VAC vs BKNG vs EXPE vs ABNB

For growth investors, Booking Holdings Inc.

(BKNG) is the stronger pick with 13. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 3% for Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (VAC). Expedia Group, Inc. (EXPE) offers the better valuation at 25. 8x trailing P/E (13. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (VAC) a "Buy" — based on 18 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Expedia Group, Inc.

(EXPE) is the cheapest at 25. 8x versus Airbnb, Inc. at 34. 9x. On forward P/E, Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Booking Holdings Inc.

(BKNG) delivered a total return of +87. 6%, compared to -48. 8% for Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (VAC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BKNG returned +250. 7% versus ABNB's -2. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Booking Holdings Inc.

(BKNG) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 74β versus Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation's 1. 83β — meaning VAC is approximately 145% more volatile than BKNG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Airbnb, Inc. (ABNB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 3% for Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Booking Holdings Inc.

(BKNG) is pulling ahead at 13. 4% versus 1. 3% for Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (VAC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Expedia Group, Inc. grew EPS 9. 6% year-over-year, compared to -257. 4% for Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, BKNG leads at 16. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Airbnb, Inc.

(ABNB) is the more profitable company, earning 20. 5% net margin versus -6. 1% for Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation — meaning it keeps 20. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BKNG leads at 34. 5% versus 11. 0% for VAC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BKNG leads at 100. 0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (VAC) trades at 10.

3x forward P/E versus 28. 3x for Airbnb, Inc. — 18. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BKNG: 35. 3% to $231. 72.

In this comparison, VAC (4.

1% yield), BKNG (0. 9% yield), EXPE (0. 6% yield) pay a dividend. ABNB does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Booking Holdings Inc.

(BKNG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 74), 0. 9% yield, +250. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BKNG: +250. 7%, ABNB: -2. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: VAC is a small-cap income-oriented stock; BKNG is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; EXPE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ABNB is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. VAC, BKNG, EXPE pay a dividend while ABNB does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.