Last year, pandemic-driven business closures weakened global supply chains, reducing the availability of raw materials and other goods. As lockdowns were lifted, the spike in consumer demand put more pressure on an already strained system. And in August, a record 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs, adding labor shortages to the list of headwinds.
This chaos is already impacting consumers, who are finding it more difficult to buy everything from automobiles and electronics to household products and medicine. Unfortunately, experts believe it will be at least six months (and maybe more than a year) before supply chains normalize, meaning industries like construction, manufacturing, and retail are likely to face significant headwinds for the foreseeable future.
However, this difficult situation may actually be a tailwind for companies like Airbnb (ABNB -0.36%) and Coupa Software (COUP). Here's why both of these stocks could crush the market in 2022 (and beyond).
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Airbnb: A disruptive business model
Airbnb is disrupting the travel and tourism industry. Its platform crowdsources lodgings from over 4 million hosts worldwide, helping guests find a place to stay in over 100,000 cities. More importantly, Airbnb offers a far greater selection, both in terms of location and real estate, than traditional hotel chains.
Guests can book a private cottage by the coast, a rustic farmhouse in a small town, or a trendy apartment in the heart of a big city. Airbnb also lists a variety of unique lodgings, such as a treehouse in the rainforest or a castle on the English countryside, providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience for travelers.
That advantage has helped Airbnb recover more quickly from the pandemic. Through the first half of the year, the company's revenue skyrocketed 89%. Meanwhile, Hyatt and Hilton -- the two most valuable hotel brands in the world, according to Brand Finance -- both posted revenue declines of 11% over the same period. Airbnb also saw its gross booking value rise 320% to $13.4 billion, implying strong revenue growth in the coming quarters.
Looking ahead, supply chain chaos and labor shortages could further reinforce Airbnb's advantage. Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta recently said difficulty staffing hotels is "probably the single biggest issue" that the company faces. And Hilton isn't alone. Marriott currently has over 10,000 empty positions across 600 hotels, which may translate into a poor experience for guests on its properties. Additionally, any new construction or renovation projects will likely take longer to complete in the current environment, limiting any near-term expansion plans.
Meanwhile, Airbnb can onboard new hosts and expand its inventory in a matter of minutes, while incurring minimal costs. That means it can adapt to changes in consumer demand much more nimbly than its rivals. Of course, this is true even without supply chain challenges, but the current environment makes it even more relevant.
Ultimately, these tailwinds should help Airbnb gain market share. That's why this growth stock is set to crush the market in 2022 (and beyond).
Coupa Software: A better supply chain solution
Coupa specializes in business spend management (BSM). Its platform connects its clients with over 7 million global suppliers, helping them purchase the goods and services they need to run their businesses. At the same time, Coupa's BSM tools help companies build more robust supply chains and realize cost savings through strategic procurement.
For example, clients benefit from pre-negotiated discounts with suppliers -- a result of Coupa's scale -- creating a network effect that should strengthen over time. In other words, each new buyer on the platform creates value for every supplier, and vice versa. Coupa also orchestrates group sourcing events, allowing businesses to pool their collective buying power to negotiate better prices.
Building on that, all of these transactions create data, and Coupa leans on artificial intelligence to make sense of that information, surfacing insights that help clients capitalize on savings opportunities and avoid risky suppliers. In fact, Coupa is the only BSM platform that offers real-time prescriptive insights, giving the company an edge over its rivals.
Coupa further differentiates itself with Coupa Pay, a deeply integrated payments platform that streamlines the procurement process. Again, no other player in the industry has a comparable solution. These advantages have translated into strong financial results.
In the most recent quarter, Coupa's trailing-12-month revenue surged 40% to $643 million, and while the company is still unprofitable on a GAAP basis, free cash flow hit $101 million, up 37%. Coupa also launched an App Marketplace, allowing clients to sync data with analytics tools like Microsoft Power BI and human resources software like Workday. This move further extends the functionality of its BSM platform, strengthening the value proposition for potential and existing customers.
Going forward, Coupa should see an uptick in demand as supply chain bottlenecks continue to weigh on enterprises around the world. And with an addressable market at $94 billion, this tech company certainly has plenty of room to grow. That's why Coupa is set to crush the market in 2022 (and beyond).
