Financial Results - Trip.com Group Limited (TCOM) is set to release its fourth-quarter financial results on February 24, with analysts expecting earnings of $3.95 per share, a decrease from $4.00 per share in the same period last year [1] - The company projects quarterly revenue of $12.32 billion, up from $10.32 billion a year earlier [1] Management Changes - On February 11, Trip.com announced the resignation of Mr. Junjie He, a director nominated by Baidu, and the appointment of Mr. Rong Luo, the executive vice president of Baidu Inc., as his successor [2] - Following this announcement, Trip.com shares increased by 1.4%, closing at $67.02 [2] Analyst Ratings - Benchmark analyst Fawne Jiang has a Buy rating with a price target of $80 [4] - Citigroup analyst Brian Gong maintains a Buy rating and raised the price target from $73 to $78 [4] - Barclays analyst Jiong Shao has an Overweight rating and increased the price target from $76 to $84 [4] - TD Cowen analyst Kevin Kopelman maintains a Buy rating and raised the price target from $56 to $71 [4] - Mizuho analyst James Lee has an Outperform rating and increased the price target from $65 to $78 [4]

Group 1: Company Performance - Trip.com closed at $66.11, reflecting a -0.85% change from the previous session, underperforming the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.43% [1] - Over the past month, Trip.com shares have decreased by 0.28%, lagging behind the Consumer Discretionary sector's gain of 14.82% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.6% [1] Group 2: Upcoming Earnings Report - Trip.com is scheduled to release its earnings on February 24, 2025, with projected earnings of $0.52 per share, indicating a year-over-year decline of 7.14% [2] - The consensus estimate for revenue is $1.69 billion, representing a 16.34% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year [2] Group 3: Analyst Estimates and Ratings - Recent changes to analyst estimates for Trip.com reflect shifting business dynamics, with upward revisions indicating analysts' positive outlook on the company's operations [3] - Trip.com currently holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), with no changes in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate over the past month [5] Group 4: Valuation Metrics - Trip.com has a Forward P/E ratio of 16.71, which is lower than the industry average Forward P/E of 20.97, suggesting it is trading at a discount [6] - The company's PEG ratio is currently 0.6, compared to the Leisure and Recreation Services industry's average PEG ratio of 0.78 [7] Group 5: Industry Context - The Leisure and Recreation Services industry, part of the Consumer Discretionary sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 49, placing it in the top 20% of over 250 industries [8] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]

Group 1 - Trip.com closed at $69.24, reflecting a -0.72% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's 0.01% loss, while the Dow dropped 0.37% and the Nasdaq increased by 0.41% [1] - Over the past month, Trip.com shares gained 5.97%, compared to a 9.91% gain in the Consumer Discretionary sector and a 4.88% gain in the S&P 500 [1] Group 2 - Trip.com is set to release its earnings on February 24, 2025, with projected EPS of $0.52, indicating a 7.14% decline from the same quarter last year, while revenue is expected to reach $1.69 billion, representing a 16.34% growth year-over-year [2] Group 3 - Recent modifications to analyst estimates for Trip.com are crucial as they reflect short-term business trends, with positive revisions indicating a favorable business outlook [3] - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates estimate changes, has shown a correlation with stock price performance, with Trip.com currently holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [4][5] Group 4 - Trip.com has a Forward P/E ratio of 17.48, which is lower than the industry average of 20.57, and a PEG ratio of 0.63, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 0.78 [6] Group 5 - The Leisure and Recreation Services industry, which includes Trip.com, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 37, placing it in the top 15% of over 250 industries, indicating strong performance potential [7]

Investment Rating - The report assigns an "Buy" rating for Ctrip Group-S (09961.HK) [6] Core Insights - The report highlights the significant growth potential in service consumption in China, with a shift from physical goods to services as income levels rise, indicating a large room for growth compared to developed countries [2][22] - The tourism market is experiencing a strong recovery, with increasing consumer willingness to spend on travel, particularly in cross-border tourism, which is expected to further elevate tourism consumption levels [2][28] - Ctrip's competitive positioning is strengthened by its early entry into the OTA market, extensive resource accumulation, and a robust global expansion strategy [3][4] Summary by Sections 1. Service Consumption Rise and Online Travel Growth Potential - The trend from physical to service consumption is evident, with service consumption in China still having significant growth potential compared to developed nations [2][22] - Domestic tourism is rebounding strongly, with 2024 domestic travel expected to reach 5.615 billion trips, a 14.8% increase year-on-year [28] - Cross-border travel is recovering, with 2024 seeing nearly 95 million outbound trips, a 52% increase from the previous year, indicating a strong demand for international travel [33][37] 2. Ctrip: Competitive Advantages and Product Strength - Ctrip has a first-mover advantage in the OTA market, with a comprehensive resource base and strong brand recognition [3][59] - The company is leveraging its technological capabilities to enhance user experience and product offerings, focusing on high-end market segments [3][64] - Ctrip's global strategy includes significant investments in overseas markets, particularly through its brands Trip.com and Skyscanner, which are gaining traction in the Asia-Pacific region [4][64] 3. Profit Forecast and Investment Recommendations - Ctrip is projected to achieve revenues of 528.5 billion, 609.49 billion, and 682.46 billion yuan from 2024 to 2026, with corresponding net profits of 166.53 billion, 181.65 billion, and 208.52 billion yuan [10][11] - The report anticipates a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.6% for the online travel market from 2023 to 2026, driven by increasing internet penetration and service consumption [56][58]

Core Viewpoint - Trip.com Group Limited is set to announce its fourth quarter and full year results for 2024 on February 24, 2025, after market close [1] Group 1: Financial Announcement - The financial results announcement will take place on February 24, 2025, U.S. Time [1] - A conference call will be hosted by the management team at 7:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time on the same day [2] - The conference call will be available via live webcast and will be archived for twelve months [2] Group 2: Participation Details - Participants must pre-register to join the conference call using a provided registration link [2][3] - Upon registration, participants will receive dial-in numbers and a unique access PIN for the call [3] Group 3: Company Overview - Trip.com Group Limited is a leading global one-stop travel platform, offering a comprehensive suite of travel products and services [4] - The company operates under various brands, including Ctrip, Qunar, Trip.com, and Skyscanner, and aims to provide cost-effective travel bookings and support [4] - Founded in 1999, the company was listed on Nasdaq in 2003 and on HKEX in 2021 [4]

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Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Outperform the Market" (maintained) [2] Core Views - The report highlights that Ctrip Group has achieved a doubling stock performance in 2024, with a 95% increase in Hong Kong stocks, driven by sustained travel demand and improved operational efficiency compared to pre-pandemic levels [4][5] - The resilience of domestic travel demand is supported by government policies aimed at boosting cultural and tourism consumption, with a notable increase in domestic travel participants and revenue growth [4][10] - The company's hotel business is expected to stabilize in pricing, with a projected recovery in hotel room rates in 2025, supported by increased online penetration and demand [4][25] - Ctrip's outbound tourism segment is anticipated to contribute significantly to growth, with international flight capacity recovering and a projected 17% increase in international flights in 2025 [4][50] Summary by Sections Company Overview - Ctrip Group has positioned itself as a leading player in the online travel agency (OTA) sector, benefiting from a strong recovery in domestic and outbound travel markets [3][4] Financial Performance - In the first three quarters of 2024, Ctrip's revenue grew by 19%, and Non-GAAP net profit increased by 44% compared to the previous year [4][5] - The company has maintained a stable commission rate for hotels, with expectations for room rates to stabilize in 2025 [25][34] Market Trends - The report notes a shift in consumer behavior towards experiential travel, with domestic tourism showing a double-digit growth in participants [10][17] - Ctrip's online penetration in the hotel sector is expected to improve, with a current online booking rate of approximately 40% for hotels compared to over 70% in the US [4][26] Future Outlook - The report anticipates that Ctrip's international business will continue to expand, with a focus on enhancing its market share in outbound travel as international flight capacities recover [44][50] - Government policies aimed at boosting service consumption and tourism are expected to provide a favorable environment for Ctrip's growth in 2025 [10][12]

Core Insights - Trip.com has consistently surpassed earnings estimates, with an average beat of 36.25% over the last two quarters [1][2] - The latest earnings report showed earnings of $1.25 per share against an estimate of $0.91, resulting in a surprise of 37.36% [2] - The previous quarter also saw a significant surprise, with actual earnings of $1 per share compared to an estimate of $0.74, yielding a surprise of 35.14% [2] Earnings Estimates - There has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Trip.com, indicated by a positive Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) [3][6] - The current Earnings ESP for Trip.com is +0.97%, suggesting analysts are optimistic about the company's earnings prospects [6] - The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) indicates a high likelihood of another earnings beat [6] Predictive Metrics - Stocks with a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) or better have a nearly 70% chance of producing a positive surprise [4] - The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, reflecting the latest analyst revisions [5] - A negative Earnings ESP does not necessarily indicate an earnings miss but reduces the predictive power of the metric [6]

Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating to Trip.com Group with a target price of HKD 597.7, representing a 7.60% upside from the current price of HKD 555.5 [4][13] Core Views - Trip.com Group's 3Q24 performance exceeded expectations, driven by strong growth in domestic and outbound travel demand [2] - The company's international OTA platform Trip.com saw hotel and flight bookings grow over 60% YoY, with outbound travel recovering to 120% of 2019 levels [2] - Trip.com Group is well-positioned to benefit from the recovery of outbound travel, supported by increasing flight capacity and visa facilitation [10] - The company's domestic travel business is expected to grow further due to the resilience of travel demand and increasing online penetration [3] - Trip.com's international business is in a rapid growth phase, with significant potential for expansion and synergies between domestic and international operations [13] Business Performance - In 3Q24, Trip.com Group achieved total revenue of RMB 15.9 billion, up 15.5% YoY, with adjusted EBITDA of RMB 5.7 billion, up 23.9% YoY, and Non-GAAP net profit of RMB 6.0 billion, up 21.8% YoY [2] - Segment revenue breakdown: Accommodation booking revenue grew 21.7% YoY to RMB 6.8 billion, transportation ticketing revenue increased 5.3% YoY to RMB 5.7 billion, package tour revenue rose 17.3% YoY to RMB 1.6 billion, and corporate travel management revenue grew 11.0% YoY to RMB 0.7 billion [2] - Trip.com's international OTA platform contributed approximately 9% of total revenue, with Asia-Pacific market revenue growing over 70% YoY [11] Industry Trends - Domestic travel in China has shown strong recovery, with 2023 domestic trips reaching 4.9 billion, recovering to 81.4% of 2019 levels, and total spending recovering to 85.7% of 2019 levels [3] - Online travel booking users in China reached 500 million by December 2023, accounting for 46.6% of total internet users, indicating significant growth potential for online travel platforms [3] - Outbound travel is expected to reach 130 million trips in 2024, recovering to 84% of 2019 levels, driven by increasing flight capacity and visa facilitation [10] Financial Projections - Revenue is projected to grow to RMB 55.3 billion in FY24E and RMB 62.9 billion in FY25E, with Non-GAAP net profit expected to reach RMB 17.1 billion in FY24E and RMB 18.9 billion in FY25E [7][13] - EPS is forecasted to be RMB 25.02 in FY24E and RMB 27.79 in FY25E, with P/E ratios of 20.6x and 18.6x respectively [7][13] - The company's ROE is expected to improve to 11.31% in FY24E and 11.23% in FY25E, reflecting strong profitability and efficient capital utilization [16]

Core Viewpoint - Trip.com Group Limited (TCOM) has shown significant stock performance, gaining 32.5% over the past six months, outperforming its industry and the S&P 500 Index [1] Group 1: Company Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TCOM's 2025 earnings per share (EPS) has increased from $3.77 to $3.98, indicating a year-over-year growth of 7.3% [3] - The earnings estimates for the first quarter of 2025 have also risen to 88 cents from 87 cents, reflecting a 6% growth from the previous year [3] - TCOM has consistently surpassed earnings expectations in the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 42.8% [3] Group 2: Market Demand and Growth Initiatives - TCOM is benefiting from robust travel demand, both domestically and internationally, as easing macro conditions have led to increased consumer optimism and travel sentiments [5] - The domestic travel market in China is particularly strong, with a focus on lesser-known destinations contributing to local tourism growth [6] - The company is investing in growth initiatives to enhance its product offerings, including a diversified portfolio of travel and hotel booking packages [7] Group 3: Technological Advancements - TCOM is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its services to improve customer experience and meet personalized demands [8] - The international OTA platform has become the most downloaded OTA app in several APAC markets, with air ticket and hotel bookings growing over 60% year-over-year [8] Group 4: Valuation and Financial Metrics - TCOM is currently trading at a discount compared to industry peers based on a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, indicating it remains an attractive investment option [10] - The company's trailing 12-month return on equity (ROE) stands at 12%, significantly higher than the industry's 1.2%, showcasing its efficiency in utilizing shareholders' funds [12]