Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) Receives Outperform Rating from Wedbush

Wedbush restated their outperform rating on shares of Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) in a report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $3,850.00 target price on the business services provider’s stock.

BKNG has been the topic of several other reports. B. Riley began coverage on Booking in a report on Wednesday, April 3rd. They set a buy rating and a $4,400.00 price objective on the stock. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Booking in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. They set an outperform rating and a $4,150.00 price objective on the stock. Ascendiant Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Booking from $3,700.00 to $3,900.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 29th. JMP Securities increased their price target on shares of Booking from $3,600.00 to $3,950.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research report on Monday, February 26th. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn reissued a buy rating on shares of Booking in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-two have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Booking currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $3,723.41.

Booking Stock Down 0.4 %

BKNG opened at $3,430.14 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $117.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.08, a P/E/G ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.40. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $3,578.09 and its 200-day moving average is $3,364.71. Booking has a 52-week low of $2,456.93 and a 52-week high of $3,918.00.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 22nd. The business services provider reported $32.00 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $29.72 by $2.28. The firm had revenue of $4.78 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.71 billion. Booking had a net margin of 20.08% and a negative return on equity of 751.49%. The firm’s revenue was up 18.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $24.74 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Booking will post 175.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Booking Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th were paid a $8.75 dividend. This represents a $35.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.02%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 7th. Booking’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.67%.

Insider Activity at Booking

In other Booking news, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 4,302 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,422.75, for a total value of $14,724,670.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 33,548 shares in the company, valued at $114,826,417. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Booking news, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 4,302 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,422.75, for a total value of $14,724,670.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 33,548 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $114,826,417. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 750 shares of Booking stock in a transaction on Monday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,534.10, for a total value of $2,650,575.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 26,971 shares in the company, valued at $95,318,211.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 5,461 shares of company stock valued at $18,815,825 over the last 90 days. 0.15% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Booking

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Booking by 37.2% in the 1st quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 64,317 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $151,044,000 after purchasing an additional 17,432 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its position in shares of Booking by 18.8% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 613 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,440,000 after buying an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Booking during the 1st quarter worth about $387,000. Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Booking by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,585 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $10,767,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Merit Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Booking by 7.5% in the 1st quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 172 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $404,000 after acquiring an additional 12 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.42% of the company’s stock.

About Booking

Booking Holdings Inc, formerly The Priceline Group Inc, is a provider of travel and restaurant online reservation and related services. The Company, through its online travel companies (OTCs), connects consumers wishing to make travel reservations with providers of travel services across the world. It offers consumers an array of accommodation reservations (including hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, apartments, vacation rentals and other properties) through its Booking.com, priceline.com and agoda.com brands.