charges 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.

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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 their relationships with employees, including minimum wage requirements, overtime, working conditions and citizenship requirements. 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. For example, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and some states are considering or have undertaken actions to regulate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 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 potential for changes in the frequency, duration and severity of extreme weather events that may be a result of climate change could lead to significant property damage at our hotels and other assets, affect our ability to obtain insurance coverage in areas that are most vulnerable to such events, such as the coastal resort areas where we operate, and have a negative effect on revenues.

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. Under the terms of the settlement, until November 2014 we must: ensure compliance with ADA regulations at our owned and joint venture (in which we own more than a 50% interest) properties built after January 26, 1993; require managed or franchised hotels built after January 26, 1993 that enter into a new management or franchise agreement, experience a change in ownership, or renew or extend a management or franchise agreement, to conduct a survey of its facilities and to certify that the hotel complies with the ADA; ensure that new hotels constructed in our system are compliant with ADA regulations; provide ADA training to our team members; improve the accessibility of our websites and reservations system for individuals with disabilities; appoint a national ADA compliance officer; and appoint an ADA contact on-site at each hotel. If we fail to comply with the requirements of the ADA and our related consent decree, we could be subject to fines, penalties, injunctive action, reputational harm and other business effects which could materially and negatively affect our performance and results of operations.

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Casinos featured on certain of our properties are subject to gaming laws, and noncompliance could result in the revocation of the gaming licenses.

Several of our properties feature casinos, most of which are operated by third parties. Factors affecting the economic performance of a casino property include:

location, including proximity to or easy access from major population centers;

appearance;

local, regional or national economic conditions, which may limit the amount of disposable income that potential patrons may have for gambling;

the existence or construction of competing casinos;

dependence on tourism; and

governmental regulation.

Jurisdictions in which our properties containing casinos are located, including Nevada, New Jersey, 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 Relating 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, 2013, our total indebtedness was approximately $12.7 billion, including $968 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, 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively, were $52 million, $69 million and $622 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;

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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 and the mortgage loan secured by our Waldorf Astoria New York property, 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% 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.


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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

Our Sponsor and its affiliates control us and their interests may conflict with ours or yours in the future.

Our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially owned approximately 76.4% of our common stock as of February 12, 2014. Moreover, under our bylaws and the stockholders’ agreement with our Sponsor and its affiliates, for so long as our existing owners and their affiliates retain significant ownership of us, we have agreed to nominate to our board individuals designated by our Sponsor, whom we refer to as the "Sponsor Directors." Even when our Sponsor and its affiliates cease to own shares of our stock representing a majority of the total voting power, for so long as our Sponsor continues to own a significant percentage of our stock our Sponsor will still be able to significantly influence the composition of our board of directors and the approval of actions requiring stockholder approval. Accordingly, for such period of time, our Sponsor will have significant influence with respect to our management, business plans and policies, including the appointment and removal of our officers. In particular, for so long as our Sponsor continues to own a significant percentage of our stock, our Sponsor will be able to cause or prevent a change of control of our company or a change in the composition of our board of directors and could preclude any unsolicited acquisition of our company. The concentration of ownership could deprive you of an opportunity to receive a premium for your shares of common stock as part of a sale of our company and ultimately might affect the market price of our common stock.

Our Sponsor and its affiliates engage in a broad spectrum of activities, including investments in real estate generally and in the hospitality industry in particular. In the ordinary course of their business activities, our Sponsor and its affiliates may engage in activities where their interests conflict with our interests or those of our stockholders. For example, our Sponsor owns interests in Extended Stay America, Inc. and La Quinta Hotels, and certain other investments in the hotel industry that compete directly or indirectly with us. In addition, affiliates of our Sponsor directly and indirectly own hotels that we manage or franchise, and they may in the future enter into other transactions with us, including hotel or timeshare development projects,

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that could result in their having interests that could conflict with ours. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that none of our Sponsor, any of its affiliates or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to refrain from engaging, directly or indirectly, in the same business activities or similar business activities or lines of business in which we operate. Our Sponsor also may pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available 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 a "controlled company" within the meaning of New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") rules and, as a result, qualify for, and rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements. Our stockholders do not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

Affiliates of our Sponsor control a majority of the combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. As a result, we are a "controlled company" within the meaning of NYSE corporate governance standards. Under these rules, a "controlled company" may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance standards such as requirements that within one year of the date of NYSE listing, a company have:

a board that is composed of a majority of "independent directors," as defined under NYSE rules;

a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors; and

a nominating and corporate governance committee that is composed entirely of independent directors.

We do not have a majority of independent directors on our board. In addition, although we have a fully independent audit committee and have independent director representation on our compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees, our compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees do not consist entirely of independent directors. We intend to continue to utilize these "controlled company" exemptions. Accordingly, our stockholders do not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements.

We will incur increased costs and become subject to additional regulations and requirements as a public company, which could lower our profits or make it more difficult to run our business.

As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses, including costs associated with public company reporting requirements. We also have incurred and will incur costs associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act"), and related rules implemented by the SEC and the NYSE. The expenses incurred by public companies generally for reporting and corporate governance purposes have been increasing. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly, although we are currently unable to estimate these costs with any degree of certainty. These laws and regulations also could make it more difficult or costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. These laws and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as our executive officers. Furthermore, if we are unable to satisfy our obligations as a public company, we could be subject to delisting of our common stock, fines, sanctions and other regulatory action and potentially civil litigation.

If we are unable to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock may be negatively affected.

As a public company, we are required to maintain internal controls over financial reporting and to report any material weaknesses in such internal controls. In addition, beginning with our second Annual Report on Form 10-K, we will be required to furnish reports by management and our independent registered public accountants on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The process of designing, implementing, and testing the internal control over financial reporting required to comply with this obligation is time consuming, costly and complicated. If we identify material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, if we are unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a timely manner or to assert that our internal control over

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financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock could be negatively affected, and we could become subject to investigations by the NYSE, the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources.

 
Because we have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our common stock, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

We have no current plans to pay any cash dividends. The declaration, amount and payment of any future dividends on shares of common stock will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors. Our board of directors may take into account general and economic conditions, our financial condition and results of operations, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions and implications on the payment of dividends by us to our stockholders or by our subsidiaries to us and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends is limited by our senior secured credit facility and our senior notes and may be limited by covenants of other indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur in the future. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell our common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

Future issuances of common stock by us, and the availability for resale of shares held by our pre-IPO investors, may cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could substantially decrease the market price of our common stock. After the expiration or earlier waiver or termination of the lock-up periods described below, substantially all of the outstanding shares of our common stock will be available for resale in the public market. Registration of the sale of these shares of our common stock would permit their sale into the market immediately. The market price of our common stock could drop significantly if the holders of these shares sell them or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them.

Pursuant to a registration rights agreement, we have granted our Sponsor and certain management stockholders the right to cause us, in certain instances, at our expense, to file registration statements under the Securities Act covering resales of our common stock held by them. These shares represented approximately 77.2 percent of our outstanding common stock as of February 12, 2014. 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 connection with our initial public offering, we, our executive officers, directors and holders of certain of our outstanding shares of common stock immediately prior to our initial public offering, including our Sponsor, that collectively owned approximately 77.8 percent of our outstanding common stock as of February 12, 2014, signed lock-up agreements with the underwriters of the initial public offering that, subject to certain customary exceptions, restrict the sale of the shares of our common stock held by them for 180 days following the date of the initial public offering prospectus, subject to extension in the case of an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to us. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman, Sachs & Co. may, in their sole discretion, release all or any portion of the shares of common stock subject to lock-up agreements. In addition, former members of Hilton Global Holdings LLC ("HGH"), including our Sponsor, who received, in the aggregate, approximately 829,481,530 shares of our common stock (or approximately 84.2 percent of our outstanding common stock as of February 12, 2014) from HGH in connection with our initial public offering are prohibited from transferring such shares for six months beginning on their receipt of such shares on the date of the pricing of our initial public offering. One third of the shares they received (approximately 276,493,843 shares) may be transferred between 6 and 12 months following the date of receipt and an additional one third of the shares they receive (approximately 276,493,843 shares) may be transferred between 13 and 18 months after the date of receipt. The transfer restrictions applicable to such holders will lapse after 18 months after the date of receipt. In addition, while transfer restrictions applicable to former members of HGH currently provide for the restrictions described above, these contractual provisions may be waived, modified or amended at any time.

As of February 12, 2014, we had granted 19,500 restricted stock units to our independent directors under our 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan. An aggregate of 79,980,500 shares of common stock were available for future issuance under the 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan as of February 12, 2014. We have filed a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities

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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.

As restrictions on resale end, the market price of our shares of common stock could drop significantly if the holders of these restricted shares sell them or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them. These factors could also make it more difficult for us to raise additional funds through future offerings of our shares of common stock or other securities.

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, 2013, we owned a majority or controlling financial interest in the following 49 hotels, representing 27,173 rooms.

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Property
 
Location
 
Rooms
 
Ownership
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Waldorf Astoria New York
 
New York, NY, USA
 
1,413
 
100%
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa
 
Honolulu, HI, USA
 
2,860
 
100%
Hilton New York
 
New York, NY, USA
 
1,981
 
100%
Hilton San Francisco Union Square
 
San Francisco, CA, USA
 
1,908
 
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%
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%
Hilton Sydney
 
Sydney, Australia
 
579
 
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
 
359
 
100%
Hilton Paris Orly Airport
 
Paris, France
 
340
 
100%
Hilton Durban
 
Durban, South Africa
 
327
 
100%
Hilton New Orleans Airport
 
Kenner, LA, USA
 
317
 
100%
Hilton Short Hills
 
Short Hills, NJ, USA
 
304
 
100%
Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
 
Schiphol, Netherlands
 
277
 
100%
Hilton Blackpool
 
Blackpool, United Kingdom
 
274
 
100%
Hilton Rotterdam
 
Rotterdam, Netherlands
 
254
 
100%
Hilton Suites Chicago/Oak Brook
 
Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA
 
211
 
100%
Hilton Belfast
 
Belfast, United Kingdom
 
198
 
100%
Hilton London 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 Nuremberg
 
Nuremberg, Germany
 
152
 
100%
Hilton Milton Keynes
 
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
 
138
 
100%
Hilton Templepatrick Hotel & Country Club
 
Templepatrick, United Kingdom
 
129
 
100%
Hilton Sheffield
 
Sheffield, United Kingdom
 
128
 
100%
Hilton Bradford(1)
 
Bradford, United Kingdom
 
121
 
100%
Hilton Portsmouth
 
Portsmouth, United Kingdom
 
119
 
100%
DoubleTree by Hilton
 
 
 
 
 
 
DoubleTree Hotel Crystal City – National Airport
 
Arlington, VA, USA
 
631
 
100%
DoubleTree Hotel San Jose
 
San Jose, CA, USA
 
505
 
100%
DoubleTree Hotel Ontario Airport
 
Ontario, CA, USA
 
482
 
67%
DoubleTree Spokane – City Center
 
Spokane, WA, USA
 
375
 
10%
Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort Santa Barbara
 
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
 
360
 
50%
Embassy Suites Hotels
 
 
 
 
 
 
Embassy Suites Washington D.C.
 
Washington, D.C., USA
 
318
 
100%
Embassy Suites Austin – Downtown/Town Lake
 
Austin, TX, USA
 
259
 
100%
Embassy Suites Phoenix – Airport at 24th Street
 
Phoenix, AZ, USA
 
182
 
100%
Hilton Garden Inn
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hilton Garden Inn LAX/El Segundo
 
El Segundo, CA, USA
 
162
 
100%
Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Oak Brook
 
Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA
 
128
 
100%
Hampton Inn
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis – Shady Grove
 
Memphis, TN, USA
 
130
 
100%
____________
(1) 
In February 2014, we entered into an agreement to sell this property with an expected closing date in the second quarter of 2014.

35



Joint Venture Hotels

As of December 31, 2013, we had a minority or noncontrolling financial interest in and operated the following 31 properties, representing 11,839 rooms. We have a right of first refusal to purchase additional equity interests in certain of these joint ventures. We manage each of the partially owned hotels for the entity owning the hotel.

Property
 
Location
 
Rooms
 
Ownership
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Waldorf Astoria Chicago
 
Chicago, IL, USA
 
188
 
15%
Conrad Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
 
 
Conrad Cairo
 
Cairo, Egypt
 
617
 
10%
Conrad Dublin
 
Dublin, Ireland
 
191
 
25%
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hilton Orlando – Orange County Convention Center
 
Orlando, FL, USA
 
1,417
 
20%
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
 
San Diego, CA, USA
 
1,190
 
25%
Hilton Tokyo Bay
 
Urayasu-shi, Japan
 
818
 
24%
Hilton Berlin
 
Berlin, Germany
 
601
 
40%
Capital Hilton
 
Washington, D.C., USA
 
544
 
25%
Hilton Nagoya
 
Nagoya, Japan
 
448
 
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 Las Vegas Airport
 
Las Vegas, NV, USA
 
190
 
50%
DoubleTree Guest Suites Austin
 
Austin, TX, USA
 
188
 
10%
DoubleTree Hotel Missoula/Edgewater
 
Missoula, MT, USA
 
171
 
50%
Embassy Suites Hotels
 
 
 
 
 
 
Embassy Suites Atlanta – at Centennial Olympic Park
 
Atlanta, GA, USA
 
321
 
36%
Embassy Suites Alexandria – Old Town
 
Alexandria, VA, USA
 
288
 
50%
Embassy Suites Parsippany
 
Parsippany, NJ, USA
 
274
 
50%
Embassy Suites Kansas City – Plaza
 
Kansas City, MO, USA
 
266
 
50%
Embassy Suites Chicago – Lombard/Oak Brook
 
Lombard, IL, USA
 
262
 
50%
Embassy Suites Secaucus – Meadowlands
 
Secaucus, NJ, USA
 
261
 
50%
Embassy Suites San Antonio – International Airport
 
San Antonio, TX, USA
 
261
 
50%
Embassy Suites Austin – Central
 
Austin, TX, USA
 
260
 
50%
Embassy Suites Baltimore – at BWI Airport
 
Linthicum, MD, USA
 
251
 
10%
Embassy Suites Sacramento – Riverfront Promenade
 
Sacramento, CA, USA
 
242
 
25%
Embassy Suites Atlanta – Perimeter Center
 
Atlanta, GA, USA
 
241
 
50%
Embassy Suites San Rafael – Marin County
 
San Rafael, CA, USA
 
235
 
50%
Embassy Suites Raleigh – Crabtree
 
Raleigh, NC, USA
 
225
 
50%
Embassy Suites San Antonio – NW I-10
 
San Antonio, TX, USA
 
216
 
50%
Embassy Suites Kansas City – Overland Park
 
Overland Park, KS, USA
 
199
 
50%
Other
 
 
 
 
 
 
Myrtle Beach Kingston Plantation (condo management company)
 
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
 
740
 
50%


36


Leased Hotels

As of December 31, 2013, we leased the following 75 hotels, representing 22,658 rooms.

Property
 
Location
 
Rooms
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
Waldorf Astoria Rome Cavalieri
 
Rome, Italy
 
370
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
 
 
 
 
Hilton Tokyo(1)
 
(Shinjuku-ku) Tokyo, Japan
 
812
Hilton Ramses
 
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
 
525
Hilton Istanbul
 
Istanbul, Turkey
 
499
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 London Docklands Riverside
 
London, United Kingdom
 
378
Hilton Addis Ababa
 
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
 
372
Hilton Vienna Danube
 
Vienna, Austria
 
367
Hilton Frankfurt
 
Frankfurt, Germany
 
342
Hilton Brighton Metropole
 
Brighton, United Kingdom
 
340
Hilton Sandton
 
Sandton, South Africa
 
329
Hilton Brisbane
 
Brisbane, Australia
 
319
Hilton Glasgow
 
Glasgow, United Kingdom
 
319
Hilton Milan
 
Milan, Italy
 
319
Hilton Ankara
 
Ankara, Turkey
 
315
Hilton Adana
 
Adana, Turkey
 
308
Hilton Waldorf
 
London, United Kingdom
 
298
Hilton Cologne
 
Cologne, Germany
 
296
Hilton Slussen
 
Stockholm, Sweden
 
289
Hilton Nairobi(1)
 
Nairobi, Kenya
 
287
Hilton Madrid Airport
 
Madrid, Spain
 
284
Hilton Parmelia 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 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 Vienna Plaza
 
Vienna, Austria
 
222
Hilton Basel
 
Basel, Switzerland
 
220
Hilton Bracknell
 
Bracknell, United Kingdom
 
215
Hilton Antwerp
 
Antwerp, Belgium
 
210
Hilton Reading
 
Reading, United Kingdom
 
210
Hilton Leeds City
 
Leeds, United Kingdom
 
208
Hilton Watford
 
Watford, United Kingdom
 
200
Hilton Mersin
 
Mersin, Turkey
 
186
Hilton Warwick/Stratford-upon-Avon
 
Warwick, United Kingdom
 
181
Hilton Leicester
 
Leicester, United Kingdom
 
179

37


Property
 
Location
 
Rooms
Hilton Innsbruck
 
Innsbruck, Austria
 
176
Hilton Nottingham
 
Nottingham, United Kingdom
 
176
Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa
 
Odawara City, Japan
 
172
Hilton St. Anne’s Manor, Bracknell
 
Wokingham, United Kingdom
 
170
Hilton 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
 
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 Hotel Seattle Airport
 
Seattle, WA, USA
 
850
DoubleTree Hotel San Diego – Mission Valley
 
San Diego, CA, USA
 
300
DoubleTree Hotel Sonoma Wine Country
 
Rohnert Park, CA, USA
 
245
DoubleTree Hotel Durango
 
Durango, CO, USA
 
159
Other
 
 
 
 
Scandic Hotel Sergel Plaza
 
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.

Corporate Headquarters and Regional Offices

Our corporate headquarters are located at 7930 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia 22102. These offices consist of approximately 177,653 square feet of leased space. The lease for this property initially expires on December 31, 2019, with options to renew and increase the rentable square feet. We also have corporate offices in Watford, England (Europe), Dubai (Middle East & 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 Honolulu, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Nevada, New York City, New York, Orlando, Florida, Tumon Bay, Guam and Tokyo, Japan.

Other non-operating real estate holdings include a centralized operations center and a centralized data center, both located in Memphis, Tennessee; and a Hilton Reservations and Customer Care office in Carrollton, Texas.

We believe that our existing office properties are in good condition and are sufficient and suitable for the conduct of our business. In the event we need to expand our operations, we believe that suitable space will be available on commercially reasonable terms.

Item 3.     Legal Proceedings

We are involved in various claims and lawsuits arising in the normal 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

38


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.

In re On-Line Travel Company (OTC)/Hotel Booking Antitrust Litigation

We are a defendant in a federal multi-district litigation, currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, which consolidates 30 previously separate actions originally filed in federal courts between August 2012 and February 2013. The consolidated amended complaint alleges that approximately a dozen hotel and online travel company defendants engaged in an anti-competitive scheme to fix the prices of hotel rooms in violation of federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws. In February 2014, the court dismissed all of the plaintiffs' claims under Rule 12(b)(6) on the basis that there were no facts to support the allegations. The plaintiffs have 30 days to file for permission to amend their complaint. We dispute the allegations and will continue to vigorously defend our interests as necessary. We currently do not believe the ultimate outcome of this litigation will have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Item 4.     Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.




39


PART II

Item 5.
Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information
    
Our common stock began trading publicly on the NYSE under the symbol "HLT" on December 12, 2013. Prior to that time, there was no public market for our common stock. As of February 12, 2014, there were approximately 56 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, 2013
 
 
 
Fourth Quarter (beginning December 12, 2013)
$
25.95

 
$
21.15


Dividends
    
We have no current plans to pay dividends on our common stock. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of 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.

We did not declare or pay any dividends on our common stock during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
    
During the quarter and year ended December 31, 2013, we did not purchase any of our equity securities that are registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

 
As of December 31, 2013
 
Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights(2)
 
Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights(2)
 
Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans
Equity compensation plan approved by stockholders(1)
19,500

 
N/A
 
79,980,500

____________
(1)
Relates only to the Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan detailed below.
(2) 
Includes 19,500 shares that may be issued upon the vesting of restricted stock units, which cannot be exercised for consideration.

On December 11, 2013, the Board of Directors and our then sole stockholder adopted the 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan under which 80,000,000 shares of common stock were reserved. The 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan provides for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other stock-based and performance compensation awards to eligible employees, officers, directors, consultants and advisors of Hilton. If an award under the 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan terminates, lapses or is settled without the payment of the full number of shares subject to the award, the undelivered shares may be granted again under the 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan. As of December 31, 2013, there were no equity compensation plans not approved by Hilton stockholders.


40


Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

During the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, we did not sell any equity securities that were not registered under the Securities Act.

Use of Proceeds from Registered Securities

On December 17, 2013, we completed an initial public offering (the "IPO") in which we sold 64,102,564 shares of common stock and a selling stockholder of the Company sold 71,184,153 shares of common stock (including 17,646,093 shares of common stock that were subject to the underwriter's option to purchase additional shares) at an initial public offering price of $20.00 per share. The shares offered and sold in the IPO were registered under the Securities Act pursuant to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-191110), which was declared effective by the SEC on December 11, 2013. The offering did not terminate until after the sale of all 135,286,717 shares of common stock registered on the registration statement. The aggregate offering price for the shares registered and sold by us was approximately $1,282 million and the aggregate offering price for the shares sold by the selling stockholder of the Company was approximately $1,424 million. The underwriters of the offering were led by Deutsche Bank Securities Inc, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.

The IPO generated net proceeds of approximately $1,243 million to us after net underwriting discounts and commissions of $27 million and other offering expenses of $12 million. No offering expenses were paid directly or indirectly to any of our directors or officers (or their associates), persons owning 10 percent or more of our common stock or any other affiliates. We used our proceeds from the offering, along with available cash, to repay approximately $1,250 million of term loan borrowings outstanding under our senior secured credit facility.

Performance Graph

The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return since December 12, 2013, the date our common stock began trading on the NYSE, with the S&P 500 Index ("S&P 500") and the S&P Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines Index ("S&P Hotel"). The graph assumes that the value of the investment in our common stock and each index was $100 on December 12, 2013 and that all dividends and other distributions were reinvested.


 
12/12/2013
 
12/31/2013
Hilton Worldwide
$100.0
 
$103.5
S&P 500
$100.0
 
$104.1
S&P Hotel
$100.0
 
$109.2


41


Item 6.     Selected Financial Data

We derived the selected statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 and the selected balance sheet data as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 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 year ended December 31, 2010 and the selected balance sheet data as of December 31, 2011 from our audited consolidated financial statements that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We derived the selected balance sheet data as of December 31, 2010 from our unaudited consolidated financial statements that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We derived the selected statement of operations and balance sheet data as of and for the year ended December 31, 2009 from Hilton Worldwide, Inc.’s audited consolidated financial statements, which are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. For periods prior to the IPO, the number of shares used to compute earnings (losses) per share gives retroactive effect to the 9,205,128-for-1 stock split that we completed prior to closing the IPO. 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,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
(in millions, except per share data)
Statement of Operations Data:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Owned and leased hotels
$
4,046

 
$
3,979

 
$
3,898

 
$
3,667

 
$
3,540

Management and franchise fees and other
1,175

 
1,088

 
1,014

 
901

 
807

Timeshare
1,109

 
1,085

 
944

 
863

 
832

 
6,330

 
6,152

 
5,856

 
5,431

 
5,179

Other revenues from managed and franchised properties
3,405

 
3,124

 
2,927

 
2,637

 
2,397

Total revenues
9,735

 
9,276

 
8,783

 
8,068

 
7,576

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Owned and leased hotels
3,147

 
3,230

 
3,213

 
3,009

 
2,904

Timeshare
730

 
758

 
668

 
634

 
644

Depreciation and amortization
603

 
550

 
564

 
574

 
587

Impairment losses

 
54

 
20

 
24

 
475

General, administrative and other
748

 
460

 
416

 
637

 
423

 
5,228

 
5,052

 
4,881

 
4,878

 
5,033

Other expenses from managed and franchised properties
3,405

 
3,124

 
2,927

 
2,637

 
2,394

Total expenses
8,633

 
8,176

 
7,808

 
7,515

 
7,427

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating income
1,102

 
1,100

 
975

 
553

 
149

Net income (loss) attributable to Hilton stockholders
415

 
352

 
253

 
128

 
(532
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic and diluted earnings (losses) per share
$
0.45

 
$
0.38

 
$
0.27

 
$
0.14

 
$
(0.58
)
Weighted average shares outstanding (basic and diluted)
923

 
921

 
921

 
921

 
921



42


 
December 31,
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
(in millions)
Selected Balance Sheet Data:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
594

 
$
755

 
$
781

 
$
796

 
$
738

Restricted cash and cash equivalents
266

 
550

 
658

 
619

 
394

Total assets
26,562

 
27,066

 
27,312

 
27,750

 
29,140

Long-term debt(1)
11,755

 
15,575

 
16,311

 
16,995

 
21,125

Non-recourse timeshare debt(1)(2)
672

 

 

 

 

Non-recourse debt and capital lease obligations of consolidated variable interest entities(1)
296

 
420

 
481

 
541

 
574

Total equity (deficit)
4,276

 
2,155

 
1,702

 
1,544

 
(1,470
)
____________
(1) 
Includes current maturities.
(2) 
Includes our current and long-term maturities of our non-recourse timeshare financing receivables credit facility ("Timeshare Facility") and our 2.28 percent notes backed by timeshare financing receivables ("Securitized Timeshare Debt").


43



Item 7.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Overview

Our Business

Hilton Worldwide is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality companies in the world,