Beijing – 24 October 2016
Hilton Worldwide, HNA Group and Blackstone announced that HNA will acquire an approximate 25 percent equity interest in Hilton from affiliates of Blackstone, establishing a long-term strategic investment in Hilton and Hilton’s planned spin-offs of Park Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Grand Vacations.
The transaction is valued at approximately $6.5 billion, or $26.25 per share in cash, reducing Blackstone’s interest in Hilton to approximately 21 percent. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017. Following Hilton’s previously announced spin-offs of Park and HGV, which are expected to occur on or about the end of the year, HNA will own approximately 25 percent of all three companies.
As part of the transaction, HNA has entered into a stockholders agreement with Hilton, and into similar agreements with Park Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Grand Vacations, effective upon closing. The agreement allows HNA to appoint two directors (one HNA member and one independent member) to Hilton’s Board of Directors, bringing the total to ten members. Pursuant to the agreement, HNA has agreed to certain restrictions on its ability to sell any of its interest in Hilton for a two-year period, and to limitations on HNA’s ability to acquire more than 25 percent of Hilton’s outstanding shares, without Hilton’s consent. Furthermore, under the agreement, HNA will vote its shares in excess of 15 percent proportionally with other stockholders, subject to certain exceptions. Blackstone will continue to have two seats on Hilton’s Board, including Jon Gray who will remain chairman.