Can Priceline's Hotel Bookings Beam Up More Amazing Growth? | Forbes
Leading online travel agency Priceline is set to announce its Q2 2013 earnings on August 8. Despite uncertain global economic conditions, Priceline reported strong results in Q1 2013 with 26% y-o-y increase in revenues ($1.3 billion). The robust growth in its international business contributed to a 36% y-o-y increase in total gross bookings ($9.2 billion), and the 43% annual growth in international bookings was driven by a strong global portfolio.
The online travel agency completed the acquisition of Kayak, the leading meta-search company in the U.S., in the second quarter. It also experienced Easter falling earlier this year (in Q1) compared to 2012, which means its gross bookings and revenue figures will face tougher annual comparisons. Nevertheless, we feel that the company’s expanding international footprint, robust growth in hotel reservations, and investment in developing alternative user platforms and brand-building, position it well to leverage future growth in the OTA industry.