Expedia Group Inc (NASDAQ: EXPE) stock jumped 20% in the last couple of days to $56.51 after what seemed to be an endless fall that started on February 20. Shares benefited from renewed interest in the stocks across the board and the company’s efforts to cut to operational costs.
Expedia Group will likely announce its first-quarter results on April 23, untill then it is all a game of guessing. Currently, analysts expect the company’s first-quarter net revenue to go down 37.3% .But even without this report the market is sure that Q2 will be even worse.
Can Expedia revive its position?
Expedia spends a significant amount on Google Ads to attract customers in a very competitive market. One of the biggest competitors in both U.S. and international market is Booking Holdings (NASDAQ:BKNG). Both companies reported that they are cutting back on ads spending as many wannabe tourists actually cancel their trips at the last moment due to coronavirus lockdowns.
Expedia has been depressed for weeks, but the OTA’s slump could be ending rather sooner than later, as stock markets slowly recover over flatlined COVID-19 curve.
As of Tuesday, 24 out of 32 analysts rate EXPE stock as a “hold.” Meanwhile, 4 analysts recommend a “sell” and four recommend a “buy.” Despite the 20% surge in the last couple of days, Expedia stock has fallen 49.9% year-to-date.
The times when Expedia was the coolest OTA in the block has gone, but they are here to stay.
