Airbnb forecasts second-quarter revenue below estimates, flags softening US travel demand
May 1 (Reuters) - Vacation rental platform Airbnb (ABNB.O), opens new tab on Thursday forecast second-quarter revenue largely below Wall Street estimates and signaled softening demand in the U.S. as an erratic trade policy hammers consumer sentiment and sparks worries over growth.
Shares of the company fell 2% in after-market trading.
The company expects second-quarter revenue between $2.99 billion and $3.05 billion, the midpoint of which is below analysts' estimates of $3.04 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Over the last two months, Delta Airlines (DAL.N), opens new tab warned travel demand has "largely stalled" while hotel operator Hilton (HLT.N), opens new tab indicated travelers were in a "wait-and see" mode, as President Donald Trump's on-again off-again tariffs take a toll.
Nights and experiences booked during the first quarter rose 8% to 143.1 million on a global basis. Excluding North America, bookings were up 11% from a year earlier.
The U.S. comprises a vast majority of the San Francisco-based company's North America business, which contributes about 30% to nights booked on its platform.
Airbnb said it expects average daily rate, or the rental revenue earned for an occupied room per day, to remain flat in the second quarter and core profit margin to be slightly down from a year earlier.
It also expects moderation in the year-over-year growth rate of the nights booked in the current quarter from the first.
Total revenue for the first quarter rose 6% to $2.27 billion.
However, net income slumped 41.7% to $154 million due to higher headcount, write-downs of certain historical investments in privately held companies and lower interest income.
The short-term rental company reiterated its ambitions to become a more diversified travel provider. Last quarter, Airbnb said it would invest $200 million to $250 million in 2025 as part of that plan. It is expected to announce a new business later on May 13.
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