New York, Feb 19, 2026, 05:28 EST — Premarket
- Shares of Booking Holdings jumped roughly 3% before the bell after the company topped profit estimates for the quarter.
- The online travel group is projecting adjusted earnings to climb in the mid-teens range for 2026, with gross bookings seen rising 14% to 16% in the first quarter.
- Booking bumped up its quarterly dividend and gave the green light for a 25-for-1 stock split of its authorized shares.
Shares of Booking Holdings Inc jumped roughly 3% to $4,270 ahead of Thursday’s open, extending a late-session rally. The online travel agency outperformed fourth-quarter profit forecasts and shared its 2026 goals.
Investors are still probing the strength of travel demand in what’s been a patchy consumer environment. Booking’s positive bookings forecast, along with new signals on capital returns, is giving the bulls some ammunition going into the U.S. cash open.
Even so, the company’s remarks about U.S. pricing and the average trip length suggest the market isn’t firing on all cylinders—particularly when it comes to travelers watching their budgets.
Booking turned in an adjusted profit of $48.80 per share for the quarter, beating the $48.47 consensus estimate from analysts, LSEG data via Reuters showed. Revenue landed at $6.35 billion, ahead of the $6.13 billion forecast. Gross bookings jumped 16% to $43 billion. For the first quarter, the company is guiding for gross bookings growth between 14% and 16%. Looking further ahead, Booking expects adjusted earnings to grow in the mid-teens for full-year 2026. (Reuters)
On the post-earnings call, executives noted the U.S. booking window stayed stable, though they flagged “slightly lower” average daily rates and guests booking shorter stays. The average daily rate—ADR in industry terms—refers to the average revenue earned per occupied room each day.
The company’s earnings report noted its board has approved a quarterly cash dividend of $10.50 per share, set for payment on March 31 to shareholders on record as of March 6. Stock buybacks totaled $2.1 billion for the quarter ending Dec. 31, leaving $21.8 billion authorized for future repurchases. (Q4 Capital)
Chief Executive Glenn Fogel said the company remains “focused on our key priorities, especially advancing our use of Generative AI.” He highlighted cost savings from its transformation program, which are expected to help fund investment in 2026. (Q4 Capital)
Booking has signed off on a 25-for-1 stock split for its authorized common shares, with the change set to take effect April 2.
But there’s a catch—if demand slips for budget and mid-scale hotels in the U.S., room rates could take a hit, and short-lead travel often feels the pinch first when people pull back on discretionary spending. Toss currency fluctuations into the mix, and reported growth can wind up all over the map for a company so globally exposed.
Attention turns to whether Thursday’s pre-market uptick can stick once the bell rings. Eyes are also on booking and pricing momentum as the company chases its Q1 targets. Mark the calendar: March 6 is the dividend record date, March 31 brings the dividend payout, and the stock split kicks in April 2.
