Expedia is a top travel stock buy

Article Excerpt

Expedia has a strong competitive position that includes the leading market share in the U.S. Meanwhile, its new One Key loyalty program should provide it with a big boost in the fight to attract and retain customers. At the same time, Expedia’s geographic diversification helps it weather the volatility of any one market, whether economic, political or weather related. We think this Power Buy is poised to keep moving even higher for our subscribers. EXPEDIA GROUP INC., $119.10, is a buy. The company (Nasdaq symbol EXPE; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (www.expediagroup.com; Shares outstanding: 142.6 million; Market cap: $17.9 billion; No dividends paid) operates the world’s largest travel booking platform. Its brands include Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Vrbo and Hotels.com. Expedia currently has about 3 million lodging properties available through its websites. They include about 900,000 hotels and over 2 million alternative accommodations like homes for let. The company’s sites also link with over 500 airlines, rental car companies, cruise lines, insurance providers, and excursion companies , which provide activities and…