Booking’s (BKNG) “Buy” Rating Reiterated at BTIG Research

BTIG Research reiterated their buy rating on shares of Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. BTIG Research currently has a $250.00 price objective on the business services provider’s stock.

A number of other research firms have also issued reports on BKNG. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $175.00 target price on shares of Booking in a research note on Wednesday. Cantor Fitzgerald reduced their price target on Booking from $170.00 to $150.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on Booking from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $230.00 price objective on shares of Booking in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $230.00 price objective on shares of Booking in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $222.35.

Booking Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:BKNG traded down $8.06 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $160.66. 7,907,758 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,818,136. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $166.49 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $176.13. Booking has a twelve month low of $146.28 and a twelve month high of $220.81. The company has a market cap of $120.72 billion, a PE ratio of 17.33, a P/E/G ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 1.17.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 3rd. The business services provider reported $4.66 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.49 by $0.17. The company had revenue of $9.79 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.55 billion. Booking had a negative return on equity of 102.96% and a net margin of 25.53%. The firm’s revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $99.50 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Booking will post 10.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Booking news, Director Vanessa Wittman sold 375 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $211.00, for a total transaction of $79,125.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 16,133 shares in the company, valued at $3,404,063. This represents a 2.27% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Robert J. Mylod, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total transaction of $200,000.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 14,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,800,000. This represents a 6.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 77,425 shares of company stock valued at $16,004,164. 0.17% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Booking

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bogart Wealth LLC raised its stake in Booking by 3,475.0% during the second quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 143 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 139 shares in the last quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC lifted its holdings in Booking by 3,550.0% during the 2nd quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 146 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. First Financial Corp IN lifted its holdings in Booking by 2,400.0% during the 2nd quarter. First Financial Corp IN now owns 150 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc grew its position in shares of Booking by 2,400.0% in the 2nd quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 150 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kings Path Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Booking in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. 92.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Booking

Here are the key news stories impacting Booking this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Booking’s AI initiatives are drawing favorable attention. A Seeking Alpha article upgraded its rating, arguing AI could help drive revenue, while CEO Glenn Fogel described AI as a “big positive” for the company. Booking Holdings: AI Proves To Be A Revenue Multiplier (Rating Upgrade) AI is starting to help Booking’s business. Its stock should benefit
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen reiterated its Buy rating. Separately, Booking-backed Lola launched a service to help members get access to sought-after restaurant reservations and event tickets, with more cities planned. TD Cowen Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on Booking Holdings Lola Launches Lola VIP Drops
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent third-quarter results beat Booking’s own guidance on room nights, gross bookings and adjusted revenue, supporting the earlier share rally. These results provide a positive business backdrop, but may be outweighed today by competitive and analyst concerns. Booking Stock Jumps As Q3 Results Spotlight Margin Strength
• Negative Sentiment: Airbnb reported its fastest revenue growth in more than three years and raised its outlook, lifting its shares while Booking and Expedia fell. The news may renew concerns about competition and relative growth prospects in online travel. Airbnb Jumps on Growth and Raised Outlook; Booking and Expedia Fall
• Negative Sentiment: Several analyst actions point to a more cautious view: JPMorgan lowered its expectations, and Barclays and UBS cut their price targets. A downgrade also accompanied coverage of Booking shares, adding to near-term pressure. JPMorgan Lowers Expectations for Booking Barclays Lowers Booking Price Target UBS Cuts Booking Price Target

Booking Company Profile

Booking Holdings Inc is an online travel company that connects travelers with accommodations and other travel services. Through its digital platforms, customers can search for and book hotels, vacation rentals, flights, rental cars, attractions and other travel experiences.

The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands, including Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, Rentalcars.com and OpenTable. Its services span accommodation reservations, travel search and comparison, car rentals, and restaurant reservations.

Booking Holdings traces its history to Priceline, which was founded in 1997.