Booking Holdings

{{short description|American online travel & related services company}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Booking Holdings Inc.

| former_name = {{ubl|Priceline.com Incorporated (1998–2014)|The Priceline Group Inc. (2014–2018)}}

| logo = Booking Holdings Inc. Logo.svg

| type = Public

| traded_as = {{ubl|{{NASDAQ|BKNG}}|Nasdaq-100 component|S&P 100 component|S&P 500 component}}

| founded = {{Start date and age|1996}}{{cite web |title=Booking.com: The largest selection of hotels, homes, and vacation rentals |url=https://www.booking.com/general.html?tmpl=docs%2Fabout |website=Booking.com |language=en-us}}

| founder = Jay S. Walker

| location_city = Norwalk, Connecticut

| location_country = U.S.

| key_people = {{ubl|Glenn D. Fogel (director and CEO)|Robert J. Mylod Jr. (Chair of Board)|Peter J. Millones, Jr. (General counsel)|Paulo Pisano (CHRO)}}

| industry = {{unbulleted list|Travel|Technology}}

| products = {{unbulleted list|Booking.com|Priceline.com|Agoda|Rentalcars.com|Kayak|OpenTable|Rocketmiles|FareHarbor|HotelsCombined|Cheapflights|momondo}}

| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|23.74 billion|link=yes}} (2024)

| operating_income = {{increase}} US$7.555 billion (2024)

| net_income = {{increase}} US$5.882 billion (2024)

| assets = {{up}} US$27.71 billion (2024)

| equity = {{increasenegative}} US$−4.02 billion (2024)

| num_employees = {{increase}} {{circa|24,300}} (2024)

| website = {{URL|bookingholdings.com}}

| footnotes = {{Cite web |title=Pitney Bowes 2024 10K|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1075531/000107553125000010/bkng-20241231.htm#ie43de95e17174135bd4338da6fb8fb7c_97|access-date=27 February 2025}}

}}

Booking Holdings Inc. is an American travel technology company incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law and based in Norwalk, Connecticut, that owns and operates several travel fare aggregators and travel fare metasearch engines including namesake and flagship Booking.com, Priceline.com, Agoda, Kayak, Cheapflights, Rentalcars.com, Momondo, and OpenTable. It operates websites in about 40 languages and 200 countries.

The company is ranked 243rd on the Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by revenue.{{Cite web |url=https://fortune.com/company/booking-holdings/ |title=Booking Holdings |website=Fortune | url-access=subscription}} The company primarily derives its revenue from commissions, with a small portion derived from advertising.{{cite web| url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1075531/000107553125000010/bkng-20241231.htm#ie43de95e17174135bd4338da6fb8fb7c_97 |title=Booking Holdings 2023 Annual Report Form (10-K) |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |date=February 22, 2024}} In 2023, consumers booked 1,049 million room nights of accommodation, 74 million rental car days, and 36 million airplane tickets using websites owned by Booking Holdings.{{rp|page=43}}

History

In 1996, Jay S. Walker founded the company in Stamford, Connecticut, which launched Priceline.com, an online travel site, that used a Name Your Own Price bidding model.{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB922927682927802935 | title=Priceline's Initial Public Offering Turns Founder Into Billionaire | first1=Thomas E. | last1=Weber | first2=Andrea | last2=Petersen | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=April 1, 1999 | url-access=subscription}}

In 1999, the company became a public company via an initial public offering, making Walker, who owned a 35% stake in the company, a multi-billionaire.{{cite news | url=https://nypost.com/1999/03/31/priceline-blasts-off-online-ticketing-enterprise-ipo-up-331/ | title=Priceline Blasts Off – Online Ticketing Enterprise IPO Up 3 331% | first=Beth | last=Piskora | work=The New York Post | date=March 31, 1999}} The company's launch on the NASDAQ National Market was on March 30; it first traded under the ticker symbol "PCLN".

The company experimented with selling other products and services such as groceries, gasoline, home mortgages, and cars, but these offerings were discontinued in 2000.{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-26-fi-2917-story.html | title=Priceline.com to Put Gas Up for Bid on Web | first=Nancy Rivera | last=Brooks | work=Los Angeles Times | date=October 5, 2000}}{{cite news | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/priceline-runs-out-of-gas-groceries/ | title=Priceline Runs Out of Gas, Groceries | work=CBS News | date=February 26, 2000}}

In July 2005, the company acquired Booking.com for $133 million.{{cite web | url=https://skift.com/oral-history-of-booking-acquisition/ | title=The Oral History of Travel's Greatest Acquisition: Booking.com | last=Schaal | first=Dennis | work=Skift | year=2018}}

On October 29, 2009, the company became a component of the Nasdaq-100 index.{{Cite press release| url=https://ir.nasdaq.com/news-releases/news-release-details/pricelinecom-incorporated-join-nasdaq-100-index-beginning | title=Priceline.com Incorporated to Join the Nasdaq-100 Index Beginning October 29, 2009 | publisher=Nasdaq | date=October 22, 2009}}

On April 1, 2014, the name of the company was changed from priceline.com Incorporated to The Priceline Group Inc.

In August 2017, KAYAK acquired the assets of Mundi, a Brazilian metasearch company.{{cite news | url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Kayak-acquires-Brazilian-travel-metasearch-site-Mundi | title=Kayak acquires Brazilian travel metasearch site Mundi | first=Michele | last=McDonald | work=Phocuswire | date=August 3, 2017}}{{cite news | url=https://skift.com/2017/08/04/kayak-acquires-struggling-brazilian-metasearch-company-mundi/ | title=Kayak Acquires Assets of Struggling Brazilian Metasearch Company Mundi | first=Sean | last=O'Neill | work=Skift | date=August 4, 2017}}

On February 21, 2018, the company changed its name to Booking Holdings.{{cite news | last=Josephs | first=Leslie | title=Online travel giant Priceline Group changes name to Booking Holdings | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/21/priceline-group-changes-name-to-booking-holdings.html | work=CNBC | date=February 21, 2018}}{{cite news | last=VANIAN | first=JONATHAN | title=Why Priceline Group Is Changing Its Name to Booking Holdings | url=http://fortune.com/2018/02/21/priceline-group-booking-holdings/ | work=Fortune | date=February 21, 2018}} On February 27, its ticker symbol was changed to "BKNG".

The company offered to acquire GoToGate; however, the deal was blocked by European regulators.{{Cite news | url=https://skift.com/2023/10/03/after-booking-deal-went-bust-etraveli-ceo-says-price-no-longer-in-play/ | title=After Booking Deal Went Bust, Etraveli CEO Says Price 'No Longer in Play' | first=Dennis | last=Schaal | work=Skift | date=October 3, 2023}}

Management and finances

= CEOs =

Jeffery H. Boyd was named chief executive officer in 2002 and remained in that role until becoming chairman of the board for Booking Holdings in 2013.{{cite news | url=http://www.businessinsider.com/priceline-jeff-boyd-2012-1 | title=Meet The Man Who Turned Priceline Into A $24 Billion Company | first=Kevin | last=Lincoln | work=Business Insider | date=January 19, 2012}}

Effective January 1, 2014, Darren Huston was named chief executive officer of the company, replacing Jeff Boyd.{{cite news | url=https://skift.com/2013/11/07/breaking-priceline-replaces-ceo-boyd-to-remain-chairman/ | title=Priceline Replaces CEO With Booking.com Boss | first=Jason | last=Clampet | work=Skift | date=November 7, 2013}} On April 28, 2016, Huston was forced to resign following an undisclosed personal relationship with an employee, and Boyd was named interim CEO.{{cite press release | url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/priceline-group-ceo-darren-huston-resigns-chairman-jeffery-h-boyd-appointed-interim-ceo-300259053.html | title=Priceline Group CEO Darren Huston Resigns; Chairman Jeffery H. Boyd Appointed Interim CEO | publisher=PR Newswire | date=April 28, 2016}}

Effective January 1, 2017, Glenn D. Fogel was named chief executive officer and president.{{cite press release | url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-priceline-group-names-glenn-fogel-ceo-300379379.html | title=The Priceline Group Names Glenn Fogel CEO | publisher=PR Newswire | date=December 15, 2016}}

Finances

The key trends for Booking Holdings are (as at the financial year ending December 31):{{Cite web |title=Booking Holdings Fundamentalanalyse {{!}} KGV {{!}} Kennzahlen |url=https://www.boerse.de/fundamental-analyse/Booking-Holdings-Aktie/US09857L1089 |website=boerse.de |language=de}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

!Revenue (US$ bn)

!Net profit (US$ bn)

!Total assets (US$ bn)

!Employees

2016

|10.7

|2.1

|19.8

|18.500

2017

|12.6

|2.3

|25.4

|22.900

2018

|14.5

|3.9

|22.6

|24.500

2019

|15.0

|4.8

|21.4

|26.400

2020

|6.7

|0.06

|21.8

|20.300

2021

|10.9

|1.1

|23.6

|20.300

2022

|17.0

|3.0

|25.3

|21.600

2023

|21.3

|4.2

|24.3

|23.600

2024

|23.7

|5.8

|27.7

|24.300

Acquisitions

class="wikitable sortable"
scope="col" \| # ! scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Company ! scope="col" style="width:80px;"\| Price ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Ref(s).
scope="row" \| \| {{dts\|1997}} \| Priceline.com \| \| style="text-align:center;" \|
scope="row" \| 1 \| {{dts\|2004}} \| Major stakes in Travelweb and Active Hotels \| \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite web \| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB108362212858400714 \| title=Priceline Posts Profit, Buys Travelweb \| work=The Wall Street Journal \| date=May 3, 2004 \| url-access=subscription}}
scope="row" \| 2 \| {{dts\|2005}} \| Booking.com \| $133 million \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite news \| url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Why-Pricelines-purchase-of-Booking-com-was-the-most-profitable-travel-deal-of-the-2000s \| title=Why Priceline's Purchase of Booking.com Was the Most Profitable Deal of the 2000s \| first=Sean \| last=O'Neill \| work=Phocuswire \| date=October 2, 2012}}
scope="row" \| 3 \| {{dts\|2007}} \| Agoda.com \| \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite web \| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSIN20071108160105PCLN20071108 \| title=Priceline.com Acquires Asian Online Hotel Reservation Service Company Agoda \| work=Reuters \| date=November 8, 2007}}
scope="row" \| 4 \| {{dts\|2010}} \| TravelJigsaw / Rentalcars.com \| \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite news \| url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Priceline-acquires-car-rental-firm-TravelJigsaw-as-part-of-expansion-drive \| title=Priceline Acquires Car Rental Firm Travel Jigsaw As Part of Expansion Drive \| first=Dennis \| last=Schaal \| work=Phocuswire \| date=May 18, 2010}}
scope="row" \| 5 \| {{dts\|2013}} \| Kayak.com \| $1.8 billion \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite news \| url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/11/08/priceline-com-acquires-kayak-for-1-8-billion/ \| title=Priceline.com Acquires Kayak For $1.8 Billion, Will Allow Kayak To Continue To Operate Independently \| first=Frederic \| last=Lardinois \| work=TechCrunch \| date=November 8, 2012}}
scope="row" \| 6 \| {{dts\|2014}} \| OpenTable \| $2.6 billion \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite news \| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2014/06/13/priceline-reserves-opentable-for-2-6-billion/#37e63e743892 \| first=Samantha \| last=Sharf \| title=Priceline Reserves OpenTable for 2.6 Billion \| work=Forbes \| date=June 13, 2014}}
scope="row" \| 7 \| {{dts\|2014}} \| Buuteeq and Hotel Ninjas \| $98 million \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite news \| url=https://skift.com/2014/08/11/priceline-group-paid-98-million-for-buuteeq-and-hotel-ninjas/ \| title=Priceline Group Paid $98 Million for Buuteeq and Hotel Ninjas \| first=Dennis \| last=Schaal \| work=Skift \| date=August 11, 2014}}
scope="row" \| 8 \| {{dts\|2015}} \| Rocketmiles \| \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite news \| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/blue-sky/chi-priceline-to-acquire-rocketmiles-bsi-story.html \| title=Priceline to acquire Chicago startup Rocketmiles, says report \| first1=Amina \| last1=Elahi \| first2=Gregory \| last2=Karp \| work=Chicago Tribune \| date=February 19, 2015 \| url-access=subscription}}
scope="row" \| 9 \| {{dts\|2017}} \| Momondo and Cheapflights \| $550 million \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite press release \| url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-priceline-group-completes-the-acquisition-of-momondo-group-300492526.html \| title=The Priceline Group Completes the Acquisition of Momondo Group \| publisher=PR Newswire \| date=July 24, 2017}}
scope="row" \| 10 \| {{dts\|2017}} \| Mundi \| \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite news \| url=https://skift.com/2017/08/04/kayak-acquires-struggling-brazilian-metasearch-company-mundi/ \| title=Kayak Acquires Assets of Struggling Brazilian Metasearch Company Mundi \| work=Skift \| last=O'Neill \| first=Sean \| date=4 August 2017}}
scope="row" \| 11 \| {{dts\|2018}} \| FareHarbor \| $250 million \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite press release \|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/booking-holdings-announces-it-has-signed-an-agreement-to-acquire-fareharbor-300632814.html \|title=Booking Holdings Announces it has Signed an Agreement to Acquire FareHarbor \| publisher=PR Newswire \|date=April 19, 2018}}
scope="row" \| 12 \| {{dts\|2018}} \| Minority stake in DiDi \| $500 million \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite news \|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1K70TH/ \| title=China's Didi gets $500 million funding from Booking.com parent \| first=Cate \| last=Cadell \| work=Reuters \| date=July 17, 2018}}
scope="row" \| 13 \| {{dts\|2018}} \| HotelsCombined \| $140 million \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite news \| url=https://skift.com/2018/08/13/booking-holdings-bought-hotelscombined-for-only-140-million/ \|title=Booking Holdings Bought HotelsCombined for Only $140 Million \| first=Dennis \| last=Schaal \| work=Skift \| date=August 13, 2018}}
scope="row" \| 14 \| {{dts\|2019}} \| Venga \| \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{cite press release \|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/booking-holdings-agrees-to-acquire-venga-300842570.html \|title=Booking Holdings Agrees to Acquire Venga \| publisher=PR Newswire \|date=May 2, 2019}}
scope="row" \| 15 \| {{dts\|2022}} \| Getaroom \| $1.2 billion \| style="text-align:center;" \| {{Cite news \| url=https://skift.com/2021/11/12/booking-holdings-buys-getaroom-for-1-2-billion-to-build-partnerships-business/ \| title=Booking Holdings Buys Getaroom for $1.2 Billion to Expand Partnerships \| first=Dennis \| last=Schaal \| work=Skift \| date=November 12, 2021}}

class="wikitable sortable"

scope="col" | #

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Company

! scope="col" style="width:80px;"| Price

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Ref(s).

scope="row"

| {{dts|1997}}

| Priceline.com

| style="text-align:center;" |

scope="row"

| 1

| {{dts|2004}}

| Major stakes in Travelweb and Active Hotels

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite web | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB108362212858400714 | title=Priceline Posts Profit, Buys Travelweb | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=May 3, 2004 | url-access=subscription}}

scope="row"

| 2

| {{dts|2005}}

| Booking.com

| $133 million

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news | url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Why-Pricelines-purchase-of-Booking-com-was-the-most-profitable-travel-deal-of-the-2000s | title=Why Priceline's Purchase of Booking.com Was the Most Profitable Deal of the 2000s | first=Sean | last=O'Neill | work=Phocuswire | date=October 2, 2012}}

scope="row"

| 3

| {{dts|2007}}

| Agoda.com

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite web | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSIN20071108160105PCLN20071108 | title=Priceline.com Acquires Asian Online Hotel Reservation Service Company Agoda | work=Reuters | date=November 8, 2007}}

scope="row"

| 4

| {{dts|2010}}

| TravelJigsaw / Rentalcars.com

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news | url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Priceline-acquires-car-rental-firm-TravelJigsaw-as-part-of-expansion-drive | title=Priceline Acquires Car Rental Firm Travel Jigsaw As Part of Expansion Drive | first=Dennis | last=Schaal | work=Phocuswire | date=May 18, 2010}}

scope="row"

| 5

| {{dts|2013}}

| Kayak.com

| $1.8 billion

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/11/08/priceline-com-acquires-kayak-for-1-8-billion/ | title=Priceline.com Acquires Kayak For $1.8 Billion, Will Allow Kayak To Continue To Operate Independently | first=Frederic | last=Lardinois | work=TechCrunch | date=November 8, 2012}}

scope="row"

| 6

| {{dts|2014}}

| OpenTable

| $2.6 billion

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2014/06/13/priceline-reserves-opentable-for-2-6-billion/#37e63e743892 | first=Samantha | last=Sharf | title=Priceline Reserves OpenTable for 2.6 Billion | work=Forbes | date=June 13, 2014}}

scope="row"

| 7

| {{dts|2014}}

| Buuteeq and Hotel Ninjas

| $98 million

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news | url=https://skift.com/2014/08/11/priceline-group-paid-98-million-for-buuteeq-and-hotel-ninjas/ | title=Priceline Group Paid $98 Million for Buuteeq and Hotel Ninjas | first=Dennis | last=Schaal | work=Skift | date=August 11, 2014}}

scope="row"

| 8

| {{dts|2015}}

| Rocketmiles

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/blue-sky/chi-priceline-to-acquire-rocketmiles-bsi-story.html | title=Priceline to acquire Chicago startup Rocketmiles, says report | first1=Amina | last1=Elahi | first2=Gregory | last2=Karp | work=Chicago Tribune | date=February 19, 2015 | url-access=subscription}}

scope="row"

| 9

| {{dts|2017}}

| Momondo and Cheapflights

| $550 million

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite press release | url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-priceline-group-completes-the-acquisition-of-momondo-group-300492526.html | title=The Priceline Group Completes the Acquisition of Momondo Group | publisher=PR Newswire | date=July 24, 2017}}

scope="row"

| 10

| {{dts|2017}}

| Mundi

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news | url=https://skift.com/2017/08/04/kayak-acquires-struggling-brazilian-metasearch-company-mundi/ | title=Kayak Acquires Assets of Struggling Brazilian Metasearch Company Mundi | work=Skift | last=O'Neill | first=Sean | date=4 August 2017}}

scope="row"

| 11

| {{dts|2018}}

| FareHarbor

| $250 million

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/booking-holdings-announces-it-has-signed-an-agreement-to-acquire-fareharbor-300632814.html |title=Booking Holdings Announces it has Signed an Agreement to Acquire FareHarbor | publisher=PR Newswire |date=April 19, 2018}}

scope="row"

| 12

| {{dts|2018}}

| Minority stake in DiDi

| $500 million

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1K70TH/ | title=China's Didi gets $500 million funding from Booking.com parent | first=Cate | last=Cadell | work=Reuters | date=July 17, 2018}}

scope="row"

| 13

| {{dts|2018}}

| HotelsCombined

| $140 million

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite news | url=https://skift.com/2018/08/13/booking-holdings-bought-hotelscombined-for-only-140-million/ |title=Booking Holdings Bought HotelsCombined for Only $140 Million | first=Dennis | last=Schaal | work=Skift | date=August 13, 2018}}

scope="row"

| 14

| {{dts|2019}}

| Venga

| style="text-align:center;" | {{cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/booking-holdings-agrees-to-acquire-venga-300842570.html |title=Booking Holdings Agrees to Acquire Venga | publisher=PR Newswire |date=May 2, 2019}}

scope="row"

| 15

| {{dts|2022}}

| Getaroom

| $1.2 billion

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Cite news | url=https://skift.com/2021/11/12/booking-holdings-buys-getaroom-for-1-2-billion-to-build-partnerships-business/ | title=Booking Holdings Buys Getaroom for $1.2 Billion to Expand Partnerships | first=Dennis | last=Schaal | work=Skift | date=November 12, 2021}}