Expedia Group, Inc. EXPE

The bigger threat may have little to do with iPhone sales.

The permanent reductions at the travel technology company’s Seattle headquarters are expected to take effect later this year, per a WARN notice.

Investors see potential pitfalls for consumer stocks. Shop for those that are showing signs of stabilizing.

Bank of America says AI agents such as Meta's Muse could weaken Apple's grip on the valuable transactions that begin on the iPhone.

Bank of America Warns AI Agents Could Threaten Apple's $1T+ Mobile Commerce Machine

Among six travel and hotel companies, Booking (BKNG) keeps the most operating profit from each sales dollar and grows the second fastest. Its shares are the cheapest on an earnings basis among peers without a loss quarter in their earnings. A $10,000 holding bought a year ago is worth about $7,460 now. Is Booking stock worth more than these rivals, given what it delivers.

Wall Street's latest artificial intelligence fear for US banks is that AI agents might help customers get a better deal on their cash.

Meta Platforms’ Muse personal agent isn’t even three weeks old, but the stock is up 27% in that period. Muse and similar artificial-intelligence-based personal agents aren’t just apps. If personal agents become widespread, websites and apps will likely have separate ways for humans and machines to interact with them.

While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies — as Jeff Bezos said, “Your margin is my opportunity”.

Expedia (EXPE) stock fell 7.7% on September 23, leaving it about 24% below its August 24 high of $339. Yet the company's latest results beat its forecast, and over the past 12 months the stock has still returned about 17%, roughly in line with the S&P 500. So how far could Expedia go in a real market shock.

Booking (BKNG) turns 35% of its sales into operating profit, against 18.6% for the S&P 500. Yet its stock lost 29% in the year to September 23, 2026, while the index returned 13%. Booking expects third-quarter 2026 revenue to grow just 4% to 6%. The question you face is whether that slower growth is a pause or Booking's new pace. Start with what the current price already asks you to pay.

Meta shares are experiencing their strongest monthly surge in over a decade, driven by strong consumer adoption of its new Muse AI assistant.

Airbnb (ABNB) shares fell 21% in the month to September 23, while the S&P 500 rose 0.8%. A $10,000 holding at the start of that month was worth about $7,860 at the end. Airbnb's own news over those weeks does not explain it, so the fall needs a different explanation.

Airbnb (ABNB) is spending to grow beyond homes, into hotels, car rentals, and other services. For an owner, the risk is that this spending squeezes profit margins while the stock trades at a premium. Management has not said what margin Airbnb expects for 2027.

Yesterday’s unusual options activity hid the real Expedia bet: 4,991 March 2027 $220 puts paired with $330 calls, most likely a long strangle, but it could also be a bearish risk reversal bet. It comes down to the trade prices.

Meta’s new AI agent Muse will soon make the company money from transactions made through the platform. On Wednesday, September 23, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke at the Meta Connect conference and told developers, “We believe that Muse will make you money,” per a recording of the event shared on YouTube. “And we are standing […]

In September 2026, families from Massachusetts filed a civil lawsuit in King County Superior Court against Expedia Group and its Vrbo entities over a deadly June 13, 2026 vacation rental fire in Barahona, Dominican Republic, alleging inadequate safety warnings about properties lacking smoke detectors. On the same day, travel insurer Redion announced a multi-year marketing collaboration with Expedia Group Advertising that opens a new advertiser category and integrates travel protection...

Key Stats for Expedia StockCurrent Price: $259. 04Target Price (Mid): ~$447Street Target (Mean): ~$339Potential Total Return: ~73%Annualized IRR: ~14% / yearWhat Happened?Expedia Group (EXPE) said on September 22 that it is joining Muse, Meta Platforms’ new personal AI agent.