Updates

Hostelworld - New platform launches could see margins take-off

May 2026

Investing in shares may lose you all or some of your money. Past performance is no indication of future performance. Some of the shares recommended here may be small company shares, which can be relatively illiquid and hard to trade and this makes such shares more risky than other investments.

Hostelworld is the leading online travel agency focused on the backpacker segment. It connects budget travellers with hostels and affordable accommodation worldwide through a powerful digital platform that combines search, booking and growing social features. While neurotic markets have hammered the shares on any hint of near-term risk, the underlying business remains robust. H1 25 was admittedly soft, but a strong acceleration in H2 was seen, although elevated cost-per-click and increased growth investment caused pre-tax profit to ease from €17.5m to €14.3m (EPS 11.6 cents). The positives were many fold. Social member bookings - which cost nothing in marketing and generate higher conversion and spending - increased from ...

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Hostelworld - Acquires OccasionGenius (December 2025)

Hostelworld - Eyes 18x increase in total addressable market; €20m firepower for M&A (July 2025)

Hostelworld - EBITDA margins rocket from 20% to 24% (March 2025)

Hostelworld - Bank debt, which peaked at €21.2m, now paid off (December 2024)

Hostelworld - Net debt drops to €2.6m (October 2024)

Hostelworld - Results beat even upgraded guidance (May 2024)

Hostelworld - Results beat forecasts, debt down (March 2024)

Hostelworld - Blow-out 43% bookings growth drives upgrades (December 2023)

Hostelworld - New social platform drives 50% forecast upgrade (October 2023)

Hostelworld (October 2022)

Hostelworld (October 2021)

Hostelworld (May 2021)

Hostelworld (March 2021)

Hostelworld (October 2020)

Hostelworld (August 2020)

Hostelworld (May 2020)

Hostelworld (April 2020)

Hostelworld (October 2019)

Hostelworld (June 2019)

Hostelword (November 2018)

Hostelworld (July 2018)

Hostelworld (March 2018)

Hostelworld - 10% rise in bookings (October 2017)

Hostelworld - Largest online provider of hostel accommodation enjoying rapid growth (June 2017)

Hostelworld - Online disruptor for hostels enjoying strong margin growth (May 2017)

With small companies there is an above average degree of risk compared to buying blue chips. Please be aware that we have not assessed the suitability of any of these investments for you. The newsletter simply states a personal view and diarises the editor’s investment decisions. Please speak to your stockbroker or other qualified individual to ascertain whether any of these companies mentioned would form useful additions to your own portfolios. Past performance is no indication of future success.

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