Interestingly enough, part of Microsoft has already been split-off. It is in
But even though Expedia has plunged, the market capitalization has been
Expedia has also been refocusing. Instead of relying mostly on airline
Expedia is translating its actions into results. In the past quarter,
Expedia has put much work into developing a highly useful site.
True, there are threats, such as from the airline industry. Several major
Keep in mind that travel sites are seasonal. Large amounts of business come
the form of a tracking stock called
Expedia , an online
travel site. Like all other Internet stocks, though, Expedia is well-below
its high. The stock now trades at $15-5/8, with a 52-week high of $65-7/8.
At a $692 million market capititalization, Bill Gates could buy this company
with some of his pocket change.
A concern with Expedia was its cash position. But on reflection, this does
not make much sense. Microsoft owns 70% of Expedia.
It would tarnish Microsoft’s reputation to allow Expedia to sink. This is
why yesterday Expedia raised $60 million from Microsoft and Technology
Crossover Ventures.
enough to make two strategic acquisitions. Those include Travelscape.com and
VacationSpot.com.
ticket sales, the company has been shifting revenues towards high-margin
lodging and vacation-package transactions. In the past quarter, commissions
were less than 30% of revenues. What’s more, with the Travelscape.com
acquisition, Expedia is using a merchant transaction model; that is,
negotiating deals directly with suppliers. This allows for better pricing
to the consumer, as well as better margins for Expedia.
revenues were $58.8 million, which was a 212% increase from the same period
a year ago and a 33% sequential growth rate.
The company is vigilant about customer feedback. Actually, Expedia.com has
won a variety of awards, such as from Yahoo! Internet Life and Gomez.com
(ranked #1 by both).
carriers are creating a new site called T2. But its success is in doubt.
First of all, there are antitrust concerns. Next, it is often difficult to
have fiercely competitive enterprises team-up on such ventures. Finally, it
may be awkward for the airlines to allow for price comparisons among
different carriers.
in the summer months. So with Expedia’s new focus and cash cushion, it is
safe to assume that the company should benefit nicely from a boost in
business in the next few months.
Expedia: The Easy Way to Fly
