Hostelworld Group PLC (GB:HSW)
LSE:HSW
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Hostelworld
(LSE:HSW)
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Rating:61Neutral
Price Target:
116.00 p
â–¼(-8.30% Downside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:03/28/26
The score is primarily supported by improved profitability and strong recent cash generation, indicating a healthier business than in 2020–2022. This is tempered by a clearly bearish technical setup (price below key moving averages with weak momentum) and mixed valuation (P/E ~25.9 with a modest ~0.74% dividend yield).
Positive Factors
Cash generation strength
Consistent positive operating cash flow and a strong free-cash-flow rebound in 2025 provide durable funding for platform investment, working capital and buybacks/dividends without needing frequent external financing. Reliable cash conversion supports resilience through travel cycles and funds marketplace improvements that sustain long-term competitiveness.
Negative Factors
Recent revenue contraction
A sharp revenue decline (~17% in 2025) is a durable concern: top-line shrinkage reduces network effects in a two-sided marketplace, limits scale benefits and constrains reinvestment capacity. Persistent revenue weakness undermines margin sustainability and raises execution risk for restoring consistent growth over the next several quarters.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Cash generation strength
Consistent positive operating cash flow and a strong free-cash-flow rebound in 2025 provide durable funding for platform investment, working capital and buybacks/dividends without needing frequent external financing. Reliable cash conversion supports resilience through travel cycles and funds marketplace improvements that sustain long-term competitiveness.
Read all positive factors
Hostelworld (HSW) vs. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWC)
Market Cap
£135.62M
Dividend Yield0.6%
Average Volume (3M)123.31K
Price to Earnings (P/E)7.5
Beta (1Y)0.45
Revenue Growth3.16%
EPS Growth-21.30%
CountryUK
Employees227
SectorConsumer Cyclical
Sector Strength84
IndustryTravel Services
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)0.06
Shares Outstanding123,854,760
10 Day Avg. Volume80,291
30 Day Avg. Volume123,313
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio-1.07
Price to Book (P/B)2.44
Price to Sales (P/S)1.94
P/FCF Ratio9.87
Enterprise Value/Market CapN/A
Enterprise Value/RevenueN/A
Enterprise Value/Gross ProfitN/A
Enterprise Value/EbitdaN/A
Forecast
1Y Price Target
£188.00Price Target Upside48.62% Upside
Rating ConsensusStrong Buy
Number of Analyst Covering3
EPS Forecast (FY)0.14
Revenue Forecast (FY)£105.40M
Hostelworld Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Hostelworld Group plc operates an online booking platform worldwide. The company offers software and data processing services that facilitate hostel, B&B, hotel, and other accommodation bookings. The company also provides business information cons...
How the Company Makes Money
Hostelworld primarily makes money by earning commission on bookings made through its platform. When a traveler reserves accommodation, Hostelworld typically collects a deposit at the time of booking and the accommodation provider pays Hostelworld ...
Hostelworld Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
72
Positive
Balance Sheet
64
Positive
Cash Flow
78
Positive
| Breakdown | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | |||||
| Total Revenue | 92.11M | 92.00M | 93.26M | 69.69M | 16.90M |
| Gross Profit | 82.78M | 73.00M | 52.64M | 57.11M | 5.79M |
| EBITDA | 21.60M | 18.00M | 13.80M | -2.01M | -20.67M |
| Net Income | 6.87M | 9.10M | 5.14M | -17.26M | -36.02M |
Balance Sheet | |||||
| Total Assets | 103.03M | 90.50M | 94.83M | 106.48M | 116.51M |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 12.21M | 8.20M | 6.71M | 18.21M | 24.52M |
| Total Debt | 14.72M | 300.00K | 10.73M | 31.66M | 28.30M |
| Total Liabilities | 29.84M | 20.40M | 35.65M | 54.23M | 49.40M |
| Stockholders Equity | 73.19M | 70.10M | 59.18M | 52.24M | 67.11M |
Cash Flow | |||||
| Free Cash Flow | 18.07M | 14.70M | 17.32M | -5.54M | -18.22M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 18.26M | 20.30M | 17.43M | -749.00K | -13.75M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -15.81M | -5.60M | -4.09M | -4.79M | -4.47M |
| Financing Cash Flow | 1.47M | -14.00M | -24.81M | -752.00K | 25.27M |
Hostelworld Technical Analysis
Positive
126.50
Price Trends
104.31
Positive
109.00
Positive
114.63
Negative
Market Momentum
0.52
Negative
56.10
Neutral
58.02
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For GB:HSW, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 126.5 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 106.87, above the 50-day MA of 104.31, and above the 200-day MA of 114.63, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.52 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 56.10 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 58.02 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for GB:HSW.
Hostelworld Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
75 Outperform | £1.99B | 1.18 | 24.73% | 1.18% | 7.17% | -2.22% | |
71 Outperform | £791.39M | 6.22 | 35.11% | ― | 2.40% | 48.36% | |
64 Neutral | £204.61M | -25.69 | 2.40% | 1.39% | -1.97% | -77.68% | |
61 Neutral | $18.38B | 12.79 | -2.54% | 3.03% | 1.52% | -15.83% | |
61 Neutral | £135.62M | 7.55 | 9.72% | 0.60% | 3.16% | -21.30% | |
58 Neutral | £3.96B | 21.08 | 6.73% | 3.80% | -0.06% | -13.45% | |
56 Neutral | £8.12M | 8.44 | -1.56% | ― | 0.82% | -27.59% |
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
GB:HSW
Hostelworld
109.00
-8.80
-7.47%
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Hostelworld Corporate Events
Business Operations and StrategyRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Hostelworld Updates Markets on Employee Share Scheme Allotments
Neutral
May 22, 2026
Hostelworld Group PLC has provided its latest block listing six-monthly return for its Long Term Incentive Plan and Save as You Earn employee share option scheme, covering the period from 24 November 2025 to 22 May 2026. The filing outlines change...
Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackDividendsRegulatory Filings and ComplianceShareholder Meetings
Hostelworld shareholders pass all AGM resolutions amid dissent on political donations
Neutral
May 6, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc reported that all resolutions at its Annual General Meeting on 6 May 2026 were approved by shareholders, including adoption of the 2025 accounts, the directors’ remuneration report, the annual bonus plan, and a final di...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board ChangesFinancial DisclosuresShareholder Meetings
Hostelworld Maintains 2026 Outlook as Social Travel Strategy Advances
Positive
May 6, 2026
Hostelworld told investors at its 2026 annual general meeting that year-to-date trading remains resilient, with revenue momentum intact despite a challenging macro backdrop and disruption to some long-haul routes via the Middle East. The board rei...
Regulatory Filings and Compliance
Hostelworld Confirms Total Voting Rights Following Share Capital Update
Neutral
Apr 1, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc reported that, as of 31 March 2026, its issued share capital comprises 123,854,762 ordinary shares of €0.01 each, with one vote attached to every share. The company holds no shares in treasury, setting the total number ...
Executive/Board ChangesRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Hostelworld Awards Long-Term Nil-Cost Share Options to Top Executives
Neutral
Mar 31, 2026
Hostelworld has granted nil-cost share options under its Long-Term Incentive Plan to its top executives, awarding 698,007 options to Chief Executive Officer Gary Morrison and 407,611 options to Chief Financial Officer Caroline Sherry. The options,...
Financial DisclosuresRegulatory Filings and ComplianceShareholder Meetings
Hostelworld files 2025 annual report and sets date for 2026 AGM
Neutral
Mar 31, 2026
Hostelworld has published its 2025 Annual Report and Accounts and circulated materials for its 2026 Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled for 6 May 2026 at the company’s Dublin headquarters. The documents, including the AGM circular, pr...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Completes Share Buyback, Cuts Share Count to 123.9 Million
Positive
Mar 31, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has completed a share buyback programme initiated in June 2025, with the final purchase of 1,925 ordinary shares on 30 March 2026 at a volume-weighted average price of £0.9514 per share. In total, the company has repurch...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 11,500 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 30, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 11,500 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme initiated in June 2025. The shares, bought at prices between £0.9740 and £1.0000 with a volume-weigh...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 32,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 27, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 32,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme initiated in June 2025, paying between £1.0100 and £1.0350 per share at a volume-weighted average pr...
Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Hostelworld Issues New Shares to Fund Long-Term Incentive Plan
Neutral
Mar 26, 2026
Hostelworld Group has issued 97,472 new ordinary shares of €0.01 each to its Employee Benefit Trust at nominal value to satisfy future awards under the company’s Long-Term Incentive Plan, with the shares ranking pari passu with existin...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 31,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 26, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 31,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange at prices between £1.0150 and £1.0200 per share, as part of its ongoing share buyback programme launched in June 2025. The transaction, executed th...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Buys Back and Cancels 25,000 Shares in Ongoing Programme
Positive
Mar 25, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has continued its share buyback programme with the repurchase of 25,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange on 24 March 2026, at prices ranging between £1.0000 and £1.0200 per share. The shares, acquired th...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 28,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 24, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has continued its share buyback programme with the repurchase of 28,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange on 23 March 2026, at prices ranging between £0.9940 and £1.0400 per share. The shares, acquired vi...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels Newly Repurchased Shares Under Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 23, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has continued its ongoing capital management strategy by repurchasing 19,848 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange on 20 March 2026 through its broker Goodbody Stockbrokers UC, at prices ranging between £1.0350 an...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels Newly Repurchased Shares, Trimming Share Count
Positive
Mar 20, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 2,869 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme launched in June 2025. The shares, bought at prices between £1.07 and £1.085, will be cancelled, redu...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels Newly Repurchased Shares Under Ongoing Buyback
Positive
Mar 19, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc, a London-listed online hostel and budget accommodation booking platform, caters to cost-conscious and youth travelers seeking low-cost lodging worldwide through its digital marketplace. The company leverages its specialist f...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 15,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 18, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 15,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme, paying prices between £1.00 and £1.05 per share, with a volume-weighted average of £1.0328. Th...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 15,280 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 17, 2026
Hostelworld Group has repurchased 15,280 of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of an ongoing share buyback programme initiated in June 2025. The shares, bought at prices between £1.00 and £1.02 and at a volume-weigh...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 20,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 16, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 20,000 of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme launched in June 2025. The shares, acquired at a volume-weighted average price of £1.0031, will be...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 18,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 13, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 18,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange at prices between £1.00 and £1.02 per share, with a volume-weighted average price of £1.0113. The shares, bought through broker Goodbody Stock...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 18,000 Shares Under Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 12, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 18,000 of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of an ongoing share buyback programme first announced in June 2025. The shares, acquired through its broker Goodbody Stockbrokers at a volume-...
Stock Buyback
Hostelworld Continues Buyback With Fresh Share Repurchase
Positive
Mar 11, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 13,569 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme first announced in June 2025. The shares, bought at prices between £1.0250 and £1.0500 and at a volu...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Continues Share Buyback, Trims Share Count Further
Positive
Mar 10, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc, the online hostel-focused travel platform listed in London, continues to refine its capital structure through an ongoing share buyback initiative. The company targets budget-conscious travelers globally, leveraging its digit...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Continues Share Buyback With Purchase and Cancellation of 18,000 Shares
Positive
Mar 9, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has continued its ongoing share buyback programme with the repurchase of 18,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange on 6 March 2026, at prices between £1.0600 and £1.0650 per share. The company intends to c...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Continues Share Buyback With New Repurchase and Cancellation
Positive
Mar 6, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has continued executing its share buyback programme, repurchasing 14,807 ordinary shares on 5 March 2026 on the London Stock Exchange at prices between £1.05 and £1.06 per share, with a volume-weighted average price...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Tightens Share Count with Latest Buyback on LSE
Positive
Mar 5, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 16,925 of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme, paying a volume-weighted average price of £1.0626 per share. The company intends to cancel the re...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Continues Buyback With Purchase of 25,000 Shares
Positive
Mar 4, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 25,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange at prices between £1.05 and £1.075 as part of its ongoing share buyback programme launched in June 2025. The repurchased shares will be cancelled, ...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 18,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 3, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 18,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange at a price of £1.09 per share as part of its ongoing share buyback programme. The repurchased shares will be cancelled, reducing the company’s sha...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 25,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Mar 2, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 25,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme, paying between £1.1050 and £1.1300 per share at a volume-weighted average price of £1.1173. Th...
Regulatory Filings and Compliance
Hostelworld Confirms Share Capital and Total Voting Rights
Neutral
Mar 2, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has confirmed that, as of 28 February 2026, its issued share capital comprises 124,133,817 ordinary shares of €0.01 each, all carrying one vote and with no shares held in treasury. This sets the company’s total vo...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels Further Shares Under Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Feb 27, 2026
Hostelworld Group has continued to execute its ongoing share buyback programme, repurchasing 17,950 ordinary shares on 26 February 2026 via broker Goodbody Stockbrokers at prices between £1.0850 and £1.0900 per share. The shares will be ...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 17,000 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Feb 26, 2026
Hostelworld Group has repurchased 17,000 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme, paying between £1.08 and £1.09 per share and a volume-weighted average price of £1.0856. The compa...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Continues Share Buyback With Latest 17,000-Share Repurchase
Positive
Feb 26, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc, a specialist in online hostel and budget accommodation bookings, serves a global market of cost-conscious travelers through its digital platform. Listed in London, it competes within the broader online travel and lodging sec...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Continues Share Buyback With Fresh Repurchase on LSE
Positive
Feb 25, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has repurchased 2,961 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange as part of its ongoing share buyback programme launched in June 2025. The shares, bought at prices between £1.0750 and £1.0900 and at a volume-weigh...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels 20,021 Shares in Ongoing Buyback Programme
Positive
Feb 24, 2026
Hostelworld Group plc has continued executing its previously announced share buyback programme, repurchasing 20,021 ordinary shares on 23 February 2026 on the London Stock Exchange via broker Goodbody Stockbrokers UC. The shares, bought at prices ...
Business Operations and StrategyStock Buyback
Hostelworld Cancels Newly Repurchased Shares as Buyback Programme Continues
Positive
Feb 23, 2026
Hostelworld Group has continued its ongoing capital management strategy by repurchasing 13,232 ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange on 20 February 2026, at prices between £1.0800 and £1.0850 per share. The repurchased shares, whi...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.