Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the thirty-seven ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, twenty-eight have assigned a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $227.1388.

BKNG has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Gordon Haskett raised their target price on shares of Booking from $217.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on shares of Booking from $244.00 to $220.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their target price on shares of Booking from $216.28 to $187.92 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Susquehanna set a $260.00 target price on shares of Booking in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $215.00 target price on shares of Booking and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th.

Insider Transactions at Booking

In other news, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 16,726 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $185.36, for a total value of $3,100,331.36. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 298,174 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $55,269,532.64. The trade was a 5.31% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, VP Peter J. Millones sold 62,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $163.67, for a total transaction of $10,229,375.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 425,075 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $69,572,025.25. The trade was a 12.82% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 97,076 shares of company stock valued at $16,417,121. Insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new position in Booking during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Daytona Street Capital LLC acquired a new position in Booking during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Legacy Bridge LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Booking in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Camelot Portfolios LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Booking in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Osbon Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Booking in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. 92.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Booking Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ BKNG opened at $160.64 on Thursday. Booking has a 1 year low of $150.14 and a 1 year high of $233.58. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $169.52 and its 200 day moving average price is $184.45. The firm has a market cap of $124.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.08.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The business services provider reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.08 by $0.06. Booking had a net margin of 22.23% and a negative return on equity of 117.14%. The firm had revenue of $5.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.52 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.99 earnings per share. Booking’s revenue was up 16.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Booking will post 10.44 EPS for the current year.

Booking Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, June 5th will be paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 5th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. Booking’s payout ratio is 22.11%.

Key Headlines Impacting Booking

Here are the key news stories impacting Booking this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Several broker-focused reports highlighted that Wall Street’s average recommendation on Booking Holdings remains favorable, which could support the stock if investors continue to view BKNG as an attractive travel-sector name. Brokers Suggest Investing in Booking Holdings (BKNG): Read This Before Placing a Bet
• Positive Sentiment: Dodge & Cox Fund said it initiated a position in Booking Holdings in its first-quarter letter, a sign that a respected value-oriented investor sees long-term upside in the company. Dodge and Cox Fund Initiated Booking Holdings (BKNG) on Overlooked Advantage
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent “Travel Stocks To Watch” and valuation-comparison articles may keep BKNG on investors’ radar, but they do not appear to include new information that would materially change the stock’s outlook. Travel Stocks To Watch Today – June 7th
• Negative Sentiment: BKNG’s latest trading-session update showed the stock declining more than the broader market, reinforcing near-term weakness and suggesting investor caution around the name. Booking Holdings (BKNG) Sees a More Significant Dip Than Broader Market: Some Facts to Know

About Booking

Booking Holdings Inc is a global online travel company that operates a portfolio of consumer brands and technology platforms that facilitate the search for and booking of travel services. The company’s businesses focus on accommodations, transportation and related travel services through consumer-facing websites and apps as well as partner distribution channels. Booking Holdings was originally founded as Priceline in the late 1990s and adopted the Booking Holdings name in 2018; it is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Its core offerings include online reservations for hotels, vacation rentals and other lodging; flight and car rental search and booking; and ancillary services that support travel planning and on-property experiences.