Booking Holdings Q1 Earnings Exceed Expectations Amid Global Uncertainty

Booking Holdings reported Q1 results that beat analysts' expectations, with room nights booked at 319 million and gross travel bookings at $46.7 billion. Adjusted EPS was $24.81, exceeding the projection of $17.45. Despite CEO Glenn Fogel citing "uncertainty" in the travel market, shares fell 4.5% in extended trading. The company generates 90% of its revenue internationally, but is more exposed to currency impacts due to a strong US dollar.

Booking Holdings, the parent company of travel brands including Kayak and Priceline, has reported robust first-quarter (Q1) 2025 results, surpassing analyst expectations. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $24.81, which exceeded the projected $17.45 [1]. Revenue increased by 8% year-over-year (YoY) to $4.76 billion, outpacing the consensus of $4.59 billion [1].

Key highlights of the Q1 results include a 7% growth in room nights and gross bookings. Gross bookings reached $46.7 billion, a 10% increase on a constant currency basis [2]. CEO Glenn Fogel attributed the strong performance to the company's globally diversified business and expressed satisfaction with the start to 2025 [1].

Despite the positive results, Booking Holdings shares fell 4.5% in extended trading after the announcement. The drop was likely influenced by the CEO's caution about market uncertainty, particularly geopolitical and macroeconomic factors [2]. The company generates approximately 90% of its revenue internationally, which may offer some insulation from domestic macroeconomic uncertainties but exposes it to currency impacts due to a strong US dollar [2].

Booking Holdings is the first among its peers to report Q1 results, with Airbnb set to report on Thursday and Expedia’s results due next week. The company's leadership team is scheduled to hold a conference call at 4:30 p.m. New York time to provide a financial forecast [2].

References:
[1] https://www.investing.com/news/earnings/booking-holdings-tops-q1-estimates-4011086
[2] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-29/booking-first-quarter-results-beat-as-ceo-warns-of-uncertainty