Booking vs. Coupang: Which Consumer Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The article compares Booking Holdings and Coupang as consumer discretionary investments. Booking operates a global travel platform with 4.5 million properties, generating $26.9B in revenue with a 20% net margin. Coupang dominates South Korean e-commerce with $34.5B in revenue but only 0.6% net margin. The author recommends Booking due to its global scale, superior profitability, reasonable valuation at 18.5x forward P/E, and expected 15% earnings growth, while noting Coupang's unproven ability to expand globally and recent regulatory challenges.