Profit at hotels and gaming group Hilton doubled in the first four months of the year as the sector continued to recover from last year's slump.
The global hotels and leisure industry had a torrid time in 2003, suffering from the effects of the Iraq war and the SARS virus, but many hotel firms have since recovered amid a general revival in the global economy.
Hilton - which operates around 400 hotels outside the United States and nearly 1,900 Ladbroke UK betting shops - said prospects for its betting and gaming divisions remained strong, while its hotels unit had seen signs of recovery.
Group pre-tax profit, before goodwill amortisation and exceptional items, rose 106 per cent in the four months of the year, it said in a trading statement on Friday.
Hilton shares closed at 245-1/2 pence on Thursday. The stock has gained around 12 per cent in value since the start of 2004 and has outperformed the benchmark FTSE 100 index by about 9 per cent.