Airbnb Secures High Growth Ranking Even As Cathie Wood Trims Exposure After Record $12.2 Billion Annual Revenue

Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) has surged into the top 10% of growth stocks according to Benzinga Edge's latest rankings, with its growth score leaping from 61.98 to 94.75 week-on-week.

ABNB Growth Score Leaps After Record Annual Revenue

This significant percentile jump follows a fourth-quarter performance where revenue hit $2.78 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $2.72 billion.

Despite missing earnings-per-share estimates, the company reported a record fiscal year with total revenue reaching $12.2 billion, signaling sustained demand in the travel sector.

Analysts Cheer ‘Narrative Battle' Win

Wall Street analysts are increasingly bullish as Airbnb appears to be winning the “narrative battle” regarding its long-term expansion. Deutsche Bank recently upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy, raising its price target to $154.

Analysts highlighted the success of new initiatives, such as the “Reserve Now Pay Later” (RNPL) option and a simplified host fee structure, which added over 200 basis points of growth this quarter.

Furthermore, the company's expansion into the hotel business and AI-driven search improvements are expected to remain major tailwinds through 2026.

Institutional Tug-of-War

While the growth score reflects historical expansion in earnings and revenue, institutional sentiment remains mixed. Cathie Wood's Ark Invest recently scaled back its position, selling 15,711 shares across its ARKF and ARKK funds.

This move comes even as Airbnb‘s price trend shows upward strength across short, medium, and long-term horizons. While ABNB’s momentum remains in the 23rd percentile, the massive spike in the growth ranking suggests that the company's fundamental expansion is outpacing its current price action.

ABNB Remains Negative In 2026

While the shares of ABNB have declined by 0.74% year-to-date, the Nasdaq Composite index has fallen by 0.36% in the same period. The stock was 4.04% higher in the last six months and 8.34% lower over the year.

On Wednesday, the stock closed 5.06% higher at $132.02 apiece, and it was up 0.023% in premarket on Thursday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Image via Shutterstock