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Ebay Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 18 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 10 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 15% as reported: Fourth-quarter revenue was $3.0 billion, up 15% as reported and 13% on an FX-Neutral basis. Full-year revenue was $11.1 billion, up 8% as reported. Source
  • GMV rose 10% as reported: GMV was $21.2 billion, up 10% as reported and 8% FX-Neutral. Full-year GMV was $79.6 billion, up 7% as reported. Source
  • Q4 GAAP and non-GAAP EPS: Q4 GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations was $1.14, down from $1.40. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.41, up from $1.25. Source
  • First-party advertising rose 19%: First-party advertising revenue was $517 million in Q4, up 19% as reported and 17% FX-Neutral, against 25% as reported growth in Q3. Source
  • GAAP operating margin fell to 20.3%: GAAP operating margin was 20.3% in Q4, against 21.1% a year earlier. Non-GAAP operating margin was 26.1%, against 27.0%. Source
  • Free cash flow was $478 million: Q4 operating cash flow from continuing operations was $595 million and free cash flow was $478 million. Full-year free cash flow was $1.5 billion. Source
  • Agreement to buy Depop: eBay agreed to buy Depop, a C2C fashion marketplace, from Etsy in an all-cash deal valued at about $1.2 billion. Source

“2025 was a milestone year for eBay, and our results reflect the strength of our strategy and the disciplined execution behind it,”

Jamie Iannone, Chief Executive Officer at eBay

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceQ1 2026$3.00 - $3.05 billionNew
Revenue growth, FX-Neutral SourceQ1 202613% - 15%New
Gross Merchandise Volume SourceQ1 2026$21.5 - $21.9 billionNew
Gross Merchandise Volume growth, FX-Neutral SourceQ1 202610% - 12%New
Diluted GAAP EPS SourceQ1 2026$1.14 - $1.20New
Diluted non-GAAP EPS SourceQ1 2026$1.53 - $1.59New
Non-GAAP effective tax rate Source202617.5%Raised from 16.5%
Quarterly cash dividend SourceQ1 2026$0.31 per shareRaised from $0.29
Share repurchase authorization SourceAuthorized February 2026$2.0 billion incrementalNew
Stock-based compensation and related payroll tax (non-GAAP adjustment) SourceQ1 2026approximately $155-$165 millionNew
Amortization of acquired intangible assets (non-GAAP adjustment) SourceQ1 2026approximately $12 millionNew
GAAP and non-GAAP tax adjustment (non-GAAP adjustment) SourceQ1 2026approximately $0-$10 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First-quarter 2026 ranges given for revenue, GMV and diluted EPS; the prior release gave ranges only for Q4 and full-year 2025. Source
  • Guidance raised: Non-GAAP effective tax rate assumption for 2026 raised to 17.5% from 16.5%. Source
  • New: Agreement to acquire Depop announced, all-cash, valued at about $1.2 billion. Source
  • New: Early adoption of ASU 2025-06 from January 1, 2026, with restatement of prior periods presented. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 15% as reported: Fourth-quarter revenue was $3.0 billion, up 15% as reported and 13% on an FX-Neutral basis. Full-year revenue was $11.1 billion, up 8% as reported. Source
  • Revenue growth by quarter: Year-over-year revenue growth was 15% in Q4 2025, 9% in Q3, 6% in Q2 and 1% in Q1 2025, as the summary table lists it. Source
  • GMV rose 10% as reported: GMV was $21.2 billion, up 10% as reported and 8% FX-Neutral. Full-year GMV was $79.6 billion, up 7% as reported. Source
  • Q4 GAAP and non-GAAP EPS: Q4 GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations was $1.14, down from $1.40. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.41, up from $1.25. Source
  • Full-year EPS rose on both bases: Full-year GAAP diluted EPS was $4.26, up from $3.95. Full-year non-GAAP diluted EPS was $5.52, up from $4.88. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. GMV rose 19% in Q4: U.S. GMV was $10.7 billion in Q4, up 19% year over year, against 13% growth in Q3 and 1% in Q1 2025. Source
  • International GMV rose 2%: International GMV was $10.5 billion in Q4, up 2% year over year, against 7% growth in Q3 and 0% in Q1 2025. Source
  • International share of revenue eased: Revenue from international markets was 46% of the total in Q4, against 48% in Q3 and 48% in Q4 2024. Source
  • Foreign currency added to revenue: Foreign currency added $16 million to Q4 revenue, against $20 million in Q3, and reduced Q1 2025 revenue by $21 million. Source

“Our Q4 results conclude a very strong 2025 for eBay, with accelerating growth and significant progress against our strategy,”

Peggy Alford, Chief Financial Officer at eBay

Advertising, products and buyers

  • First-party advertising rose 19%: First-party advertising revenue was $517 million in Q4, up 19% as reported and 17% FX-Neutral, against 25% as reported growth in Q3. Source
  • Total advertising at 2.6% of GMV: Total advertising offerings produced $544 million of revenue in Q4, equal to 2.6% of GMV. Source
  • Magical Listing beta for sellers: A beta of the next-generation Magical Listing tool was released on iOS and Android for new and reactivated U.S. sellers. It generates titles, categories and pricing from one photo. Source
  • EBay Live expanded to two markets: eBay Live expanded to Germany and Australia. The company also held its largest-ever slate of holiday live-shopping events. Source
  • Active Buyers at 135 million: Active Buyers were 135 million in Q4, up 1% year over year, against 134 million in Q3. Source
  • Collectibles activity noted by management: Management described another quarter for collectibles and released its year-end eBay Collected report using marketplace data. Source

Costs and margins

  • GAAP operating margin fell to 20.3%: GAAP operating margin was 20.3% in Q4, against 21.1% a year earlier. Non-GAAP operating margin was 26.1%, against 27.0%. Source
  • Full-year margins were lower: Full-year GAAP operating margin was 20.5% and non-GAAP was 27.8%, against 22.5% and 28.1% for 2024 in the reconciliation table. Source
  • Cost of net revenues rose: Cost of net revenues was $849 million in Q4, against $718 million a year earlier. Full-year cost was $3,169 million, against $2,880 million. Source
  • General and administrative expense rose: G&A expense was $284 million in Q4, against $241 million a year earlier. Full-year G&A was $1,198 million, against $914 million. Source
  • Q4 GAAP tax rate was 15.7%: The GAAP effective tax rate for continuing operations was 15.7% in Q4, against (10.3)% in Q4 2024. Source

“As we continue to harness AI to elevate the customer experience worldwide, eBay is in the strongest position it has been in years.”

Jamie Iannone, Chief Executive Officer at eBay

Cash, capital and returns

  • Free cash flow was $478 million: Q4 operating cash flow from continuing operations was $595 million and free cash flow was $478 million. Full-year free cash flow was $1.5 billion. Source
  • Q4 returns totaled $756 million: The company returned $756 million to stockholders in Q4, including $625 million of repurchases of about 7 million shares and $131 million of dividends. Source
  • Full-year returns over $3.0 billion: Full-year returns exceeded $3.0 billion, including $2.5 billion of repurchases and $531 million of dividends. Source
  • Repurchase authorization left at $798 million: About $798 million of repurchase authorization remained at December 31, 2025, down from about $1.4 billion at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Cash and investments fell to $4.8 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and non-equity investments totaled $4.8 billion at December 31, 2025, against $5.3 billion at September 30, 2025. Source

Strategy, deals and accounting

  • Agreement to buy Depop: eBay agreed to buy Depop, a C2C fashion marketplace, from Etsy in an all-cash deal valued at about $1.2 billion. Source
  • AI Activate launched in U.K.: AI Activate, developed with OpenAI, gives up to 10,000 small businesses in the U.K. access to AI tools and training. Source
  • Authenticity Guarantee expanded in Germany: The Authenticity Guarantee in Germany now covers apparel, shoes, accessories and jewelry, and optional authentication was added for some categories in the U.K. and Germany. Source
  • Condé Nast named eBay Pre-Loved Partner: A multi-year partnership names eBay the official Pre-Loved Partner across Condé Nast media brands, including Vogue, GQ and Vanity Fair. Source

Coming up, as management said on 18 February 2026

  • Depop deal expected to close: Management said the Depop acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026. Source
  • First-quarter dividend payment date: The first-quarter 2026 dividend is payable March 20, 2026, to holders of record on March 6, 2026. Source
  • Wider access to Magical Listing: Management said it plans to expand access to the Magical Listing beta in the coming months. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Active Buyers Source135 million
Gross Merchandise Volume, Q4 ($ millions) Source$21,237
Advertising revenue as share of GMV Source2.6%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: The company said its non-GAAP tax rate could change with shifts in geographic earnings mix or tax law changes in major jurisdictions. Source
  • Regulatory: Completion of the Depop acquisition depends on closing conditions and receipt of required regulatory approvals. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the company exceeded its 5-year Impact Goals, which concluded in 2025. 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.