Sabre (NASDAQ:SABR) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

Sabre (NASDAQ:SABR) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The information technology services provider reported $0.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.05) by $0.11, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $760.33 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $739.02 million.

Here are the key takeaways from Sabre’s conference call:

• Q1 outperformance: Revenue grew ~8% and Normalized Adjusted EBITDA rose 21% to $169 million, with margin expansion of roughly 235 basis points to ~22%, beating prior guidance.
• Middle East and fuel headwinds: Sabre said ~11% of air bookings touch the Middle East and that March experienced an ~7 percentage-point hit to air distribution bookings (conflict + fuel), contributing to softness in March/April.
• Updated bookings outlook: The company now expects full-year 2026 air distribution bookings and revenue to grow in the low- to mid-single-digit range, with Q2 near-flat bookings, improving in a phased recovery into H2; pro forma Adjusted EBITDA (~$585M) and free cash flow (~ -$70M) were reaffirmed.
• Product and AI momentum: Sabre highlighted traction in agentic AI (ChatGPT plugin for Virgin Australia, Mindtrip + PayPal live, >30 partners in pilots), plus strong Payments and Lodging growth (Payment Suite revenue +25% to $13M; gross spend ~ $6B, up >40%).
• Cash flow and balance sheet: Q1 free cash flow was negative $155M (higher interest and severance), but the company finished with $665M cash, no large debt maturities until 2029, and reiterated full-year FCF guidance.

Sabre Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:SABR traded down $0.01 on Friday, hitting $2.06. The company had a trading volume of 10,927,045 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,784,197. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $1.61 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $1.53. The firm has a market capitalization of $814.06 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 1.01. Sabre has a 1 year low of $0.81 and a 1 year high of $3.52.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sabre

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of SABR. Diligent Investors LLC purchased a new stake in Sabre in the third quarter worth about $35,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Sabre by 970.5% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 24,665 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 22,361 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC raised its position in shares of Sabre by 208.2% in the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 35,394 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 23,911 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its position in shares of Sabre by 214.1% in the 4th quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 38,134 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 25,993 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Sabre in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $71,000. 89.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $2.00 target price on shares of Sabre in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $1.50 price target on shares of Sabre in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Sabre from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $1.97.

Trending Headlines about Sabre

Here are the key news stories impacting Sabre this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Sabre posted Q1 2026 EPS of $0.06 versus expectations for a loss of $0.05, while revenue of $760.3 million also topped estimates. The beat was driven by stronger air bookings, higher rates, and improved EBITDA. Article: Sabre Shares Soar 22% as Q1 Earnings and Revenues Crush Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: The company said it expects about $130 million of pro forma adjusted EBITDA in Q2 2026 and reaffirmed its $585 million full-year outlook, signaling continued momentum and stable execution. Article: Sabre anticipates Q2 2026 pro forma adjusted EBITDA of about $130M while reaffirming $585M full-year outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Some commentary on the results highlighted a credible turnaround story: Q1 EBITDA rose 21%, Payment Suite revenue grew 25%, and a large stake from Constellation Software was cited as validation of Sabre’s strategy. Article: Sabre: Turnaround Is Gaining Altitude Despite AI Fears And Debt Risks
• Neutral Sentiment: Sabre also disclosed its first-quarter earnings materials and conference-call documents, which mainly provided additional detail on the quarter rather than new market-moving news. Article: Sabre’s first quarter 2026 earnings materials available on its Investor Relations website
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are still watching debt levels and competitive pressure in airline technology, including a report that Sabre is accusing Amadeus of blocking competition, which adds legal and industry uncertainty. Article: Sabre Claims Amadeus Blocks Competition in Airline Technology

About Sabre

Sabre Corporation is a leading travel technology company that provides software, data, mobile and distribution solutions to the global travel industry. Through its Sabre travel marketplace, the company operates one of the world’s principal global distribution systems (GDS), connecting travel buyers and suppliers across airlines, hotels, car rental companies and other travel providers. Sabre’s suite of products includes reservation and ticketing systems for travel agencies, comprehensive airline operations and passenger services solutions, as well as hospitality property management and central reservation systems for hotels.

Established in 1960 as a joint venture between American Airlines and IBM, Sabre introduced one of the first computerized airline reservation systems, pioneering the automation of ticketing and inventory control.