Islanders and tourists excited about reduced price to leave P.E.I.
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CTV News
10 minutes ago
- CTV News
Indian fare always a favourite at Royal St. John's Regatta
Volunteers with the Hindu Temple in St. John's have been organizing a take out food stand at the regatta for more than 50 years — first beginning in the 1980s. Of the thousands of visitors who will trek to the Royal St. John's Regatta Wednesday, many have a single main attraction on their mind: The long-running Hindu Temple food stand that's become a staple of the event. Volunteers with the Hindu Temple in St. John's have been organizing a take out food stand at the regatta for more than 50 years — first beginning in the 1980s. The Indian fare attracts hundreds every year: So much so that even when the regatta, and the linked public holiday, is moved for poor weather, there's still enough demand for the food, that the sale can continue regardless. 'There are people who are returning just for this, every year' said Mini Nair, in a quick interview with CTV News between plating up dishes inside the tent. St. John's Proceeds from the sale of the food support the operations of the Hindu Temple in St. John's. Nair estimated volunteers with the Hindu Temple will serve between 2,000 to 2,500 meals on Wednesday. They're all vegetarian and classic Indian dishes: potato curry, chickpea curry, Naan bread, Samosas, and vegetable Biryani. 'We are really busy,' Nair said. 'There's not a single time when we are just sitting idle.' Proceeds from the sale of the food support the operations of the Hindu Temple in St. John's. Though the Royal St. John's Regatta is organized around rowing races, many of the spectators have food on their mind when they head down to Quidi Vidi lake. 'The Hindu Temple is my favourite,' said one mother while wrangling her son, Sandy, towards another game down by the lake. 'There's a lot of food trucks here, it's just really fun.' The unique public holiday can be delayed when weather conditions make rowing races unfavourable. On Wednesday, however, clear skies and a relatively light breeze meant the races were a 'go,' and most workplaces throughout St. John's were shut down. That was good news for the thousands in the city who stayed up late at a concert in Churchill Square, featuring The Killers, or other events and bars across St. John's. The Royal St. John's Regatta is more than 200 years old. Organizers say it's one of the oldest continuously-running sporting events in North America. Aside from it's weather dependence, it's also one of the few competitive rowing events featuring the fixed-seat style of rowing. For the dozens of community groups who set up tents to sell food or run games of skill or chance, it's also a very important fundraising day. Nair says the Hindu Temple has earned it's reputation as a landmark of Regatta Day. 'I think it's because we make fresh food and it's yummy and we make it with love.'
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Booking (BKNG) Q2 EPS Jumps 32%
Key Points Adjusted EPS of $55.40 beat expectations by 10% in Q2 2025, with GAAP revenue of $6.8 billion was also ahead of estimates. Room nights grew 8%, while gross bookings and flights posted strong double-digit growth; Connected Trip and direct bookings advanced. GAAP net income fell sharply due to foreign currency and higher debt costs, despite underlying business gains. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Booking Holdings (NASDAQ:BKNG), known for its global portfolio of online travel brands, released second quarter 2025 results on July 29, 2025. The biggest news: the company outperformed expectations for both adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and revenue (GAAP), reporting adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $55.40 against estimates of $50.32, and GAAP revenue of $6.8 billion versus an expected $6.55 billion. While adjusted profit and revenue were up strongly from the prior year, headline net income and GAAP EPS dropped, reflecting large negative impacts from foreign currency changes and higher interest expenses. Overall, it was a quarter of robust operating growth and strong cash generation, but with notable pressure on reported profitability caused by external financial factors. Metric Q2 2025 Q2 2025 Estimate Q2 2024 Y/Y Change EPS (Non-GAAP) $55.40 $50.32 $41.90 32 % EPS (GAAP) $27.43 $44.38 (38 %) Revenue $6.8 billion $6.55 billion $5.9 billion 16 % Adjusted EBITDA $2.4 billion $1.9 billion 26 % Free Cash Flow $3.1 billion $2.38 billion 30 % Source: Analyst estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet. What Booking Holdings Does and Where It Focuses Booking Holdings operates an extensive online travel platform spanning brands like Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK (travel search), and OpenTable (restaurant reservations). Through these services, it enables users worldwide to book accommodations, flights, car rentals, attractions, and dining. Over 220 countries and territories are served across its portfolio, making it a major player in global travel and hospitality. Currently, the company is focused on five fronts: expanding its brand presence, advancing artificial intelligence and technology for a more connected travel experience, deepening relationships with travel service partners, maintaining compliance with evolving regulations, and competing against both traditional and online-first rivals. Success hinges on growing direct bookings, integrating AI-driven trip features, and maintaining an attractive inventory and loyalty offerings such as the Genius program. Quarter Highlights: Growth, Margins, and Strategy The period saw notable growth in key operating categories. Room nights booked climbed 8% to 309 million, and gross bookings reached $46.7 billion, an increase of 13%. Notably, flights surged 44%, underscoring the momentum in expanding beyond traditional hotel bookings. Alternative accommodation nights also continued to grow at a low double-digit rate. The Connected Trip initiative, which integrates accommodations, flights, car rentals, and attractions into a single itinerary, made more advances. Connected Trip transactions represented a low double-digit percentage of total transactions, and grew over 30% year-over-year. The company's direct channel mix, representing bookings through its own platforms rather than third parties, reached the mid-fifties as a percentage of room nights over the trailing four quarters. Operationally, margins improved in adjusted results. Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 35.6%, up from 32.4% in Q2 2024, as revenue growth outpaced operating expenses. Marketing expenses as a percentage of gross bookings was 4.6%, reflecting more bookings coming through direct and loyalty channels. Free cash flow (non-GAAP) saw a substantial rise, powered by strong underlying demand and careful expense control. However, GAAP net income dropped sharply, with the net income margin down to 13.2 % from 26.0 % last year. The primary drivers were unfavorable foreign currency swings—particularly losses on euro-denominated debt totaling $961 million, compared to a gain in the year-ago period—and higher interest costs tied to convertible debt. These factors weigh on bottom-line earnings as reported under U.S. accounting rules. Product, Technology, and Partnerships The company's major brands, including Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK (travel search), and OpenTable (restaurant reservations), all contributed to expanding its reach. expanded its alternative accommodation listings by 9% year-over-year. Direct bookings continued to make up an increasing share of room nights thanks to user adoption of apps and the Genius loyalty program, whose higher tiers now represent over 30% of active travelers. On the technology side, investment in generative artificial intelligence (AI) continues across the brands. The company has released new AI-powered trip planners and conversational agents, such as ' and 'Penny' for Priceline, designed to simplify planning and booking for travelers. Management reported Connected Trip transactions now make up a low double-digit percentage of transactions and up over 30% year-over-year. Integrating multiple travel services through AI is a core part of its product strategy. Partnerships have broadened inventory and supplier engagement, including more listings in alternative accommodations and flights, and new collaborations, such as OpenTable's integration with Uber. The Genius loyalty program gives suppliers access to highly engaged customers, supporting higher direct booking rates and frequency. Management indicated ongoing scrutiny around customer data, the use of AI, and the global nature of operations. The leadership acknowledged heightened competition, especially in alternative accommodations, but pointed to the company's record of outpacing growth by key rivals in this area for 16 of the last 17 quarters. Outlook and What to Watch Next Looking to the next period, management projected room nights to grow between 3.5% and 5.5%, with gross bookings up 8% to 10%, and revenue rising 7 % to 9 %. Adjusted EBITDA is expected in the range of $3.9 billion to $4.0 billion. For FY2025, the company anticipates revenue to grow at a high single-digit rate and adjusted EBITDA to grow at a mid-teens percentage, with room nights expected to grow in the low to mid single-digit range. While demand remained steady through July, management cautioned that year-over-year growth rates are likely to moderate as the company laps a very strong performance during last year's travel season. There are also signs of cautiousness among U.S. consumers, with average length of stay and booking behavior shifting slightly. Macro and geopolitical risks—including currency fluctuations and interest rate exposure—also remain areas to watch. The company's board declared a quarterly dividend of $9.60 per share, and $1.3 billion in share repurchases were completed. Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted. Where to invest $1,000 right now When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,039%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available when you join Stock Advisor. *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Dine at Fairmont Chateau Laurier's La Terrasse
Ottawa Watch We give you a sneak peek at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier's La Terrasse where sunshine, stunning views, and delicious delights await!
