Booking Holdings Inc.
02/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/18/2026 16:13
Annual Report for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025 (Form 10-K)
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors" and our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes.
We evaluate certain operating and financial measures on both an as-reported and constant currency basis. We calculate constant currency based on the predominant transactional currency in each country, converting our current year results in currencies other than U.S. Dollars using the corresponding prior year monthly average exchange rates.
Overview
Our mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. We aim to provide consumers with a best-in-class experience with tailored planning, payment, language, and other options, seamlessly connecting them with our travel service provider partners. We offer these services through five primary consumer-facing brands: Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable. See Notes 1 and 17 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for segment reporting and geographic information.
We derive substantially all of our revenues from enabling consumers to make travel service reservations. We also earn revenues from payment facilitation, advertising, restaurant reservation and management services, travel-related insurance offerings, and other services.
Trends
Our global room nights in 2025 increased 8% year-over-year driven primarily by healthy travel demand in Europe and Asia. We saw the booking window expand in 2025 compared to 2024, which benefited year-over-year room night growth.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, global room nights increased 9% year-over-year. We saw healthy travel demand across all our major regions in the fourth quarter of 2025.
While the geopolitical and macroeconomic environment can impact global travel demand, we believe our diversified global portfolio of leading travel brands, flexible platforms, and strong financial position helps us to navigate a range of scenarios. We continue to take a long-term view, staying focused on delivering value to our travelers and partners, maintaining disciplined cost management, and making strategic investments as appropriate.
Quarterly Room Nights and Change versus the prior year(1)
Full Year Room Nights and Change versus the prior year(1)
(1) Room night growth rates are rounded for presentation purposes.
The cancellation rate in 2025 was lower than the prior year. Because we recognize revenues from bookings when the traveler checks in, our reported revenues are not at risk of being reversed due to cancellations. Increases in cancellation rates can negatively impact our marketing efficiency as a result of incurring performance marketing expenses at the time a booking is made even though that booking could be canceled in the future.
In 2025, our global average daily rates ("ADRs") on a constant currency basis were about in line with the prior year. Our global ADRs were slightly negatively impacted by a higher mix of room nights in Asia, which is a lower ADR region. Excluding the changes in regional mix, our global ADRs on a constant currency basis were up approximately 1% year-over-year, driven primarily by higher ADRs in Europe.
We focus on relentless innovation to grow our business by providing a best-in-class user experience with intuitive, easy-to-use platforms that aim to exceed the expectations of consumers. We are executing against our long-term strategy to create an ideal AI-powered traveler experience, offering our customers relevant options and suggestions at the times and in the language they want them, making trips booked with us seamless, easy, and valuable. We refer to this as the "Connected Trip." The goal of our Connected Trip vision is to offer a differentiated and personalized travel planning, booking, payment, and in-trip experience for each trip, enhanced by a robust loyalty program that provides value to travelers and partners across all trips. We believe these efforts will help improve traveler loyalty, frequency, and mix of direct bookings over time. We believe these improvements will benefit revenue growth and marketing efficiency in the future, however, to the extent our non-accommodation services have lower margins and increase as a percentage of our total business, our operating margins may be negatively affected.
Our mobile apps are an important platform for experiencing the Connected Trip since the app travels with the traveler. The mix of our room nights booked on our mobile apps in 2025 was a mid-fifties percentage, up from a low-fifties percentage in 2024. The significant majority of room nights booked on our mobile apps are direct, and we continue to see favorable repeat direct booking behavior from consumers in our mobile apps, which allow us more opportunities to engage directly with them. The revenues earned on a transaction on a mobile app may be less than a typical desktop transaction as we see different consumer purchasing patterns across devices. For example, accommodation reservations made on a mobile app typically are for shorter lengths of stay and have lower accommodation ADRs.
We continue to expand our merchant service offerings as part of a broader strategy to provide more payment options to travelers and travel service providers, increase the variety of our accommodations, and enable our long-term Connected Trip strategy. These merchant services allow us to facilitate payments from travelers and offer secure, flexible transaction terms, such as varied payment forms, currencies, and timing. The mix of our total gross bookings generated on a merchant basis across the company was 70% in 2025, an increase from 63% in 2024 due to the ongoing shift from agency to merchant bookings at Booking.com. We believe that expanding these types of service offerings will benefit consumers and travel service providers, as well as our gross bookings, room night, and earnings growth rates. However, this results in additional expenses for personnel, payment processing, chargebacks (including those related to fraud), and other expenses related to these transactions, which are recorded in "Personnel" expenses and "Sales and other expenses" in our Consolidated Statements of Operations, as well as associated incremental revenues (e.g., payment card rebates), which are recorded in "Merchant revenues." To the extent more of our business is generated on a merchant basis, we incur a greater level of these merchant-related expenses, which negatively impacts our operating margins despite increases in associated incremental revenues. In 2025, the incremental revenues from facilitating payments were greater than the associated incremental variable expenses.
We have established widely-used and recognized brands through marketing and promotional campaigns. Our total performance and brand marketing expenses, which are substantially variable in nature, were $8.2 billion in 2025, up 12.5% versus 2024 as a result of the year-over-year growth in travel demand and due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Our performance marketing expenses, which represent a substantial majority of our marketing expenses, are primarily related to the use of online search engines (primarily Google), affiliate marketing, meta-search, and social media channels to generate bookings through our platforms. Our brand marketing expenses are primarily related to costs associated with producing and airing digital branding and television advertising.
Marketing efficiency, expressed as marketing expenses as a percentage of gross bookings, and performance marketing returns on investment ("ROIs") are impacted by a number of factors that are in some cases outside of our control. Such factors include ADRs, costs per click, cancellation rates, foreign currency exchange rates, search engine bidding algorithms, channel mix, our ability to convert paid traffic to booking customers, and the timing and effectiveness of our brand marketing and social media marketing campaigns. In 2025, our average ROI was down slightly year-over-year driven by changes in paid traffic mix and increased social media spend. When evaluating our performance marketing spend, we typically consider several factors for each channel, such as the customer experience on the advertising platform, the incremental bookings we receive, and anticipated repeat rates. Marketing efficiency is also impacted by the extent to which consumers book directly with us. The mix of our total room nights booked by consumers coming directly to our platforms was a mid-fifties percentage in 2025, and was higher if we exclude the room nights booked through affiliate programs (i.e., business-to-business). The mix of total room nights booked by consumers coming directly to our platforms increased year-over-year, which benefited our marketing efficiency for 2025. See Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors - "We face risks relating to our marketing efforts" and "We are dependent on travel service providers, restaurants, search platforms, and other third parties."
Booking.com had approximately 4.4 million total properties on its website at December 31, 2025, representing an increase from approximately 4.0 million total properties at December 31, 2024. At December 31, 2025, the total properties on Booking.com's website consisted of approximately 3.9 million alternative accommodation properties (including homes, apartments, and other unique places to stay) and approximately 500,000 hotels, motels, and resorts.
The mix of Booking.com's room nights booked for alternative accommodation properties in 2025 was approximately 36%, up versus approximately 35% in 2024. We have observed a longer-term trend of an increasing mix of room nights booked for alternative accommodation properties as consumer demand for these types of properties has grown, and as we have increased the number and variety of these properties on Booking.com. We may experience lower profit margins due to additional costs from offering alternative accommodations, such as increased customer service or certain partner related costs. As our alternative accommodation business grows, these different characteristics may negatively impact our profit margins.
Although we believe that providing an extensive collection of properties, excellent customer service, and an intuitive, easy-to-use platform are important factors influencing a consumer's decision to make a reservation, for many consumers the price of the travel service is the primary factor determining whether to book. Discounting and couponing (i.e., merchandising) occurs across the major regions in which we operate, particularly in Asia. In some cases, our competitors are willing to make little or no profit on a transaction or offer travel services at a loss in order to gain market share. As a result, it is important to offer travel services at a competitive price, whether through discounts, coupons, closed-user group rates or loyalty programs, increased flexibility in cancellation policies, or otherwise. Some of these initiatives, such as discounts, may result in lower ADRs and lower revenues as a percentage of gross bookings as they can reduce the daily room rate and are recognized as contra-revenue.
Over the long term, we intend to continue to invest in marketing and promotion, technology, and personnel, as well as exploring strategic alternatives such as acquisitions, within parameters consistent with efforts to improve long-term operating results. To create room for these investments, we intend to continue to look for ways to optimize our expenses.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, we began the implementation of organizational changes to improve operating expense efficiency, increase organizational agility, free up resources that can be reinvested into further improving our offering to travelers and partners, and better position our business for the long term (the "Transformation Program"). The Transformation Program resulted in approximately $250 million in savings in 2025. Given the stronger-than-expected early results of the Transformation Program, in the third quarter of 2025, we raised our expectation for the ultimate annual run-rate savings to a range of $500 to $550 million from our previous guidance of $400 to $450 million, as compared to our 2024 expense base. As of the end of 2025, we have enabled approximately $550 million in annual run-rate savings and we expect to realize these run-rate savings by the end of 2026. We expect that the restructuring costs and accelerated investments related to the Transformation Program will largely be incurred by the end of 2026 and are estimated to be, in the aggregate, less than one times the expected annual run-rate savings.
Many taxing authorities seek to increase tax revenues and have targeted large multinational technology companies. Many jurisdictions, particularly in the EU, have implemented or are considering the adoption of a digital services tax or similar tax that imposes a tax on revenues earned from digital advertisements or the use of online platforms, even when there is no physical presence in the jurisdiction. Rates for these taxes range from 1.5% to 10% of revenues deemed generated in the jurisdiction. We record the applicable digital services taxes in "Sales and other expenses" in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the "BBB Act") changes certain international, foreign tax credit, and domestic tax provisions in the United States effective in 2025 and 2026. While the BBB Act did not result in a significant impact to our income tax expense or effective tax rate for 2025, we are evaluating the impact of the BBB Act and it could have a negative impact on our results of operations and cash flows as it relates to provisions that are not yet effective. See Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors - "We may have exposure to additional tax liabilities."
Increased regulatory focus on large technology companies could result in increased compliance costs or otherwise adversely affect our business. For example, we are subject to rules and regulations that may not apply to our competitors because the European Commission designated the Company as a "gatekeeper" and Booking.com as a "Very Large Online Platform" under the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act, respectively. See Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors - "Our business is subject to various competition, consumer protection, and online commerce laws and regulations around the world, and as the size of our business grows, scrutiny of our business in these areas may intensify" and Note 16 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Our businesses outside of the U.S. represent a substantial majority of our financial results, but because we report our results in U.S. Dollars, we face exposure to movements in foreign currency exchange rates (principally related to Euros and British Pounds Sterling). See Note 17 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for information related to revenues by geographic area. As a result of these movements, the absolute amounts of and percentage changes in our foreign-currency-denominated net assets, gross bookings, revenues, operating expenses, and net income as expressed in U.S. Dollars are affected. Our total revenues increased by approximately 13% in 2025 as compared to 2024, including a benefit of about 3% from changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Since our expenses are generally denominated in foreign currencies on a basis similar to our revenues, our operating margins have not been significantly impacted by currency fluctuations.
We generally enter into derivative instruments to minimize the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. In addition, we may designate certain portions of the aggregate principal value of our Euro-denominated debt as a hedge of the foreign currency exposure of the net investment in certain Euro functional currency subsidiaries. Foreign currency transaction gains or losses on the Euro-denominated debt that is not designated as a hedging instrument for accounting purposes are recognized in "Other income (expense), net" in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Such foreign currency transaction gains or losses are dependent on the amount of net assets of the Euro functional currency subsidiaries, the amount of the Euro-denominated debt that is designated as a hedge, and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. See Notes 6, 12, and 18 to our Consolidated Financial Statements and Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors - "We are exposed to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates."
Critical Accounting Estimates
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations is based upon our Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. See Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for our significant accounting policies. Certain of our accounting estimates are important to our financial position and results of operations and require us to make difficult and subjective judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain. We use our judgment to determine the appropriate assumptions to be used in the determination of certain estimates and we evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis. Estimates are based on historical experience, terms of existing contracts, our observance of trends in the travel industry, and on other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Matters that involve significant estimates and judgments of management include the valuation of goodwill and other long-lived assets, income taxes, and contingencies.
Valuation of Goodwill and other Long-lived Assets
We review long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. The assessment of possible impairment is based upon the ability to recover the carrying value of the assets from the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows, before interest and taxes, of the related asset group. In the accounting for business combinations, the excess of the consideration transferred over the net of the amounts allocated to the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed is recognized as goodwill. Goodwill is assigned to reporting units that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the business combination. When the composition of one or more reporting units is changed, goodwill is reassigned to the affected reporting units using a relative fair value approach. A substantial portion of our intangible assets and goodwill as of December 31, 2025 relates to the acquisitions of OpenTable and Getaroom.
We test goodwill for impairment on an annual basis and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. We test goodwill at a reporting unit level and our annual goodwill impairment tests are performed as of September 30.
The estimation of the recoverable values of asset groups and the fair values of our reporting units reflects numerous assumptions that are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including key assumptions regarding each reporting unit's expected growth rates and operating margin and with respect to matters outside of our control, such as discount rates and market comparables. Actual results could be materially different than the judgments and estimates used. Generally, changes in the assumptions used for comparable company multiples would result in directionally similar changes in the fair value and changes in the assumptions used for discount rates would result in directionally opposite changes in the fair value. Future events and changing market conditions may lead us to re-evaluate the assumptions used to estimate the fair values of our reporting units. Such changes may include travel service providers reducing or withdrawing from our services, generative AI better enabling or offering alternatives for travel service providers to reach consumers, or competitors affecting our ability to market to and reach consumers in a cost-efficient way.
Impairment of Goodwill and Intangible Assets
As of September 30, 2025, we performed our annual goodwill impairment test. Except for the KAYAK reporting unit, the fair values of our reporting units exceeded their respective carrying values.
For the KAYAK reporting unit's goodwill, we recognized an impairment charge of $180 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025, resulting in an adjusted carrying value of $203 million at September 30, 2025. In addition, for the KAYAK asset group's intangible assets (trade names and supply and distribution agreements), we recognized an impairment charge of $277 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025. The impairments were primarily driven by a reduction in the forecasted cash flows for KAYAK, reflecting its meta-search business being impacted by expected increases in customer acquisition costs.
The estimated fair value of KAYAK was determined using a combination of standard valuation techniques, including an income approach (discounted cash flow) and a market approach (applying comparable company multiples). The income approach estimates fair value utilizing long-term growth rates and discount rates applied to the cash flow projections. An increase or decrease of one percentage point to the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") growth rates used in the cash flow projections would result in an increase of approximately $45 million and a decrease of approximately $40 million, respectively, to the estimated fair value of KAYAK as of September 30, 2025. The discount rate is determined based on the reporting unit's estimated weighted-average cost of capital and adjusted to reflect the risks inherent in its cash flows, which require significant judgments. If the discount rate used in the income approach increases or decreases by 0.5%, the impact to the estimated fair value of KAYAK at September 30, 2025 ranges from a decrease of approximately $20 million to an increase of approximately $25 million. The market approach estimates value using prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving comparable publicly-traded companies, including the use of the EBITDA multiple. A change in the assumption used for the EBITDA multiple would result in a directionally similar change in the fair value.
At September 30, 2025, the fair values of KAYAK's trade names and supply and distribution agreements were $103 million and $76 million, respectively, estimated using an income approach. The key unobservable inputs used for these intangible assets include royalty rates, distributor margins, and supplier attrition rates (in the range of 2% to 5%, as applicable) and the useful lives of the trade names (20 years). Significant changes in any of these inputs in isolation would result in significantly different fair value measurements. Generally, a change in the assumption used for the royalty rate, distributor margin, and expected useful life would result in a directionally similar change in the fair value and a change in the assumption used for the attrition rate would result in a directionally opposite change in the fair value.
See Note 11 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Income Taxes
We determine our tax expense based on income and statutory tax rates applicable in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Due to the complex and dynamic nature of tax legislation, significant judgment is required in computing our tax expense and determining our tax positions. The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act") enacted in December 2017 made significant changes to U.S. federal tax law, including a one-time deemed repatriation tax imposed on accumulated unremitted international earnings. We do not intend to indefinitely reinvest our international earnings that were subject to U.S. taxation pursuant to the mandatory deemed repatriation or subject to U.S. taxation as global intangible low-taxed income ("GILTI").
We regularly review our deferred tax assets for recoverability considering historical profitability, projected future taxable income, the expected timing of the reversals of temporary differences, and tax planning strategies and record valuation allowances as required.
We are subject to ongoing tax examinations and assessments, and face challenges regarding the amount of taxes due from time to time. Although we believe that our tax filing positions are reasonable and comply with applicable law, we regularly review our tax filing positions, especially in light of tax law or business practice changes, and we may change our positions or determine that previous positions should be amended, either of which could result in changes to our tax liabilities. The final determination of tax audits or tax disputes may be different from what is reflected in our historical income tax provisions and accruals.
The evaluation of tax positions and recognition of income tax benefits require significant judgment and we consult with external tax and legal counsel as appropriate. We consider the technical merits of our tax positions along with the applicable tax statutes, related interpretations and precedents, and our expectation of the outcome of proceedings (or negotiations) with tax authorities. We recognize liabilities when we believe that uncertain positions may not be fully sustained upon audit by the tax authorities, including any related appeals or litigation processes. Liabilities recognized for uncertain tax positions are based on a two-step approach for recognition and measurement. First, we evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained based on its technical merits. Second, we measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Interest and penalties attributable to uncertain tax positions, if any, are recognized as a component of income tax expense. The tax benefits ultimately realized by us may be different than what is recorded in the financial statements due to future events such as our settling a matter with tax authorities or our success in sustaining our tax positions.
See Notes 15 and 16 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Contingencies
Loss contingencies (other than income tax-related contingencies disclosed above) arise from actual or possible claims and assessments and pending or threatened litigation that may be brought against us. Based on our assessment of loss contingencies at each balance sheet date, a loss is recorded in the financial statements if it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. If the amount of the loss cannot be reasonably estimated, we disclose information about the contingency in the financial statements. We also disclose information in our financial statements about reasonably possible loss contingencies.
The determination of whether a loss is probable and whether the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated requires significant judgment and evaluation of all the underlying facts and circumstances including judgments about the potential actions of third-party claimants, regulatory authorities, and courts. Claims, assessments, and litigations involve significant uncertainties such as the complexity of the facts, the legal theories involved, the nature of the claims, the judgment of the courts, the applicable methodology for determining potential damages, and, in the case of class actions, whether a class action can be certified and members of the class choose to participate in the litigation.
For a contingency that might result in a gain, substantially all uncertainties about its realization should be resolved before it is recognized in the financial statements. Recoveries of costs and losses incurred in the past and recorded in the financial statements are recognized when the recovery is probable, reasonably estimable, and there is direct linkage to the loss event. Establishing direct linkage requires judgment and evaluation of all the underlying facts and circumstances, including the relationship between the recovery, the loss event, and the costs and losses incurred.
On a quarterly basis, we update our analysis and estimates considering available information, including the impact of negotiations, settlements, rulings, and advice of legal counsel. Changes in our assessment of whether a loss is probable, our estimate of the loss, or our determination of whether the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position. Changes in our assumptions regarding a particular matter or the effectiveness of our strategies related to legal and other proceedings could also have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position. For all loss contingencies, until a matter is finally resolved, there may be an exposure to loss in excess of the liability accrued for the matter and such amounts could be material. In a similar manner, gain contingencies and recoveries of costs and losses are also assessed on a quarterly basis.
See Note 16 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding certain contingencies.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, which is incorporated into this Item 7 by reference.
Results of Operations
Year Ended December 31, 2025 compared to Year Ended December 31, 2024
Operating and Statistical Metrics
Our financial results are driven by certain operating metrics that encompass the booking and other business activity generated by our travel and travel-related services. Reservations of room nights, rental car days, and airline tickets capture the volume of units booked through our online travel companies' ("OTC") brands by our customers. Gross bookings is an operating and statistical metric that captures the total dollar value, generally inclusive of taxes and fees, of all travel services booked through our OTC brands by our customers, net of cancellations. Our non-OTC brands (KAYAK and OpenTable) have different business metrics from those of our OTC brands, so search queries through KAYAK and restaurant reservations through OpenTable do not contribute to our gross bookings.
Room nights, rental car days, and airline tickets reserved through our services were as follows:
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Room nights | 1,235 | 1,144 | 8.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Rental car days | 88 | 83 | 5.8 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Airline tickets | 68 | 49 | 36.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Room nights reserved through our services increased year-over-year in 2025, driven primarily by increased travel demand in Europe and Asia. Rental car days reserved through our services increased year-over-year in 2025 driven primarily by growth in rental car days reserved on Booking.com. Airline tickets reserved through our services increased year-over-year in 2025 driven by the expansion of flight offerings at Booking.com and Agoda.
Gross bookings resulting from reservations of room nights, rental car days, and airline tickets made through our merchant and agency categories were as follows (numbers may not total due to rounding):
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Merchant gross bookings | $ | 130,025 | $ | 104,182 | 24.8 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Agency gross bookings | 56,082 | 61,398 | (8.7) | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Total gross bookings | $ | 186,107 | $ | 165,580 | 12.4 | % | ||||||||||||||
The year-over-year increase in merchant gross bookings in 2025 was due primarily to growth in accommodation reservation services and flight reservation services at Booking.com and Agoda. Merchant gross bookings also increased year-over-year and agency gross bookings decreased year-over-year in 2025 due to the ongoing shift from agency to merchant bookings at Booking.com.
The year-over-year increase in total gross bookings in 2025 was due primarily to the increase in room nights, a positive impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, and a positive impact from growth in flight gross bookings.
Flight gross bookings increased 29% year-over-year in 2025 due to airline ticket growth, partially offset by lower average airline ticket prices. Rental car gross bookings increased 9% year-over-year in 2025 due to rental car days growth and higher average daily car rental prices.
Revenues
See Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on our revenues, including merchant, agency, and advertising and other revenues. Substantially all of our revenues are generated by providing online travel reservation services, which facilitate online travel purchases by travelers from travel service providers.
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Merchant revenues | $ | 17,755 | $ | 14,142 | 25.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Agency revenues | 7,968 | 8,524 | (6.5) | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Advertising and other revenues | 1,194 | 1,073 | 11.3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | $ | 26,917 | $ | 23,739 | 13.4 | % | ||||||||||||||
| % of Total gross bookings | 14.5 | % | 14.3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
The year-over-year increase in merchant revenues in 2025 was due primarily to growth in accommodation reservation services at Booking.com. Merchant revenues also increased year-over-year while agency revenues decreased year-over-year in 2025 due to the ongoing shift from agency to merchant revenues at Booking.com. Advertising and other revenues increased year-over-year in 2025 due to growth at OpenTable and growth in advertising revenues at Booking.com.
Total revenues as a percentage of gross bookings increased year-over-year in 2025 due to an increase in revenues related to facilitating payments, as well as a more positive impact from changes in foreign currency exchange rates on revenue compared to gross bookings, partly offset by an increase in the mix of flight gross bookings, which have lower revenues as a percentage of gross bookings.
Operating Expenses
See Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information about the components of our operating expenses and the related accounting policies. The year-over-year growth in our total operating expenses for 2025 was increased in part by changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
Marketing Expenses
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Marketing expenses | $ | 8,186 | $ | 7,278 | 12.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
| % of Total gross bookings | 4.4 | % | 4.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| % of Total revenues | 30.4 | % | 30.7 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Our marketing expenses, which are substantially variable in nature, increased year-over-year in 2025 to help drive additional gross bookings and revenues, and were increased by changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Marketing expenses as a percentage of total gross bookings in 2025 were in line with 2024, as the benefit from an increase in the share of room nights booked by consumers coming directly to our platforms was partially offset by lower performance marketing ROIs driven by changes in paid traffic mix and increased spend in social media channels.
Sales and Other Expenses
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sales and other expenses | $ | 3,453 | $ | 3,120 | 10.6 | % | ||||||||||||||
| % of Total gross bookings | 1.9 | % | 1.9 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| % of Total revenues | 12.8 | % | 13.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Sales and other expenses, which are substantially variable in nature, increased year-over-year in 2025 due primarily to an increase in merchant transaction costs of $381 million related to the ongoing shift from agency to merchant transactions at Booking.com, as well as due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Sales and other expenses as a percentage of total revenues decreased year-over-year in 2025 due to efficiencies in third-party customer service costs, as well as lower provisions for expected credit losses, partially offset by the impact of increased merchant transactions, which grew faster than total revenue.
Personnel
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personnel | $ | 3,403 | $ | 3,354 | 1.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
| % of Total revenues | 12.6 | % | 14.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Personnel expenses increased year-over-year in 2025 primarily due to increases in salary expenses and bonus expense accruals, both of which were increased by changes in foreign currency exchange rates. The year-over-year increase in personnel expenses in 2025 was partially offset by a $176 million reduction in the accrual related to the Netherlands pension fund matter. Employee headcount of approximately 24,300 as of December 31, 2025 was in line with December 31, 2024.
General and Administrative
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| General and administrative | $ | 857 | $ | 1,036 | (17.2) | % | ||||||||||||||
| % of Total revenues | 3.2 | % | 4.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||
General and administrative expenses decreased year-over-year in 2025 due to the impact of the $337 million accrual in 2024 related to the settlement of certain Italian indirect tax matters, partially offset by $89 million in expense in 2025 related to certain other indirect tax matters. In addition, the year-over-year decrease in general and administrative expenses in 2025 was impacted by a $78 million reduction in 2024 in the accrual related to the fine imposed by the Spanish competition authority.
Information Technology
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Information technology | $ | 908 | $ | 771 | 17.8 | % | ||||||||||||||
| % of Total revenues | 3.4 | % | 3.2 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Information technology expenses increased year-over-year in 2025 due primarily to an increase in cloud computing costs, as well as changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
Depreciation and Amortization
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | $ | 623 | $ | 591 | 5.4 | % | ||||||||||||||
| % of Total revenues | 2.3 | % | 2.5 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization expenses increased year-over-year in 2025 due primarily to increased depreciation of computer equipment, as well as amortization expense related to internally-developed software.
Impairment
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Impairment | $ | 457 | $ | - | ||||||||||
See Note 11 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Transformation Costs
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Transformation costs | $ | 205 | $ | 34 | ||||||||||
See "Trends" above for additional information on the Transformation Program. For the year ended December 31, 2025, Program related costs primarily consist of employee termination benefits and professional fees. See Note 20 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Interest Expense and Interest and Dividend Income
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | $ | (1,617) | $ | (1,295) | 24.9 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Interest and dividend income | 921 | 1,114 | (17.3) | % | ||||||||||||||||
Interest expense increased year-over-year in 2025 primarily due to the amortization of debt discount related to the convertible senior notes (see Note 12 to our Consolidated Financial Statements) and the issuance of senior notes in November 2024. Interest and dividend income decreased year-over-year in 2025 primarily due to lower interest rates, partially offset by higher money market fund investment balances. In addition, we have certain cash management activities with related interest expense and interest income.
Other Income (Expense), Net
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Other income (expense), net | $ | (1,297) | $ | (82) | ||||||||||
See Note 18 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Income Taxes
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 1,428 | $ | 1,410 | 1.3 | % | ||||||||||||||
|
% of Income before income taxes
|
20.9 | % | 19.3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Our 2025 effective tax rate differs from the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21%, primarily due to the benefit of the Netherlands Innovation Box Tax (as defined below) and U.S. federal tax credits, partially offset by higher international tax rates, certain non-deductible expenses, and U.S. federal tax associated with our international earnings. Our 2024 effective tax rate differs from the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21%, primarily due to the benefit of the Netherlands Innovation Box Tax and a reduction to our 2018 federal one-time deemed repatriation liability under the Tax Act, resulting from a 2024 U.S. Tax Court decision in Varian Medical Systems, Inc. vs. Commissioner (the "Varian Decision"), partially offset by higher international tax rates, non-deductible expenses related to the convertible senior notes and certain other non-deductible expenses, unrecognized tax benefits, and U.S. federal tax associated with our international earnings.
Our effective tax rate was higher for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily due to the reduction to our 2018 federal one-time deemed repatriation liability under the Tax Act, that was recorded during 2024, resulting from the Varian Decision, and higher international tax rates, partially offset by an increase in the benefit of the Netherlands Innovation Box Tax and lower unrecognized tax benefits.
Under Dutch corporate income tax law, income generated from qualifying innovative activities is taxed at a rate of 9% ("Innovation Box Tax") rather than the Dutch statutory rate of 25.8%. A portion of Booking.com's earnings during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 qualified for Innovation Box Tax treatment, which had a significant beneficial impact on our effective tax rates for these periods. For more information, see Part I, Item 1, Risk Factors - "We may not be able to maintain our "Innovation Box Tax" benefit."
Results of Operations
Year Ended December 31, 2024 compared to Year Ended December 31, 2023
For a comparison of our results of operations for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, see Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on February 20, 2025.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our primary source of funds for operations is the cash flow that we generate from operations. We have a variety of uses for our cash, including ongoing investments in our business, share repurchases, dividends, repayment of debt, and capital expenditures. Our continued access to sources of liquidity depends on multiple factors. See Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors - "Our liquidity, credit ratings, and ongoing access to capital could be materially and negatively affected by global financial conditions and events." Our financial results and prospects are almost entirely dependent on facilitating the sale of travel-related services. Marketing expenses, sales and other expenses, and personnel expenses are our most significant operating expenses. See our Consolidated Statements of Operations and "Trends" and "Results of Operations" above for additional information.
We believe that our existing cash balances, liquid resources, and access to capital markets will be sufficient to fund our operating activities and other obligations in the short term and into the foreseeable future.
Cash, cash equivalents, and investments
At December 31, 2025, we had $17.8 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and investments, of which approximately $12.2 billion is held by our international subsidiaries. Cash, cash equivalents, and long-term investments held by our international subsidiaries are denominated primarily in Euros, U.S. Dollars, and British Pounds Sterling. Our investment policy seeks to preserve capital and maintain sufficient liquidity to meet operational and other needs of the business. See Notes 5 and 6 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Deferred merchant bookings
Deferred merchant bookings of $5.3 billion at December 31, 2025 includes cash payments received from travelers in advance of us completing our performance obligations and are comprised principally of amounts estimated to be payable to travel service providers as well as our estimated future revenues for our commission or margin and fees. The amounts are mostly subject to refunds for cancellations.
Debt
Our revolving credit facility extends a revolving line of credit up to $2 billion to us. As of December 31, 2025, we are in compliance with the maximum leverage ratio covenant under the facility, which is a condition to our ability to borrow.
Our outstanding senior notes at December 31, 2025 had cumulative interest to maturity (based on coupon interest rates) of $5.7 billion, with $662 million payable within the next twelve months.
See Note 12 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Share repurchases and dividends
In the first quarter of 2025, our Board of Directors (the "Board") authorized a program to repurchase up to $20 billion of our common stock. At December 31, 2025, we had a total remaining authorization of $21.8 billion related to share repurchase programs authorized by the Board.
In February 2026, the Board declared a cash dividend of $10.50 per share of common stock, payable on March 31, 2026 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 6, 2026.
See Note 13 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Commitments, contingencies, and other
At December 31, 2025, we had, in the aggregate, $1.1 billion of non-cancellable purchase obligations individually greater than $10 million, of which $361 million is payable within the next twelve months. Such purchase obligations relate to agreements to purchase goods and services that are enforceable and legally binding and that specify significant terms, including the quantities to be purchased, price provisions, and the approximate timing of the transaction. At December 31, 2025, we had lease obligations of $798 million, of which $143 million is payable within the next twelve months. See Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
At December 31, 2025, we had a remaining transition tax liability of $257 million as a result of the Tax Act, which is included in "Accrued expenses and other current liabilities" in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Due to the Varian Decision, a portion of our total transition tax liability may be refunded. In accordance with the Tax Act, generally, future repatriation of our international cash will not be subject to a U.S. federal income tax liability as a dividend, but will be subject to U.S. state income taxes and international withholding taxes, which have been accrued by us.
See Note 16 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for information related to the standby letters of credit and bank guarantees issued on our behalf.
See Note 16 to our Consolidated Financial Statements and Part I, Item IA, Risk Factors - "Our business is subject to various competition, consumer protection, and online commerce laws and regulations around the world, and as the size of our business grows, scrutiny of our business in these areas may intensify" for information related to certain regulatory matters and our other contingent liabilities.
Note 16 to our Consolidated Financial Statements and Part I, Item IA, Risk Factors - "We may have exposure to additional tax liabilities" for information related to certain tax assessments and other tax matters.
See "Trends" above for information on the Transformation Program, including the estimated annual run rate savings and restructuring costs and accelerated investments required for the program.
Cash Flow Analysis
Year Ended December 31, 2025 compared to Year Ended December 31, 2024
See our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for additional information related to our cash flows.
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 9,409 | $ | 8,323 | ||||||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities | (313) | 129 | ||||||||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (8,915) | (4,204) | ||||||||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 resulted from net income of $5.4 billion, a favorable net impact from adjustments for non-cash and other items of $3.5 billion, and a favorable net change in working capital and other assets and liabilities of $535 million. Non-cash and other items were principally associated with the unrealized foreign currency transaction losses related to Euro-denominated debt, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, deferred income taxes, impairment, provision for expected credit losses and chargebacks, and adjustments related to the convertible senior notes. For the year ended December 31, 2025, deferred merchant bookings and other current liabilities increased by $796 million and accounts receivable increased by $730 million, primarily due to higher business volumes. Merchant revenues increased while agency revenues decreased year-over-year in 2025 due to the ongoing shift from agency to merchant revenues at Booking.com.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 resulted from net income of $5.9 billion, a favorable net impact from adjustments for non-cash and other items of $2.1 billion, and a favorable net change in working capital and other assets and liabilities of $367 million. Non-cash and other items were principally associated with the loss related to the convertible senior notes, stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, unrealized foreign currency transaction gains related to Euro-denominated debt, provision for expected credit losses and chargebacks, and operating lease amortization. For the year ended December 31, 2024, deferred merchant bookings and other current liabilities increased by $1.4 billion and accounts receivable increased by $506 million, primarily due to higher business volumes, partially offset by faster accounts receivable collections in 2024.
Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 resulted principally from payments for property and equipment. Net cash provided by investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 principally resulted from proceeds from the maturity of investments of $590 million, partially offset by payments for property and equipment of $429 million.
Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 resulted principally from payments for the repurchase of common stock of $6.4 billion, including share repurchases of our common stock withheld to satisfy employee withholding tax obligations related to stock-based compensation, payments on the maturity and redemption of debt of $5.0 billion, and dividends of $1.2 billion, partially offset with proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt of $3.7 billion. Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 principally resulted from payments for the repurchase of common stock of $6.5 billion, including share repurchases of our common stock withheld to satisfy employee withholding tax obligations related to stock-based compensation, payments on the maturity and conversion of debt of $1.3 billion, and dividends of $1.2 billion, partially offset with proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt of $4.8 billion.
Year Ended December 31, 2024 compared to Year Ended December 31, 2023
For a comparison of our cash flow activities for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, see Cash Flow Analysis in Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on February 20, 2025.
Booking Holdings Inc. published this content on February 18, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via EDGAR on February 18, 2026 at 22:14 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]