Analyst Ratings February 12, 2026

Stifel Lifts Hyatt Hotels Price Target to $170 After Q4 EPS Surprise; Rating Unchanged

Analyst raises valuation modestly following a strong EPS print that was driven largely by a tax add-back, while EBITDA and revenue slightly missed consensus

By Priya Menon H
Stifel Lifts Hyatt Hotels Price Target to $170 After Q4 EPS Surprise; Rating Unchanged
H

Stifel has increased its 12-month price target on Hyatt Hotels to $170 from $164 and kept a Hold rating after the company reported fourth-quarter 2025 results. Hyatt posted adjusted EPS of $1.33, well above both Stifel's forecast and Street expectations largely because of a tax add-back. However, adjusted EBITDA and revenue came in slightly below consensus.

Key Points

  • Stifel raised its price target on Hyatt Hotels to $170 from $164 and kept a Hold rating.
  • Hyatt reported adjusted EPS of $1.33 for Q4 2025, beating both Stifel's estimate by $0.88 and the Street by $0.96, with the difference largely attributed to a tax add-back.
  • Adjusted EBITDA ($292 million) and revenue ($1.79 billion) were both slightly below Street expectations, reflecting mixed operational signals for the hospitality sector.

Overview

Stifel raised its price target on Hyatt Hotels (NYSE: H) to $170.00 from $164.00 while retaining a Hold recommendation following the company's fourth-quarter 2025 financial disclosure.


Earnings details

According to Stifel analyst Simon Yarmak, Hyatt reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.33 for the quarter. That result outperformed Stifel's internal estimate by $0.88 and exceeded the Street consensus by $0.96. The analyst attributes a sizable portion of the variance to a tax add-back that lifted adjusted EPS.

Despite the EPS advantage, Hyatt's adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $292 million, which missed the Street consensus of roughly $296 million. Revenue for the quarter totaled $1.79 billion versus an expected $1.81 billion, representing a modest shortfall to top-line forecasts.


Market reaction

Pre-market trading showed a positive reaction to the results, though specific intraday price movements are not provided here.


Analysis

The quarter presents a mixed picture: a material EPS beat driven in part by a tax add-back, counterbalanced by slight underperformance on adjusted EBITDA and on revenue versus consensus. In response, Stifel adjusted its valuation upward by $6 per share while maintaining a neutral Hold stance on the stock.


Summary of reported figures

  • Adjusted EPS: $1.33 (beat Stifel estimate by $0.88; beat Street by $0.96)
  • Adjusted EBITDA: $292 million (Street consensus approximately $296 million)
  • Revenue: $1.79 billion (consensus $1.81 billion)
  • Earnings surprise versus the forecasted $0.37: 259.46%

Context and implications

The results prompted a modest recalibration of Stifel's valuation while the firm's recommendation remained unchanged. The quarter's performance highlights contrasts between bottom-line metrics aided by tax adjustments and operational measures such as EBITDA and revenue that slightly trailed expectations.

Risks

  • EPS variance driven by a tax add-back - this raises questions about earnings quality and could affect investor assessment of core profitability (impacts financials and investor sentiment).
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell short of consensus - a shortfall in an operational profitability metric may signal near-term pressure on margin conversion in hospitality operations (impacts hotel operators and service margins).
  • Revenue marginally missed expectations - top-line softness could reflect demand or pricing dynamics that matter for the travel and lodging segments (impacts hospitality and travel sectors).

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