NYSE Shariah screener · October 2026
Is Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT) Halal?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. · NYSE: HLT · Consumer Discretionary
The short answer
Hilton fails this Shariah screener on the business test: the share of revenue tied to alcohol served at its hotels cannot be verified from company disclosures, and third-party screener Zoya independently flags HLT as not Shariah-compliant. Its financial ratios pass (debt 18.46% of market cap; no separately disclosed interest income).
Gate 1 — Business activity: FAIL
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HLT), founded in 1919 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is one of the world's largest hospitality companies (President and CEO: Christopher J. Nassetta). It operates a portfolio of managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and does not sell alcohol, tobacco, gambling, weapons, adult entertainment, or pork as product lines - but alcohol is served at on-site restaurants and bars across its hotel portfolio. Per its FY2025 Form 10-K, Hilton earned total revenue of $12,039M - franchise and licensing fees $2,780M, base and other management fees $376M, incentive management fees $313M, ownership (owned hotels) $1,233M, other revenues $252M, plus cost reimbursement revenues $7,085M. The 10-K does not disclose food & beverage revenue separately, let alone alcohol revenue, so the alcohol-revenue share cannot be verified from company filings. Third-party Shariah screener Zoya covers HLT and flags it as not Shariah-compliant, noting certain aspects of the business require careful consideration. With the alcohol question unresolvable from verifiable disclosures and the only third-party Shariah screen found flagging it not compliant, gate 1 fails. Facts only.
Gate 2 — Debt and cash: PASS
Per Hilton's Q2 2026 earnings release (July 28, 2026), total interest-bearing debt was $13,343M - long-term debt including current maturities at June 30, 2026 (the company reports $13.4 billion of debt outstanding). Against a market cap of about $72.27B ($315.44 per share, October 1, 2026, per Finnhub), debt / market cap is about 18.46% - below the ~33% ceiling. Cash and cash equivalents were $1,009M plus restricted cash $55M (~1.47% of market cap). Gate 2 passes. Facts only.
Gate 3 — Non-compliant income: PASS
Hilton's FY2025 Form 10-K (year ended December 31, 2025; Commission File No. 001-36243) does not disclose interest income as a separate line on its statements of operations; 'Other nonoperating income, net' was $10M, and interest expense was $620M. Third-party screener Zoya independently reports interest income of $0 (no separate interest income disclosed) against FY2025 total revenue of $12,039M - about 0.00% of revenue, below the 5% non-compliant income ceiling. Gate 3 passes. Facts only.
Key figures used
- Business: global hospitality company - founded 1919, HQ McLean, Virginia; portfolio of managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels (President and CEO Christopher J. Nassetta).
- Market cap: about $72.27B ($315.44 per share, October 1, 2026, per Finnhub); Exchange: NYSE (10-K cover: Common Stock $0.01 par value, HLT, New York Stock Exchange).
- Debt: $13,343M long-term debt incl. current maturities (June 30, 2026) - 18.46% of market cap, below the ~33% ceiling (gate 2 PASS).
- Interest income: not separately disclosed in FY2025 10-K; $0 per Zoya - 0.00% of $12,039M revenue, below the 5% ceiling (gate 3 PASS).
- FY2025 revenue mix: franchise and licensing fees $2,780M; management fees $689M; ownership $1,233M; total revenue $12,039M.
- Alcohol: on-site bars and restaurants serve alcohol across the hotel portfolio; the 10-K does not disclose the alcohol-revenue share - unverifiable (gate 1 FAIL; Zoya flags HLT not Shariah-compliant).
Frequently asked questions
What does Hilton do?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HLT), founded in 1919 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is one of the world's largest hospitality companies. It operates a portfolio of managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels. In FY2025 it reported $12,039M of total revenue, led by franchise and licensing fees ($2,780M) and management fees ($689M); only $1,233M came from its owned hotels.
Why does Hilton fail this Shariah screener?
It fails the business gate (gate 1). Alcohol is served at on-site restaurants and bars across Hilton's hotel portfolio, and Hilton's 10-K does not disclose what share of revenue comes from food & beverage, let alone alcohol - so the alcohol-revenue share cannot be verified from company filings. Third-party Shariah screener Zoya independently flags HLT as not Shariah-compliant. This screener reports that conflict rather than resolving it.
How much of Hilton's revenue comes from alcohol?
That figure is not publicly disclosed. Hilton's FY2025 10-K breaks out franchise fees, management fees, and owned-hotel (ownership) revenue of $1,233M, but does not separate food & beverage revenue, and alcohol is not mentioned as a revenue line at all. Any alcohol share quoted elsewhere is an estimate, not a company disclosure - we do not publish estimates.
What are Hilton's debt and cash ratios?
At June 30, 2026, Hilton reported $13,343M of long-term debt including current maturities (the company says $13.4B of debt outstanding). Against a ~$72.27B market cap (October 1, 2026), debt is about 18.46% of market cap - below the ~33% ceiling, so the debt gate passes. Cash was $1,009M plus $55M restricted cash, about 1.47% of market cap.
Does Hilton earn interest income?
Hilton's FY2025 10-K does not disclose interest income as a separate line item; 'Other nonoperating income, net' was $10M while interest expense was $620M. Zoya independently reports interest income of $0 with no separate interest income disclosed, against FY2025 revenue of $12,039M - about 0.00%, below the 5% non-compliant income ceiling.
Sources
- Hilton FY2025 Form 10-K (filed Feb 11, 2026; Commission File No. 001-36243): cover (Common Stock $0.01 par value, HLT, New York Stock Exchange); consolidated statements of operations - FY2025 total revenue $12,039M (franchise and licensing fees $2,780M; management fees $689M; ownership $1,233M); interest expense $620M; no separate interest income line
- Hilton Q2 2026 earnings release (July 28, 2026): long-term debt incl. current maturities $13,343M at June 30, 2026 ($13.4B debt outstanding excl. unamortized deferred financing costs); cash $1,009M, restricted cash $55M; development pipeline 3,853 hotels / 541,300 rooms
- Zoya HLT stock page: flags Hilton as not Shariah-compliant; reports interest income of $0 (no separate interest income disclosed) vs FY2025 revenue $12,039,000,000
- Finnhub HLT market data (Oct 1, 2026): Exchange XNYS, market cap $72.27B, current price $315.44; no delisting - live NYSE quote
- Hilton FY2025 10-K text mirror (secdatabase): 10-K cover, Item 1 business, and full consolidated statements of operations for 2023-2025 (revenues, expenses, no interest-income line)
Screened 2026-10-01 from published company figures and market data. Figures change; this page is educational, not financial advice and not a religious ruling.
Screened with our two-gate Shariah screening methodology (business-activity gate, then AAOIFI-style financial ratios).