Articles tagged “ipo”

On the road toward its IPO, Airbnb has engaged in nonstop publicity about its efforts to crack down on house parties. Another less-noticed part of that effort is when Airbnb blocks these bookings of whole homes, it encourages users to book hotels instead.

You wouldn’t call DoorDash the world’s largest restaurant operator. So don’t make the same mistake with Airbnb — there is an important difference between distribution platforms and their suppliers.

Airbnb's proposed December timing for an initial public offering could be dicey because the U.S. presidential election and its aftermath is such a wild card at this point. Still, a $3 billion funding infusion could help Airbnb pay down the high-interest private equity debt that it raised earlier this year.

Despite Brian Chesky’s rhetoric about Airbnb needing to return to its local connections mission and roots, the economics point to Airbnb needing Domio- and Sonder-like listings. Even if it means negative publicity pre-IPO.

Airbnb looks to be cleaning up some overhangs before its anticipated initial public offering, including being fairly aggressive about promoting its crackdown on wayward house parties in its rentals. In case investors ask about the issue, Airbnb has an answer.

The next chapter in the Airbnb story began today. There will be a lot more drama to come.

If the future of travel will tilt toward non-urban destinations, which are not Airbnb's strength, its stock market registration papers will have to show how the company is addressing that weakness.

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said last year he could see his company going public in 2020. What he didn't see was a world turned upside down by a pandemic. If Airbnb ends up trading as a public stock in the coming months, it will be a story for the ages.

Greg O'Hara and Noam Gottesman will be shopping for a winner, but unlike early stage investors, they can hunt for a travel company with an extensive track record. In the midst of a global pandemic, this is not a done deal, but you can bet a deal will get done.

Tapping one person to head "hosting" for both homes and experiences isn't the most savvy of moves. Airbnb has a ton of work to do to mend relations with alienated home rental hosts. Experience hosting is likewise complex — and a very different animal.