In this article, we will list the Iran Peace Deal Sends Oil Lower: Top 5 Travel Stocks to Buy Now. Please visit the article Iran Peace Deal Sends Oil Lower: Top 8 Travel Stocks to Buy Now if you’d like to see an extended list and the methodology behind it.
5. Viking Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:VIK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 55
During the last few trading sessions, Viking Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:VIK) has seen positive momentum. On June 10, Bernstein analyst Richard Clarke reaffirmed his Buy rating on the stock and set a price target of $120. The firm’s price target reflects a further 16% upside from current levels. As oil prices continue to decrease after the Iran deal, travel demand is expected to increase significantly.
On June 5, VIK announced the launch of a range of new European river cruise experiences. The new offerings include scenic Zepplin airship excursions in Germany, giving guests on select Rhine River cruises aerial views of Cologne and the Ruhr Valley.
Earlier, on May 22, Truist Financial upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy and raised its price target from $75 to $102. The firm acknowledged that its previous Hold rating underestimated the stock’s performance. However, the analyst remains concerned about the valuation if travel demand weakens. Despite this, Truist Financial had a positive sentiment regarding luxury, river, and expedition cruises.
Viking Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:VIK) engages in passenger shipping and other forms of passenger transport in North America, the UK, and internationally. It operates through the River & Ocean segments.
4. Carnival Corporation Ltd (NYSE:CCL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 57
A number of sell-side firms, including Wells Fargo, Argus Research, Susquehanna, and Citi, recently raised their price targets on Carnival Corporation Ltd (NYSE:CCL), signaling a more positive outlook for the stock. Based on a report released on June 25, Wells Fargo analyst Trey Bowers raised the firm’s price target on the shares from $36 to $38 while maintaining a Buy rating. The firm’s assigned price target implies an additional 30% upside from here on.
Stifel Nicolaus joined Wells Fargo in increasing its price target on Carnival Corporation Ltd (NYSE:CCL), marking its second price target increase on the stock in June. As per the latest update, Stifel Nicolaus analyst Steven Wieczynski raised the firm’s price target on the shares from $36 to $37 and kept a Buy rating on June 24. Earlier in the month, on June 12, the firm had already lifted its price target on the stock to $36 from $35.
All this optimism followed Carnival Corporation Ltd.’s (NYSE:CCL) record second quarter. The company reported its Q2 fiscal 2026 earnings on June 23, posting record revenue, net income, yields, EBITDA, and customer deposits.
CEO Josh Weinstein remarked:
We have the financial flexibility to simultaneously invest, continue reducing leverage, and accelerate shareholder returns. We have already repurchased $450 million of stock.
Carnival Corporation Ltd (NYSE:CCL) is a cruise company that provides leisure travel services in North America, Australia, Europe, and internationally. It not only operates port destinations but also owns and operates hotels, lodges, glass-domed railcars, and motorcoaches. The company is headquartered in Miami, Florida, and was founded in 1972.
3. Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) has significantly outperformed the broader travel industry over the last 12 months. On June 16, Justin Post from Bank of America Securities reiterated a Buy rating on Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) and set a price target of $310. Even though the analyst’s price target for the stock implies approximately 17% upside from current levels, the stock’s performance has been choppy.
Earlier on May 20, EXPE announced an agreement to acquire CarTrawler, an Ireland-based B2B platform powering car rental. This collaboration enhances Expedia’s ability to deliver mobility and Insuretech solutions for travelers worldwide. CarTrawler’s platform will bring expertise by connecting more than 500 car rental suppliers to more than 300 leading travel brands around the world, including airlines. As a result of this collaboration, there will be new growth opportunities for the business.
By leveraging EXPE’s extensive distribution network, car rental and transportation providers can expand their customer reach. Customers will get a broader range of car rental, ground transportation, and insurance products at competitive prices. As a result, travelers benefit from more choices when booking through Expedia’s brands or its partners.
Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is an online travel company that provides travel products and services across the B2C, B2B, and Trivago segments. The company is based in Seattle, Washington, and was founded in 1994.
2. Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 87
On June 16, Bank of America Securities analyst Justin Post reiterated a Hold rating on Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) and set a price target of $150. In contrast to BofA, Wells Fargo analyst Ken Gawrelski maintained a Buy rating on the stock on June 12 and also assigned a price target of $181.
Airbnb is expanding into the AI business, with CEO Brian Chesky launching a new artificial intelligence lab focused on developing AI models, according to Bloomberg. This model is expected to develop more advanced AI tools than the chatbots currently in use by the company’s competitors, such as Expedia and Booking Holdings. ABNB’s latest tool will be heavily focused on customer satisfaction with greater agentic capabilities. It will allow users to compare options more easily by showing detailed photos. The AI tailwind continues to help the company with its growth ambitions. The management was previously asked about the integration of ChatGPT onto the Airbnb website, and CEO Brian Chesky said the available software technology was not capable enough to support the company’s plans.
Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) operates an online marketplace for rooms that connects hosts and guests. The company is based in San Francisco, California, and was founded in 2007 by Brian Chesky, Nathan Blecharczyk, and Joseph Gebbia.
1. Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 95
According to a report released on June 23, BTIG analyst Jake Fuller reaffirmed a Buy rating on Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) with a price target of $250. The firm’s price target offers an additional 37% upside from current levels. In contrast to BTIG, Richard Clarke from Bernstein reaffirmed a Hold rating on the stock on June 11. He also assigned a target price of $188 to the stock.
BKNG’s exceptional long-term execution and scale advantages have helped it outperform the broader travel industry. The company has achieved this by focusing on attractive markets and efficiently attracting customers through its marketing and distribution channels. Moreover, with the increasing travel demand, BKNG is building platforms that hotels increasingly rely on.
The main reason for Richard Clarke’s neutral stance is that the AI tailwind could pose a threat to travel companies. The analyst believes that as of now, Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) is benefiting from its huge size and large network of travelers. However, as AI tools become widely available, the industry’s focus may shift from pure scale to AI assistants. Hotels may prioritize AI-driven channels over online travel agencies for their best offers. This could create a long-term risk for the BKNG business model and its competitive position.
Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) provides online travel and related solutions through its brands: Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable. The company is based in Norwalk, Connecticut, and was founded in July 1997 by Jay Scott Walker.
While we acknowledge the potential of BKNG to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BKNG and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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