Will Weakness in Airbnb, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ABNB) Stock Prove Temporary Given Strong Fundamentals?

It is hard to get excited after looking at Airbnb's (NASDAQ:ABNB) recent performance, when its stock has declined 15% over the past three months. However, stock prices are usually driven by a company’s financial performance over the long term, which in this case looks quite promising. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Airbnb's ROE today.

Return on equity or ROE is an important factor to be considered by a shareholder because it tells them how effectively their capital is being reinvested. Simply put, it is used to assess the profitability of a company in relation to its equity capital.

Advertisement

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Airbnb is:

31% = US$2.6b ÷ US$8.4b (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024).

The 'return' is the yearly profit. One way to conceptualize this is that for each $1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made $0.31 in profit.

View our latest analysis for Airbnb

What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth?

So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. We now need to evaluate how much profit the company reinvests or "retains" for future growth which then gives us an idea about the growth potential of the company. Assuming all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that don't have the same features.

A Side By Side comparison of Airbnb's Earnings Growth And 31% ROE

To begin with, Airbnb has a pretty high ROE which is interesting. Additionally, the company's ROE is higher compared to the industry average of 15% which is quite remarkable. As a result, Airbnb's exceptional 63% net income growth seen over the past five years, doesn't come as a surprise.

We then compared Airbnb's net income growth with the industry and we're pleased to see that the company's growth figure is higher when compared with the industry which has a growth rate of 33% in the same 5-year period.

past-earnings-growth
NasdaqGS:ABNB Past Earnings Growth April 21st 2025

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. Is Airbnb fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

Is Airbnb Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

Airbnb doesn't pay any regular dividends currently which essentially means that it has been reinvesting all of its profits into the business. This definitely contributes to the high earnings growth number that we discussed above.

Conclusion

Overall, we are quite pleased with Airbnb's performance. In particular, it's great to see that the company is investing heavily into its business and along with a high rate of return, that has resulted in a sizeable growth in its earnings. That being so, a study of the latest analyst forecasts show that the company is expected to see a slowdown in its future earnings growth. To know more about the company's future earnings growth forecasts take a look at this free report on analyst forecasts for the company to find out more.

New: Manage All Your Stock Portfolios in One Place

We've created the ultimate portfolio companion for stock investors, and it's free.

• Connect an unlimited number of Portfolios and see your total in one currency
• Be alerted to new Warning Signs or Risks via email or mobile
• Track the Fair Value of your stocks

Try a Demo Portfolio for Free

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

About NasdaqGS:ABNB

Airbnb

Operates a platform for stays, experiences, and services worldwide.

Flawless balance sheet and fair value.

Advertisement

Weekly Picks

ST
stuart_roberts
UG logo
stuart_roberts on Upside Gold ·

An Undervalued 3.3Moz Gold Project in Canada

Fair Value:CA$5.0768.0% undervalued
287 users have followed this narrative
1 users have commented on this narrative
42 users have liked this narrative
GO
QS logo
GoldenSands on QuantumScape ·

QuantumScape: A Mispriced Deep‑Tech Inflection Point With Multi‑Billion‑Dollar Optionality

Fair Value:US$8591.3% undervalued
98 users have followed this narrative
2 users have commented on this narrative
28 users have liked this narrative
TO
Tokyo
ABI logo
Tokyo on Anheuser-Busch InBev ·

EU#8 - Anheuser-Busch InBev: Courage, Capital, and the Discipline to Build an Empire

Fair Value:€89.4524.2% undervalued
8 users have followed this narrative
3 users have commented on this narrative
4 users have liked this narrative
OS
oscargarcia
AMZN logo
oscargarcia on Amazon.com ·

The capitalist colossus that makes your parcels magically appear, powers half the internet, and knows your shopping habits.

Fair Value:US$2803.2% undervalued
62 users have followed this narrative
1 users have commented on this narrative
2 users have liked this narrative

Updated Narratives

HE
HedgeY
NWRN logo
HedgeY on Newron Pharmaceuticals ·

Still A Binary Phase III Bet on Evenamide

Fair Value:CHF 1824.4% undervalued
1 users have followed this narrative
0 users have commented on this narrative
0 users have liked this narrative
HE
HedgeY
KIN logo
HedgeY on Kinepolis Group ·

A Premium Cinema Operator With a Quietly Compounding Cash Machine

Fair Value:€3515.1% undervalued
1 users have followed this narrative
0 users have commented on this narrative
0 users have liked this narrative
HE
HedgeY
KOS logo
HedgeY on Kosmos Energy ·

A Leveraged Bet on Offshore Cash Flow and Balance-Sheet Repair

Fair Value:US$4.2532.0% undervalued
1 users have followed this narrative
0 users have commented on this narrative
0 users have liked this narrative

Popular Narratives

GO
QS logo
GoldenSands on QuantumScape ·

QuantumScape: A Mispriced Deep‑Tech Inflection Point With Multi‑Billion‑Dollar Optionality

Fair Value:US$8591.3% undervalued
98 users have followed this narrative
2 users have commented on this narrative
28 users have liked this narrative
KI
NVDA logo
Kingman1152 on NVIDIA ·

NVIDIA will see a profit margin surge of 55% in the next 5 years

Fair Value:US$305.229.5% undervalued
69 users have followed this narrative
2 users have commented on this narrative
24 users have liked this narrative
AN
AnalystConsensusTarget
MSFT logo
AnalystConsensusTarget on Microsoft ·

Analyst Commentary Highlights Microsoft AI Momentum and Upward Valuation Amid Growth and Competitive Risks

Fair Value:US$561.9326.1% undervalued
1399 users have followed this narrative
2 users have commented on this narrative
12 users have liked this narrative