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Booking Holdings Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 9 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Bookings and revenue grew double digits: Gross bookings were $49.7 billion, up 14%, or 10% in constant currency. Revenue was $9.0 billion, up 13%, or 8% in constant currency. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 15%: Adjusted EBITDA was $4,231 million, up from $3,665 million in the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Operating expenses grew faster than revenue: Total operating expenses were $5,525 million, up 15%, against $4,815 million a year earlier. Source
  • Fourth quarter and full-year guidance issued: Guidance was given for the fourth quarter and full year 2025 across room nights, gross bookings, revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Free cash flow fell 40% in quarter: Free cash flow was $1,371 million, down 40%. Net cash from operating activities was $1,435 million, also down 40%. Source
  • Transformation savings range raised: Expected ultimate annual run-rate savings, against the 2024 expense base, were raised to $500 to $550 million from $400 to $450 million. Source
  • KAYAK impairment of $457 million: The company recorded a $457 million impairment against KAYAK goodwill and certain intangible assets in the quarter and nine months. Source

“We are pleased to report a strong third quarter, with 8% room night growth and double-digit gains in gross bookings and revenue”

Glenn Fogel, Chief Executive Officer of Booking Holdings

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Room nights SourceQ4 20254% - 6%New
Room nights SourceFY 2025About 7%New
Gross bookings growth SourceQ4 202511% - 13%New
Gross bookings growth SourceFY 2025About 11% - 12%
Constant currency gross bookings growth SourceQ4 20256% - 8%New
Constant currency gross bookings growth SourceFY 2025About 8% - 9%
Revenue growth SourceQ4 202510% - 12%New
Revenue growth SourceFY 2025About 12%
Constant currency revenue growth SourceQ4 20255% - 7%New
Constant currency revenue growth SourceFY 2025About 9%
Adjusted EBITDA SourceQ4 2025$2.0 billion - $2.1 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA growth SourceQ4 20258% - 14%New
Adjusted EBITDA growth SourceFY 2025About 17% - 18%
Foreign currency benefit to revenue growth SourceQ4 2025 and FY 2025about 5% in Q4 2025; about 3% for FY 2025New
Transformation Program annual run-rate savings SourceUltimate annual run-rate, against 2024 expense base$500 to $550 millionRaised from $400 to $450 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Expected ultimate annual run-rate savings from the Transformation Program raised to $500 to $550 million from $400 to $450 million. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth quarter 2025 guidance given for room nights, gross bookings, revenue and Adjusted EBITDA, alongside full-year 2025 guidance. Source
  • New: Impairment charge of $457 million recorded against KAYAK goodwill and certain intangible assets in the quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Bookings and revenue grew double digits: Gross bookings were $49.7 billion, up 14%, or 10% in constant currency. Revenue was $9.0 billion, up 13%, or 8% in constant currency. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 15%: Adjusted EBITDA was $4,231 million, up from $3,665 million in the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • GAAP and adjusted EPS both rose: GAAP diluted EPS was $84.41, up 14%. Adjusted EPS was $99.50, up 19%. Source

Merchant and agency bookings

  • Merchant revenues grew: Merchant revenues were $6,131 million, against $4,972 million a year earlier. Merchant gross bookings were $35.7 billion, up 26.0%. Source
  • Advertising and other revenue higher: Advertising and other revenues were $308 million, against $269 million in the third quarter of 2024. Source

“Through the Connected Trip, where more customers are choosing to book multiple travel elements with us, deeper engagement through our Genius loyalty program, and our innovations in GenAI”

Glenn Fogel, Chief Executive Officer of Booking Holdings

Products and customers

  • Alternative accommodation room nights up: Alternative accommodation room nights at Booking.com rose about 10% year over year. Source
  • Airline tickets grew fastest in units: Airline tickets reached 17 million, up 32.3%. Rental car days reached 23 million, up 2.1%. Source
  • Direct channel share in mid-fifties: Over the trailing four quarters, the direct channel carried a mid-fifties percentage of total room nights. Source

Costs and marketing

  • Operating expenses grew faster than revenue: Total operating expenses were $5,525 million, up 15%, against $4,815 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted fixed costs rose 10%: Adjusted fixed operating expenses were $1,396 million, up 10%, reflecting adverse currency changes and higher cloud computing costs. Source
  • Marketing ratio eased to 4.7%: Marketing expense was $2,340 million, or 4.7% of gross bookings, against 5.0% a year earlier. Source
  • General and administrative costs lower: General and administrative expenses were $254 million, against $575 million. The prior-year figure included $365 million of indirect tax matters excluded from adjusted results. Source

Margins and pricing

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 47.0%, against 45.8% in the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Net income margin declined: Net income margin was 30.5%, against 31.5% a year earlier. Source
  • Income tax expense more than doubled: Income tax expense was $721 million, against $352 million, and net income was $2,748 million. Source
  • Constant currency ADRs rose about 1%: Accommodation average daily rates rose about 1% in constant currency. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Steady demand into fourth quarter: Management said travel demand in its business has been steady so far in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Fourth quarter and full-year guidance issued: Guidance was given for the fourth quarter and full year 2025 across room nights, gross bookings, revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Deferred merchant bookings lower than June: Deferred merchant bookings were $6,283 million at September 30, against $9,149 million at June 30 and $4,031 million at December 31, 2024. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow fell 40% in quarter: Free cash flow was $1,371 million, down 40%. Net cash from operating activities was $1,435 million, also down 40%. Source
  • Year-to-date cash flow higher: Year-to-date operating cash flow was $7,919 million and free cash flow was $7,670 million, with growth of 4% and 6% respectively. Source
  • Buybacks of $0.7 billion in quarter: The company repurchased $0.7 billion of stock in the quarter, leaving $23.9 billion of remaining authorization, against $24.6 billion at June 30. Source
  • Long-term debt declined: Long-term debt was $15,997 million at September 30, against $17,473 million at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Capital expenditure lower: Additions to property and equipment were $64 million in the quarter, against $77 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy and Transformation Program

  • Transformation savings range raised: Expected ultimate annual run-rate savings, against the 2024 expense base, were raised to $500 to $550 million from $400 to $450 million. Source
  • Transformation costs excluded from adjusted results: Transformation costs were $105 million in the quarter and $175 million for the nine months, mainly termination benefits and professional fees. Source
  • Resources freed for reinvestment: Management said the program aims to increase organizational agility and free up resources for reinvestment in the offering to travelers and partners. Source

Discrete items and debt-related currency effects

  • KAYAK impairment of $457 million: The company recorded a $457 million impairment against KAYAK goodwill and certain intangible assets in the quarter and nine months. Source
  • Euro debt currency losses in nine months: Foreign currency losses on Euro-denominated debt remeasurement were $9 million in the quarter, against $329 million a year earlier, and $1,359 million for nine months. Source
  • Other income turned positive: Other income was $39 million, against an expense of $332 million a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 October 2025

  • Dividend payable December 31: The $9.60 dividend per share is payable December 31, 2025, to holders of record at the close of business on December 5, 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Room nights (volume) Source323 million, up 8%
Rental car days (volume) Source23 million, up 2.1%
Airline tickets (volume) Source17 million, up 32.3%
Accommodation ADRs (yield, constant currency) Sourceup about 1%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management noted remaining uncertainty in the macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop. Source
  • Demand: Management expects higher customer acquisition costs to affect KAYAK's meta-search business. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The company announced the Transformation Program in November 2024 as a set of organizational changes intended to improve operating expense efficiency. 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.