Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report released on Saturday.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. UBS Group set a $6,485.00 price target on shares of Booking and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Booking from $6,000.00 to $6,200.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Wedbush reduced their target price on shares of Booking from $6,000.00 to $5,500.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Oppenheimer set a $6,000.00 price target on shares of Booking and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $4,495.00 price target (down from $5,830.00) on shares of Booking in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Twenty-nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Booking currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $5,845.61.

Booking Trading Up 0.7%

Shares of BKNG opened at $4,324.04 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $4,558.68 and a 200 day moving average of $5,006.89. The company has a market capitalization of $136.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.03, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.21. Booking has a 12 month low of $3,765.45 and a 12 month high of $5,839.41.

Booking’s stock is scheduled to split on Monday, April 6th. The 25-1 split was announced on Wednesday, February 18th. The newly minted shares will be distributed to shareholders after the market closes on Thursday, April 2nd.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The business services provider reported $48.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $47.96 by $0.84. The firm had revenue of $6.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.12 billion. Booking had a negative return on equity of 128.99% and a net margin of 20.08%.The business’s revenue was up 16.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $41.55 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Booking will post 209.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Booking

In related news, Director Robert J. Mylod, Jr. sold 40 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $5,105.36, for a total transaction of $204,214.40. Following the sale, the director owned 840 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,288,502.40. This represents a 4.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 669 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $4,292.10, for a total value of $2,871,414.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 12,596 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $54,063,291.60. This represents a 5.04% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 2,749 shares of company stock worth $12,571,467. 0.16% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Booking

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp bought a new stake in Booking during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Booking by 150.0% in the 3rd quarter. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC now owns 5 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 3 shares during the period. Guerra Advisors Inc bought a new position in Booking in the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Daytona Street Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Booking during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Legacy Bridge LLC purchased a new position in shares of Booking during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. 92.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Booking News

Here are the key news stories impacting Booking this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Stock momentum since earnings: Analysts note BKNG has risen roughly 7.2% since its last earnings report as investors digest a beat on revenue and EPS, which has driven positive sentiment and likely analyst re-rating. Why Is Booking Holdings (BKNG) Up 7.2% Since Last Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Bull case resurfacing: A bullish thesis summarized on InsiderMonkey (from an Investomine Substack note) highlights attractive forward valuation, durable travel demand, and the upcoming 25-for-1 stock split as catalysts that could improve liquidity and investor interest. Is Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) A Good Stock To Buy Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector volatility — Expedia focus: Coverage of Expedia’s post-rally volatility and margin risks underscores broader OTAs’ sensitivity to macro and margin pressures; this may temper upside for BKNG even as travel demand holds. Expedia Stock Turns Volatile After Rally. Where Does It Go Next? (BKNG)
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data appears anomalous: March filings show zeroed short-interest figures (likely a reporting/data issue), so short-squeeze risk or bearish positioning is unclear and unlikely to be a near-term driver until corrected.
• Negative Sentiment: Recent short-term pullbacks: Reports note BKNG dipped more than the broader market on March 19 (in the ~1–2% range), reflecting intraday/profit-taking pressure after the post-earnings pop. Booking Holdings (BKNG) Dips More Than Broader Market: What You Should Know
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CEO Glenn Fogel sold 669 shares, a small transaction but one that can attract attention; size is modest relative to total holdings so market impact is limited. Glenn Fogel Sells 669 Shares of Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) Stock

Booking Company Profile

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.