eBay posted strong revenue and earnings gains this week, as its online sales rose 10% in the crucial holiday season. The online marketplace said its revenue rose 35% to $3.38bn from $2.5bn a year earlier, while profits more than tripled to $1.98bn from $559m a year ago. Despite the growth in sales, the company’s main boost came from the sale of its remaining stake in Skype.
Without income from that deal, eBay’s profits would have been $789m.
eBay also saw strong growth in its PayPal unit, where revenue jumped 28% to $1.24bn, as the level of payments processed jumped 24% to $33.4bn.
‘We are a different eBay today, no longer just an e-commerce leader but a stronger, more diverse global commerce company shaping the future of shopping and payments,’ eBay President John Donahoe said.