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Airbnb, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 12 February 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Gross Booking Value growth hit a high: Q4 revenue was $2.8 billion, up 12%. GBV grew 16%, the highest growth quarter in more than two years, and Nights and Seats Booked rose 10%. Source
  • Net income fell on planned investments: Q4 net income was $341 million against $461 million a year earlier. Management cited planned investments in new growth and policy initiatives. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 3% to $786 million: Q4 Adjusted EBITDA was $786 million, up 3% from $765 million, with margin of 28% against 31% a year earlier. Source
  • Non-income tax matters weighed on Q4: About $90 million of non-income tax matters were recorded in Q4, alongside planned investments in new growth and policy initiatives. Source
  • Take rate fell on FX and timing: Implied take rate was 13.6% in Q4, down from 14.1%, primarily due to FX and the timing of bookings and stays. Source
  • GBV up 16%, ADR up 6%: Q4 GBV was $20.4 billion, up 16% or 13% excluding FX. ADR was $168, up 6%, or 3% excluding FX. Source
  • Q4 buybacks of $1.1 billion: The company repurchased $1.1 billion of Class A stock in Q4 to help manage share dilution. $5.6 billion remained under the $6 billion program. Source

“Looking ahead to 2026, we're not just maintaining our momentum; we're accelerating.”

Airbnb, Inc., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceQ1 2026$2.59 billion to $2.63 billion, 14% to 16% year-over-year growth
Adjusted EBITDA Margin SourceQ1 2026approximately flat year-over-year

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Reserve Now, Pay Later introduced in the U.S., letting eligible guests reserve a stay with $0 upfront. Source
  • New: New cancellation policies announced in October, including a Limited policy and a 24-hour grace period for stays under 28 days. Source
  • New: Fee structure simplified from October: PMS hosts moved to a 15.5% single service fee, and most non-PMS hosts moved to the same fee as of December. Source
  • New: Hotel pilot started in Q4 with boutique and independent hotels in four cities, in supply-constrained markets. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Gross Booking Value growth hit a high: Q4 revenue was $2.8 billion, up 12%. GBV grew 16%, the highest growth quarter in more than two years, and Nights and Seats Booked rose 10%. Source
  • Net income fell on planned investments: Q4 net income was $341 million against $461 million a year earlier. Management cited planned investments in new growth and policy initiatives. Source
  • Nights growth accelerated from Q3: Nights and Seats Booked grew 10% in Q4, a sequential acceleration from Q3 2025 and the strongest growth rate of 2025 for that metric. Source

Segments and regions

  • North America grew mid-single digits: Nights and Seats Booked rose mid-single digits on domestic travel and longer lead times. ADR rose 5%, mainly from mix toward short-term stays and larger entire homes. Source
  • EMEA nights up high-single digits: Nights and Seats Booked rose high-single digits, an acceleration from Q3 2025 across core and expansion markets. ADR rose 12%, or 4% excluding FX. Source
  • Latin America grew high-teens: Nights and Seats Booked rose high-teens. Brazil origin nights grew over 20%, and Mexico origin nights grew high-teens year-over-year. Source
  • Asia Pacific grew mid-teens: Nights and Seats Booked rose mid-teens, with domestic strength in Japan. ADR rose 2%, driven by price appreciation. Source
  • Expansion markets outgrew core markets: Origin nights in expansion markets grew about twice the core-market rate in 2025. India origin nights rose 50% in Q4, with first-time bookers up over 60%. Source

“We have the right team and strategy in place, and we're executing with greater focus and speed.”

Airbnb, Inc., press release

Products and customers

  • App share of nights rose to 64%: Nights booked on the app grew 20% in Q4. App bookings were 64% of total nights, up from 60% a year earlier. Source
  • First-time bookers growth accelerated: First-time booker growth rose to 8% in Q4 from the prior rate, with gains across all age cohorts. Source
  • Experiences reached new travelers: Almost half of experiences bookings were not attached to an accommodation booking, according to management. Source
  • AI assistant resolved a third of issues: AI customer support, live for English, French and Spanish users in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, resolved about a third of issues without an agent. Source
  • Reserve Now adoption above 70%: The U.S. launch reached over 70% adoption by eligible bookings, measured on global GBV in Q4 2025. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 3% to $786 million: Q4 Adjusted EBITDA was $786 million, up 3% from $765 million, with margin of 28% against 31% a year earlier. Source
  • Non-income tax matters weighed on Q4: About $90 million of non-income tax matters were recorded in Q4, alongside planned investments in new growth and policy initiatives. Source
  • Take rate fell on FX and timing: Implied take rate was 13.6% in Q4, down from 14.1%, primarily due to FX and the timing of bookings and stays. Source
  • Guest travel insurance revenue up 40%: Revenue from guest travel insurance rose about 40% in 2025. The product is available in 12 of the largest countries. Source
  • Stock-based compensation rose 13%: Stock-based compensation rose 13% in 2025 on headcount growth. Management expects 2026 growth in SBC and headcount to be lower than 2025. Source

“This is what makes Airbnb unique, and we believe it will be a powerful driver of growth for years to come.”

Airbnb, Inc., press release

Demand and bookings

  • Booking lead times kept lengthening: Market type and travel corridor trends were relatively consistent year-over-year in Q4, while lead times continued to lengthen. Source
  • GBV up 16%, ADR up 6%: Q4 GBV was $20.4 billion, up 16% or 13% excluding FX. ADR was $168, up 6%, or 3% excluding FX. Source
  • Active listings grew with nights: Active listings grew in line with Nights and Seats Booked. Growth was largest in Latin America and Asia Pacific, the regions with the highest demand. Source
  • Over 550,000 listings removed for quality: Since 2023, the company has removed over 550,000 listings under its hosting quality system. Customer service issue rates and chargeback rates declined in 2025. Source
  • Guest Favorites drew nights: Since launch, the Guest Favorite program has seen over 500 million nights booked at listings bearing the label. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Q4 buybacks of $1.1 billion: The company repurchased $1.1 billion of Class A stock in Q4 to help manage share dilution. $5.6 billion remained under the $6 billion program. Source
  • Capital priorities in fixed order: Capital is directed first to organic growth, then to strategic acquisitions or partnerships, then to returns to shareholders, in that order. Source
  • Q4 free cash flow of $521 million: Q4 operating cash flow was $526 million and free cash flow was $521 million, which management said highlights the cash-generating model. Source
  • Cash balance and guest funds: Cash, short-term investments and restricted cash totaled $11.0 billion at year-end, alongside $7.0 billion of funds held on behalf of guests. Source
  • Fully diluted share count down 9%: Since buybacks began in Q3 2022, the fully diluted share count fell about 9%. Buybacks and tax payments on employee equity total $13.6 billion. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Four areas drive growth: Management names four focus areas: improving the core service, expanding to more countries, broadening offerings, and integrating AI into the app. Source
  • Most business in five countries: Management said most of the business is concentrated in five countries, and the company operates in over 220 countries and regions. Source
  • Services and experiences supply scaled: Hosts were onboarded for Services and Experiences, launched in May, and grocery delivery services are being piloted with partners. Source
  • AI search in early testing: AI-powered search is in early tests that let guests describe trips in natural language and ask questions about listings and locations. Source

Tax matters

  • 2025 effective tax rate was 20%: The full-year 2025 rate of 20% included a one-time $213 million valuation allowance on CAMT credits, partly offset by a $60 million release. Source
  • Tax rate depends on several variables: The long-term rate depends on profitability, stock-based compensation deductions, uncertain tax positions, and changes in tax laws. Source

Coming up, as management said on 12 February 2026

  • Reserve Now, Pay Later wider rollout: Testing in additional markets completed in February 2026. The company plans to offer the feature to more guests globally during 2026. Source
  • AI customer support global launch: Global rollout of AI customer support is expected later in 2026. Source
  • Hotel pilot expansion: Management plans to expand the hotel partnership pilot to other key markets later this year. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Nights and Seats Booked Source121.9M in Q4 2025; 533.0M in FY 2025
Gross Booking Value Source$20.4B in Q4 2025; $91.3B in FY 2025
Active listings Sourceover 9 million at end of 2025
ADR Source$168 in Q4 2025

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Non-income tax matters of about $90 million were recorded in Q4 and reduced net income for the quarter. Source
  • External: FX movements and the timing of bookings and stays reduced the implied take rate in Q4. Source
  • Regulatory: The long-term effective tax rate depends on variables including changes in tax laws and the impact of uncertain tax positions. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said Q4 revenue exceeded the high end of the company's guidance range, while GBV grew 16%. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.