Airbnb Inc. (ABNB) shares tumbled 6.21% in pre-market trading on Thursday, following the company's second-quarter earnings report and cautious outlook for the remainder of 2025.
Despite beating analyst expectations for Q2, with revenue rising 13% year-over-year to $3.1 billion and earnings per share of $1.03 surpassing the estimated $0.93, investors focused on Airbnb's warnings about future growth and profitability.
The vacation rental platform forecasted third-quarter revenue between $4.02 billion and $4.10 billion, in line with Wall Street expectations. However, the company cautioned that adjusted EBITDA margins "will be lower than in Q3 2024, primarily due to investments in new growth and policy initiatives."
More concerning for investors was Airbnb's outlook for the latter half of 2025. The company stated, "We expect a tougher year-over-year comparison toward the end of the quarter. This dynamic will continue into Q4, putting pressure on growth rates later in the year." This suggests that Airbnb's post-pandemic recovery may be moderating, leading to slower growth in the coming months.
The company attributed these challenges to tough comparisons with the previous year, which saw strong bookings in Asia and Latin America. Airbnb's CFO, Ellie Mertz, explained that the company is facing an elevated benchmark as it heads into the back half of 2025, with Q4 2024 showing over 12% growth in nights booked.
While Airbnb remains optimistic about its long-term prospects, including expansion into new services and experiences, the market's reaction indicates concerns about the company's near-term growth trajectory and profitability as it increases investments in new initiatives.