After a stark slowdown in growth, this company's recent investments are about to pay off.
Investments will pressure earnings growth, but should result in a bigger company as it scales.
The stock currently trades at a very attractive value at under $150 per share.
After three straight years of leading the market higher, growth stocks have taken a breather in 2026. Amid growing uncertainty about the ultimate effects of artificial intelligence, macroeconomic uncertainty, and recent geopolitical turmoil, markets have moved away from riskier assets such as growth stocks. But that may create some great opportunities for long-term investors.
One stock worth taking a closer look at is Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB). Despite some headwinds over the last couple of years, investors have an opportunity to buy into the stock at a fantastic price -- less than $150 per share.
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Airbnb has seen its share price struggle since the summer of 2024. That's when it released its second-quarter earnings for the year, showing a stark deceleration in revenue growth to just 11%. Revenue growth has remained around that level ever since, but there are good reasons to expect a reacceleration over the coming years.
First, Airbnb has established a significant economic moat. That's based on the two-sided network it's established: On one side, it offers a platform for over 5 million short-term rental owners around the world, and on the other side, it has hundreds of millions of users booking through its platform. That network effect provides significant protection against competing services, including those from bigger online travel agencies like Booking.com and Expedia.
Airbnb is using its network advantage to expand its offerings. It launched Services and Experiences last May. Experiences offers locally guided tours, classes, and other attractions through its platform. Services include personal chefs and photo sessions for your stay. Both have the potential to increase Airbnb's appeal and bookings. In fact, management said that half of its Experience bookings aren't attached to a stay.
On top of that, it's investing to increase its international presence. That could give existing users an opportunity to book more stays on its platform while attracting new users in new markets.
What's more, Airbnb is more insulated from generative-AI chatbots and search results compared to competitors focused more on hotels. Since the short-term rental market is heavily fragmented, it's unlikely that hosts will set up options to bypass Airbnb. They need the platform. Hotel chains, even smaller hotels, could benefit from direct bookings surfaced by AI chatbots, but short-term rental bookings should still take place on Airbnb's platform.
Management expects its new products and market expansion investments to pay off this year. It forecast revenue acceleration into the low double-digit percentage territory for the full year. That said, its profits will remain flat as it invests. But that momentum can continue as Experiences and Services scale over the next few years, driving strong bottom-line growth.
With the stock trading around $130 per share, Airbnb has an enterprise value of $70 billion. That gives it a multiple of about 14 times EBITDA expectations. But over the long run, Airbnb should be able to produce strong EBITDA margin expansion as it drives expansion across its verticals and benefits from the strength of its two-sided network.
Before you buy stock in Airbnb, consider this:
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Adam Levy has positions in Airbnb and Booking Holdings. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Airbnb and Booking Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.