Thomas Mangas, CEO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. commented: "As we begin 2016 and work towards our merger close with Marriott to become the world's largest hotel company, we will continue to vigourously compete in the marketplace, deliver value to our owners, delight our guests and grow our brands into new markets around the world." While Four Points by Sheraton continues to maintain the company's largest pipeline, Aloft experienced considerable growth last year with a 65% increase in signings over the prior year. In the luxury and lifestyle segment, Starwood signed 29 deals across its St. Regis, The Luxury Collection and W Hotels brands, an increase of almost 40% over 2014. The company's newest brand, Tribute Portfolio, which launched in Q2 2015, finished the year with 16 hotels either operating or with signed agreements.