Booking Holdings Q4 Earnings Preview
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 17 hours ago
0mins
Should l Buy BKNG?
Source: Benzinga
- Earnings Release Announcement: Booking Holdings is set to release its Q4 earnings on February 18, with analysts projecting earnings per share of $48.67, a 25.5% increase from $41.55 a year ago, indicating sustained improvement in profitability.
- Revenue Growth Expectations: The quarterly revenue is expected to reach $6.13 billion, up 12.1% from $5.47 billion in the previous year, reflecting a recovery in travel demand and an increase in the company's market share.
- Executive Appointment: On February 3, Booking Holdings appointed Peer Bueller as CEO of KAYAK, a move that could drive strategic transformation and enhance KAYAK's competitiveness in the online travel market.
- Stock Price Fluctuation: As of Tuesday, Booking Holdings shares slipped 0.01% to close at $4,140.15, indicating cautious investor sentiment ahead of the earnings report despite overall positive market conditions.
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Analyst Views on BKNG
Wall Street analysts forecast BKNG stock price to rise
25 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 4140.150
Low
5407
Averages
6153
High
6850
Current: 4140.150
Low
5407
Averages
6153
High
6850
About BKNG
Booking Holdings Inc. is a provider of travel and restaurant online reservation and related services. The Company offers its services through five primary consumer-facing brands: Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable. Through its brands, consumers can book an array of accommodations (including hotels, motels, resorts, homes, apartments, bed and breakfasts, hostels, and other alternative and traditional accommodation properties) and a flight to their destinations; make a car rental reservation or arrange for an airport taxi; make a dinner reservation; or book a vacation package, tour, activity, or cruise. Consumers can also use its meta-search services to easily compare travel reservation information, such as flight, hotel, and rental car reservations from hundreds of online travel platforms at once. Booking.com offers accommodation reservation services for approximately 4.0 million properties in over 220 countries and territories and in over 40 languages.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Earnings Release Announcement: Booking Holdings is set to release its Q4 earnings on February 18, with analysts projecting earnings per share of $48.67, a 25.5% increase from $41.55 a year ago, indicating sustained improvement in profitability.
- Revenue Growth Expectations: The quarterly revenue is expected to reach $6.13 billion, up 12.1% from $5.47 billion in the previous year, reflecting a recovery in travel demand and an increase in the company's market share.
- Executive Appointment: On February 3, Booking Holdings appointed Peer Bueller as CEO of KAYAK, a move that could drive strategic transformation and enhance KAYAK's competitiveness in the online travel market.
- Stock Price Fluctuation: As of Tuesday, Booking Holdings shares slipped 0.01% to close at $4,140.15, indicating cautious investor sentiment ahead of the earnings report despite overall positive market conditions.
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- Stock Split Announcement: Booking Holdings' board approved a 25-for-1 stock split effective April 2, with shares trading on a post-split basis starting April 6, which is expected to attract more retail investors and enhance liquidity.
- Earnings Beat Expectations: The company's fourth-quarter revenue rose 16% to $6.3 billion, exceeding Wall Street's estimate of $6.13 billion, indicating strong market demand and growth potential, which is likely to bolster investor confidence further.
- AI Technology Investment: CEO Glenn Fogel stated that Booking Holdings plans to reinvest approximately $700 million in 2026 into generative AI and advertising, aiming to enhance user experience and personalization, thereby driving future revenue growth.
- Surge in Retail Sentiment: According to Stocktwits data, retail sentiment for Booking Holdings jumped from 'bullish' to 'extremely bullish', with message volumes increasing by 530%, reflecting strong investor optimism about the company's future performance.
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- Target Price Adjustment: Piper Sandler has reduced the target price for Booking Holdings from $5,750 to $5,000.
- Market Impact: This adjustment reflects changes in market conditions and expectations for the company's performance.
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- Strong Performance Growth: In Q4 2025, Booking Holdings reported room nights reaching 285 million, a 9% year-over-year increase that exceeded expectations, driving a 16% growth in both gross bookings and revenue, demonstrating resilience in global travel demand and the strength of the company's platform.
- Significant EBITDA Improvement: The adjusted EBITDA for Q4 reached $2.2 billion, up 19% year-over-year, reflecting the company's success in cost control and operational efficiency, further solidifying its competitive position in the global travel market.
- Enhanced Shareholder Returns: The Board approved a 9.4% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to $10.50 per share and announced a 25-for-1 stock split, indicating confidence in future profitability while enhancing the potential for shareholder value creation.
- Future Growth Strategy: The company plans to reinvest approximately $700 million in 2026 into areas such as AI and growth in Asia and the U.S., with room night growth expected between 5% and 7%, showcasing strong confidence in sustained growth.
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- DoorDash Order Growth: DoorDash reported a 32% year-over-year increase in total orders and a 38% rise in revenue for Q4, leading to a 10% stock price jump despite missing overall earnings expectations, indicating market confidence in its growth potential.
- Figma's Strong Performance: Figma's adjusted earnings of 8 cents per share and revenue of $303.8 million in Q4 surpassed analyst expectations, with a 40% year-over-year growth, resulting in a 16% stock price increase, showcasing its robust competitiveness in the design software market.
- Etsy Transaction Dynamics: Etsy's agreement to sell Depop for $1.2 billion in cash led to a nearly 16% stock price increase, while eBay's stock rose over 6%, reflecting positive market sentiment towards the transaction and its potential to strengthen Etsy's market position.
- Carvana Earnings Decline: Carvana's adjusted EBITDA of $511 million fell short of the $539.2 million expected by analysts, causing a 15% drop in stock price, highlighting concerns over its profitability and market performance.
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- Earnings Report: Booking Holdings reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of $44.22, missing expectations by $2.15, indicating challenges in profitability that may affect investor confidence.
- Revenue Growth: Despite the EPS miss, the company achieved revenues of $6.35 billion, a 15.5% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations by $220 million, highlighting steady business growth, particularly in the luxury hotel segment.
- Stock Price Reaction: Following the earnings release, Booking Holdings' shares fell 1.64% in after-hours trading, reflecting market concerns over the earnings miss, which could lead to short-term volatility in investor sentiment.
- Market Outlook: Although the current earnings report reveals challenges, analysts believe the trend of record-high prices in ultra-luxury hotels may support future revenue growth for the company, especially as affluent consumers continue to spend.
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