Expedia shares surge 18.00% after-hours after announcing Super Bowl ad partnership with Mattel featuring Barbie Ken.

think> Okay, let's start by understanding the user's query. They want me to act as a financial analyst explaining Expedia's stock price movement based on recent news. The stock went up 17.99% in after-hours trading. I need to look at the six news events provided and determine which ones are relevant and caused the increase. First, I'll list out each news event and assess their relevance. Reason 1: Expedia underperformed on Tuesday with a 15.26% drop. But this is from a regular trading session, and the question is about after-hours. So maybe not directly related to the after-hours increase. But if the stock was down during the day, maybe the after-hours move is a reaction to positive news. However, the user is asking for the cause of the after-hours move, so this might not be the direct cause unless there's a follow-up. But the summary mentions it was a rough session, so maybe the after-hours increase is a rebound. But the user's example shows the cause should be the latest news, so maybe this isn't the main reason. Reason 2: Shares up 5.2% after partnering with Affirm and UBS raised the price target. This is a positive news event. The partnership could enhance payment options, which might attract more customers, thus boosting the stock. Also, UBS raising the target to $270 is bullish. But the stock increased 17.99%, which is higher than the 5.2% mentioned. However, the after-hours move might be reacting to this news, especially if it was released after hours. Wait, the summary says the shares rose 5.2% after partnering with Affirm. But the stock is up 17.99% after hours. So maybe the after-hours increase is due to additional news or a continuation of the positive sentiment from this partnership and UBS's action. Reason 3: Moody's affirmed the credit rating. This is a neutral or slightly positive event but might not be a major driver for a 17.99% increase. Unless the affirmation was unexpected, but the summary doesn't mention a change in the outlook. Reason 4: TD Cowen adjusted the price target to $300. This is a positive analyst action, which could drive the stock up. However, the summary just mentions the adjustment without details. If TD Cowen is a major firm, this could influence the stock price. But the example given in the user's input for Pineapple Energy included the specific project announcement, so here, the price target increase from TD Cowen might be a contributing factor. Reason 5: Expedia outperformed competitors with a 4.47% rise. This is during a regular trading session. The after-hours move is separate. If the stock was up during the day but then surged more after hours, maybe the after-hours news is the main driver. The summary mentions the stock is still below its 52-week high, so maybe the after-hours increase is a positive reaction to new news. Reason 6: Expedia's new Super Bowl ad with Barbie Ken. This is a marketing campaign. While it could boost brand awareness, it's more of a PR stunt than a direct financial event. However, if the ad is expected to increase bookings, it might have a positive effect. But the timing of the ad's release and the after-hours trading need to be considered. If the ad was announced after hours, that could be the reason. The summary mentions the ad will run in the Super Bowl, which is in February, but the date given here is February 8th. The after-hours increase is on the same day as the ad's launch? Or is it a future event? The ad is scheduled to launch on February 8th, which is the same day as the after-hours trading. So if the announcement of the ad was made after hours, that could be the catalyst. The partnership with Mattel and the new brand platform could signal a strategic move to enhance brand image and attract more users, leading to increased bookings and investor confidence. Now, compiling all this. The stock's after-hours increase of 17.99% is significant. The most relevant news seems to be Reason 2 and Reason 6. However, Reason 2 mentions a 5.2% increase after the Affirm partnership and UBS raising the target. But the after-hours increase is much higher. Maybe the after-hours move is a combination of the positive news from Reason 2 (Affirm partnership and UBS) and the new ad campaign (Reason 6). However, the ad campaign is a future event (launching on Feb 8th), so if the news about the ad was released after hours, that could be the trigger. Alternatively, the after-hours increase could be due to the cumulative effect of the Affirm partnership and the analyst upgrades from UBS and TD Cowen.