Hilton vs Unilever: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Hilton reported $12B of revenue in FY2025 and $1.5B of net income. Unilever reported ~$57.1B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$10.7B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Hilton
Hilton's results reflect its shift from owning hotels to collecting fees. Revenue rose from $4.31 billion in pandemic-hit 2020 to $12.04 billion in 2025, while net income reached $1.46 billion in 2025 against $1.54 billion in 2024 (which included a tax benefit). Adjusted EBITDA grew about 9% to $3.73 billion in 2025, and Hilton returned $3.3 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends that year. In Q2 2026 revenue was about $3.34 billion, net income was $482 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $1.05 billion. Hilton raised its full-year 2026 guidance to 3.0% to 3.5% RevPAR growth and $4.04 billion to $4.08 billion of adjusted EBITDA, with about $3.5 billion of planned capital return.
Unilever
Unilever's 2025 turnover from continuing operations was ~$57.1 billion (EUR 50.5 billion), down 3.8% in reported terms because of adverse currency moves and disposals, even as underlying sales grew 3.5% with 1.5% from volume. Free cash flow was ~$6.67 billion (EUR 5.9 billion), about $757 million (EUR 670 million) of productivity savings had been delivered by the end of 2025, and the company announced a new ~$1.69 billion (EUR 1.5 billion) share buyback. Momentum improved in 2026: first-half turnover was ~$28.9 billion (EUR 25.6 billion) (up 0.5%), underlying sales grew 4.8% with 4.2% volume, Q2 underlying growth reached 5.8%, and the underlying operating margin was 20.3%. Unilever raised its full-year outlook after the H1 2026 results.
Revenue and profit by year
Hilton
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $12B | $1.5B | 12.1% | +7.7% | Source |
| FY2024 | $11.2B | $1.5B | 13.7% | +9.2% | Source |
| FY2023 | $10.2B | $1.1B | 11.1% | +16.7% | Source |
| FY2022 | $8.8B | $1.3B | 14.3% | +51.6% | Source |
| FY2021 | $5.8B | $410M | 7.1% | +34.4% | Source |
| FY2020 | $4.3B | -$715M | -16.6% | -54.4% | Source |
| FY2019 | $9.5B | $881M | 9.3% | +6.1% | Source |
| FY2018 | $8.9B | $764M | 8.6% | +9.5% | Source |
| FY2017 | $8.1B | $1.1B | 13.3% | +23.6% | Source |
| FY2016 | $6.6B | $338M | 5.1% | — | Source |
Unilever
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$57.1B | ~$10.7B | 18.7% | -3.8% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$59.3B | ~$6.5B | 10.9% | +1.5% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$58.4B | ~$7.3B | 12.6% | -14.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$67.9B | ~$8.6B | 12.7% | +14.5% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$59.3B | ~$6.8B | 11.5% | +3.4% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$57.3B | ~$6.3B | 11.0% | -2.4% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$58.7B | ~$6.4B | 10.8% | +2.0% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$57.6B | ~$10.6B | 18.4% | -5.1% | Source |
| FY2017 | ~$60.7B | ~$6.8B | 11.2% | +1.9% | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$59.6B | ~$5.9B | 9.8% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Hilton
- Franchise and Licensing Fees
Largest fee stream
Royalties from owners of franchised Hilton hotels, typically a percentage of room revenue, plus licensing fees such as those from co-branded Hilton Honors credit cards and Hilton Grand Vacations.
- Base and Incentive Management Fees
Second fee stream
Fees for operating hotels on behalf of owners: a base fee tied to hotel revenue and an incentive fee tied to hotel profitability.
- Cost Reimbursement Revenues
Majority of reported revenue
Reimbursements from managed and franchised hotels for payroll and system costs Hilton pays on their behalf; largely offset by matching expenses.
- Owned and Leased Hotels
Small share
Room, food and beverage revenue from the limited number of hotels Hilton still owns or leases.
- Other Revenues
Small share
Purchasing, timeshare and other ancillary revenue tied to Hilton's platform.
Unilever
- Power Brands
78% of 2025 turnover
Dove, Vaseline, Rexona, Sunsilk, OMO, Knorr and the other Power Brands made up 78% of turnover in 2025.
- Beauty & Wellbeing
Not formally reported
One of four business groups reported after the 2025 Ice Cream demerger; it includes prestige beauty and wellbeing supplements.
- Personal Care
Not formally reported
One of the four business groups reported after the 2025 Ice Cream demerger.
- Home Care
Not formally reported
One of the four business groups reported after the 2025 Ice Cream demerger.
- Foods
Not formally reported
Largely to be combined with McCormick in a pending transaction; it includes Unilever Food Solutions for foodservice.
Business model and strategy
Hilton
How it makes money
Hilton runs an asset-light, fee-based model. Third-party owners pay to build and own hotels; Hilton supplies the brand, design standards, central reservations, revenue management tools, procurement, and access to Hilton Honors, which had 243 million members at the end of 2025. In return Hilton collects franchise fees, typically a percentage of room revenue, plus management fees on hotels it operates.
Growth strategy
Hilton grows by adding rooms rather than buying buildings. Its main levers are new brands aimed at gaps in the market (Spark by Hilton in premium economy, LivSmart Studios in extended stay, Tempo and Motto in lifestyle, Outset Collection for independent hotels, Apartment Collection and Undergraduate by Hilton in 2026), conversions of independent hotels into Hilton brands, and expansion into new countries.
Competitive advantage
Hilton's advantage is scale on both sides of its network. Guests join Hilton Honors because it covers more than 9,000 hotels, and owners sign Hilton franchise agreements because Honors members and Hilton's booking channels deliver demand. That loop is hard to copy: a new brand would need thousands of owners to risk capital before it had the loyalty base to justify it.
Unilever
How it makes money
Unilever makes money by manufacturing and selling branded, repeat-purchase consumer products through supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, small independent shops and e-commerce. After the 2025 Ice Cream demerger it reports four business groups: Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Foods. Its Power Brands, such as Dove, Vaseline, Rexona, Sunsilk, OMO and Knorr, made up 78% of turnover in 2025.
Growth strategy
Under Fernando Fernandez, Unilever is concentrating investment behind about 30 Power Brands, increasing marketing spend through social and influencer channels, rotating the portfolio toward premium beauty and wellbeing (2025 deals included Dr. Squatch, Wild and Minimalist), and separating lower-growth food and ice cream assets.
Competitive advantage
Unilever's advantage is a mix of trusted brands, emerging-market distribution, local manufacturing, repeat-purchase categories, Power Brand marketing scale, and deep category knowledge in personal care, home care, beauty, and foods.
Questions about Hilton vs Unilever
Which company has higher revenue — Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. or Unilever PLC?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. reported $12.0B (FY2025), while Unilever PLC reported ~$57.1B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Unilever PLC is the larger business, with Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. vs Unilever PLC?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $70.7B, while Unilever PLC's is $132.5B. Unilever PLC carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. or Unilever PLC?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. generates $66k / employee in revenue per employee, while Unilever PLC generates $594k / employee. Unilever PLC shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and Unilever PLC make money?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and Unilever PLC generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.: Hilton runs an asset-light, fee-based model. Unilever PLC: Unilever makes money by manufacturing and selling branded, repeat-purchase consumer products through supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, small independent shops and e-commerce.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. or Unilever PLC?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. trades at 5.9x P/S and Unilever PLC at 2.3x P/S. Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Unilever PLC. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. bigger than Unilever PLC?
By last reported revenue, Unilever PLC (~$57.1B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. ($12.0B (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Hilton vs Unilever overview