Sabre Quietly Looks to Shed Hotel Software Unit

Sabre has shopped its hospitality division to prospective buyers this year, according to sources. The public company based in Southlake, Texas, has a business unit selling software that helps hotels take reservations online, manage properties, and other tasks. The division is smaller than the technology company's flagship businesses in airfare distribution and airline operational software.

"We do not comment on market rumors or speculation," said a Sabre spokesperson.

Skift's two sources are external to Sabre but said they had direct knowledge of the pitch to buyers. Skift could not determine which companies took a look at Sabre's pitch.

A source within Sabre said the company had this year had internal conversations about a possible divesture, and six other industry professionals anonymously shared rumors of a Sabre asset sale with Skift since June. Skift couldn't confirm the names of the investment banks said to be trying to arrange a transaction.

The apparent willingness of Sabre to exit the hospitality software business is surprising. Sabre has pushed back on divesture talk to reporters and some investors this year.

Sabre has also recently increased, rather than cut, spending on its hospitality division this year — which isn't the standard playbook in preparing an asset for sale.

Losses in its hospitality unit worsened in absolute dollars during the first half of this year compared to the last half of 2022. "Transaction-related costs" rose, and additiona