Core Insights - Booking Holdings reported Q4 2025 results with revenue of $6.35 billion, a 16% year-over-year increase, but shares fell 8.8% post-earnings due to concerns over future travel demand [1] Financial Performance - Adjusted EPS was $48.80, surpassing the consensus estimate of $48.50 [1] - Free cash flow increased by 120% to $1.42 billion [1] - Room nights grew by 9%, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of acceleration [1] - Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 34.6% from 33.8% year-over-year, aided by $550 million in annual savings from a transformation program [1] Future Guidance - For Q1 2026, management guided for room night growth of 5% to 7% and constant-currency revenue growth of 7% to 9%, a deceleration from the 11% growth in Q4 [1] - The company anticipates high single-digit constant-currency revenue growth and mid-teens adjusted EPS growth for the full year [1] Market Reaction - Despite strong quarterly results, the stock is down 27% year-to-date, reflecting a selloff that began prior to earnings [1] - The forward P/E ratio of 15x indicates expectations for significant earnings growth, but investor concerns about normalizing travel demand are evident [1] Management Commentary - CEO Glenn Fogel highlighted operational strength and long-term positioning, emphasizing double-digit revenue growth and the use of Generative AI to enhance value [1] - The company announced a 25-to-1 stock split effective April 2, 2026, and increased its quarterly dividend to $10.50 per share, a 9.4% rise [1] - $2.1 billion was repurchased in stock during Q4, with $21.8 billion remaining under buyback authorization [1] Analyst Sentiment - 28 analysts rated the stock as a buy or strong buy, while 11 rated it as hold, indicating a generally positive outlook despite current market skepticism [1]
Booking Tops Forecasts but Tumbles 9% as Travel Demand Shows Signs of Cooling