Summary
Booking Holdings Inc. (formerly priceline.com Incorporated) reported strong performance for the third quarter and first nine months of 2009, demonstrating resilience amidst a challenging economic environment. Total revenues grew by a significant 30.1% and 21.5% respectively, year-over-year. This growth was largely driven by a substantial increase in international operations, particularly Booking.com's hotel reservation services, which accounted for a majority of gross bookings and operating income. The company also saw robust growth in agency and merchant revenues, bolstered by increased hotel room night reservations and airline ticket sales. Despite the overall economic downturn, the company's strategic focus on its international segment and its diverse revenue streams, including agency and merchant models, have proven effective. Management highlighted the favorable year-over-year comparisons due to the economic conditions in late 2008, alongside the competitive advantages gained from fee reductions by competitors. While the company faces ongoing risks related to the recession, increased competition, and legal challenges, particularly concerning hotel occupancy taxes, its solid financial results and strong liquidity position provide a positive outlook.
Financial Highlights
29 data points| Revenue | $730.66M |
| Cost of Revenue | $296.65M |
| Gross Profit | $434.01M |
| Operating Expenses | $233.25M |
| Operating Income | $200.75M |
| Interest Expense | $5.91M |
| Net Income | $318.98M |
| EPS (Basic) | $7.49 |
| EPS (Diluted) | $6.42 |
| Shares Outstanding (Basic) | 42.57M |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted) | 49.67M |
Key Highlights
- 1Total revenues increased by 30.1% to $730.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, compared to $561.6 million in the prior year period.
- 2International gross bookings saw significant growth of 37.8% for the three months and 20.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2009.
- 3Hotel room night reservations sold increased substantially by 56.3% for the three months and 46.2% for the nine months ended September 30, 2009.
- 4Gross profit increased by 37.3% to $434.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, with gross margin improving to 59.4%.
- 5The company benefited from a significant income tax benefit of $124.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009, largely due to the reversal of a portion of its deferred tax asset valuation allowance.
- 6Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments stood at $719.3 million as of September 30, 2009, providing ample liquidity.