Zacks Research Downgrades Expedia Group (NASDAQ:EXPE) to Hold

Expedia Group (NASDAQ:EXPE) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report issued on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on EXPE. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Expedia Group from $180.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Wedbush reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $260.00 price objective on shares of Expedia Group in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. UBS Group set a $266.00 price objective on shares of Expedia Group in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Cantor Fitzgerald set a $245.00 target price on shares of Expedia Group in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane started coverage on shares of Expedia Group in a report on Monday, November 24th. They set a “hold” rating on the stock. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twenty-three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $281.65.

Expedia Group Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:EXPE opened at $236.99 on Monday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $239.45 and a two-hundred day moving average of $244.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $29.04 billion, a PE ratio of 24.06, a P/E/G ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.73. Expedia Group has a 12 month low of $130.01 and a 12 month high of $303.80.

Expedia Group (NASDAQ:EXPE) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The online travel company reported $3.78 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.32 by $0.46. The company had revenue of $3.55 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.41 billion. Expedia Group had a return on equity of 72.23% and a net margin of 8.78%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.39 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Expedia Group will post 12.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Expedia Group news, insider Robert J. Dzielak sold 8,225 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.82, for a total transaction of $1,816,244.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 102,480 shares in the company, valued at $22,629,633.60. This trade represents a 7.43% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 9.13% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Expedia Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EXPE. Brighton Jones LLC acquired a new stake in Expedia Group in the fourth quarter valued at $408,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Expedia Group by 5.0% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 5,455 shares of the online travel company’s stock valued at $917,000 after acquiring an additional 259 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Expedia Group during the 2nd quarter worth $596,000. MAI Capital Management increased its position in shares of Expedia Group by 82.2% in the 2nd quarter. MAI Capital Management now owns 1,084 shares of the online travel company’s stock worth $183,000 after purchasing an additional 489 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. increased its position in shares of Expedia Group by 24.7% in the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 208,511 shares of the online travel company’s stock worth $35,172,000 after purchasing an additional 41,319 shares during the last quarter. 90.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Expedia Group News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Expedia Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Short interest fell materially in early March — as of March 13 short interest dropped to 6,708,399 shares (down ~18.3% from Feb. 26’s 8,210,795), representing about 6.0% of shares and a days-to-cover near 2.4. Lower short interest removes some downside pressure and reduces squeeze dynamics that can amplify volatility.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks argues EXPE is the stronger travel-stock pick versus Booking Holdings, citing solid growth, rising bookings and a more attractive valuation; that narrative supports relative-outperformance arguments for investors. Expedia vs. Booking Holdings: Which Travel Stock Is a Stronger Pick?
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also highlights that strong travel demand is driving bookings growth for Expedia, supporting continued revenue/earnings momentum — a fundamental tailwind for the shares. Expedia Benefits From Strong Travel Demand: More Growth Ahead?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ consensus remains a “Hold” per a roundup — this is not an upgrade catalyst but reflects steady, non‑bullish positioning among the sell‑side. Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) Receives Average Rating of “Hold” from Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparisons against peers (VIK, other leisure names) appear in coverage — useful for relative-value investors but not an immediate directional catalyst. EXPE vs. VIK: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Neutral Sentiment: General investor guides and sector-tracking pieces (MSN, Kalkine) are circulating and may support retail interest but don’t constitute new company-moving information. Should You Invest in Expedia Group (EXPE)? Expedia Group (NASDAQ:EXPE) Tracks Sector Movement In Nasdaq Index
• Neutral Sentiment: Several data-feed notices report “large increases” in short interest but show zero or NaN values — these appear to be reporting glitches rather than genuine additions to bearish positioning; treat those entries cautiously.
• Negative Sentiment: TipRanks flags that Expedia’s B2B growth is strong but may not sufficiently offset broader risks related to AI disruption and execution — this note could raise investor caution around longer-term margins and competitive threats. Expedia Stock (EXPE) Stays Neutral — B2B Surge Falls Short against AI Risk

Expedia Group Company Profile

Expedia Group (NASDAQ: EXPE) is a global travel technology company that operates an online marketplace connecting consumers, travel suppliers and third‑party partners. The company’s platform enables search, comparison and booking of travel products and services, including hotels, airline tickets, vacation rentals, car rentals, cruises and packaged travel. Its portfolio comprises consumer-facing travel brands as well as corporate travel solutions and technology services that serve both leisure and business travelers.

Key offerings include consumer booking platforms and mobile apps that aggregate inventory from hotels, vacation rental managers, airlines and car rental companies, alongside ancillary travel services such as trip insurance and activities.