New York, February 13, 2026, 12:35 EST — Regular session
- Booking Holdings slid 0.7% by midday, deepening the retreat that’s been underway since earlier this month.
- Investors are making moves before the company posts results on Feb. 18, as online travel rivals have pointed to choppy consumer spending.
- Guidance, marketing expenses, and booking patterns for 2026 are in sharp focus for traders now.
Booking Holdings slipped 0.7% to $4,128.77 Friday, after the stock dipped to $4,074.14 at its session low as selling weighed on the online travel giant.
This comes just as Booking prepares to report quarterly results in a few days, with nerves running high in travel after uneven reads from competitors—and a broader market that’s been anything but steady.
The stock has slipped this week. Now, traders are zeroing in on projections for bookings and margins next week, giving less weight to the latest results.
Booking—the parent behind Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable—ranks among the giants in online travel and restaurant bookings, so its outlook tends to carry hefty weight for the sector. (Reuters)
Late Thursday, sector mood dimmed after Expedia flagged a reserved full-year outlook, despite highlighting margin gains in the short run. “The rest of the year could be relatively muted,” said finance chief Scott Schenkel. CEO Ariane Gorin also cited more discounting and deals tied to Black Friday. (Reuters)
Airbnb projected quarterly revenue that topped analyst expectations and announced deeper moves into the hotel sector—specifically, it’s teaming up with boutique and independent properties. It’s a fresh challenge for rival travel platforms as 2026 approaches. (Investing)
Investors watching Booking will be eyeing demand signals like “gross bookings”—that’s the total value of travel booked across its platforms—and any evidence that marketing budgets are ticking higher as firms battle for customer traffic.
Another issue: is the current drop more about the wider risk-off tilt, or does it come down to concerns specific to the company itself? Barclays equity strategist Emmanuel Cau flagged that investors are quick to dump stocks tied to so-called “AI losers” — his words: “sell first think later.” That mood has been fueling choppy trading in certain corners of the U.S. market. (Reuters)
That’s key for online travel, where search and advertising still drive the business. Any sign of weaker demand or pricier customer acquisition tends to dent near-term profit expectations fast.
The risk is clear enough. Should Booking point to softer travel demand, or hint that costs are outpacing bookings, shares might not budge from their slump—even on an earnings beat.
Booking will release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings after the bell Wednesday, Feb. 18. The company’s conference call starts at 4:30 p.m. ET. (Bookingholdings)
