Booking Holdings Inc.BKNG
NasdaqGS•Consumer Cyclical•Travel Services
Understand cash generation quality and how management allocates capital.
Free cash flow was $3.11B in the latest quarter (1.7% decrease YoY). FCF margin is 11.2%. Shares outstanding declined by 3.8% year-over-year, indicating buybacks (returning capital to shareholders). Free cash flow is the lifeblood of a business — it funds dividends, buybacks, debt reduction, and reinvestment without relying on external capital.
Free cash flow, earnings quality, and capital allocation