Leading technology provider Sabre Corporation (SABR) services the wholesale side of the global online travel market, explains David Fried, whose aptly named newsletter The Buyback Letter focuses exclusively on stocks undergoing significant buyback and share repurchase programs.
Sabre's software, data, mobile and distribution system are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage operations including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, network and crew management.
Sabre also operates a leading global travel marketplace, which processes more than $120 billion of global travel annually by connecting travel buyers and suppliers. HQ is in Southlake, Texas, and Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.
Sabre’s travel marketplace has more than 420 airlines, 750,000 hotel properties, and hundreds of tour operators, rail, car and cruise providers, which enables it to sell personalized travel packages from suppliers all over the world.
Travel companies and agencies that have tech agreements with Sabre access the marketplace through the new Sabre Red 360 agency system and the latest data analytics, personalization and automation capabilities, which makes it simple to shop, book and manage travel content.
Sabre’s biggest unit, which includes the global distribution system, is the Travel Network, which offers a global marketplace for businesses, including airlines, hotels and cruise lines.
Airline Solutions helps airline customers better market, sell, serve and operate. Another business, Hospitality Solutions, provides services tailored to the hotel market.
SABR has a market cap of about $5.5 billion. The company reported Q1 net income of $56.9 million, with net income of 20 cents per share. Earnings came to 34 cents per share, which beat Wall Street expectations.
Revenue was $1.05 billion. Sabre expects full-year revenue in the range of $3.97-$4.05 billion. Shares outstanding have been reduced by 5.23% in the last 12 months.
