AQR Capital Management LLC Cuts Stock Holdings in Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)

AQR Capital Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG - Free Report) by 3.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 85,963 shares of the business services provider's stock after selling 3,385 shares during the period. Booking makes up approximately 0.6% of AQR Capital Management LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. AQR Capital Management LLC owned about 0.26% of Booking worth $427,101,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Passumpsic Savings Bank increased its stake in shares of Booking by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter. Passumpsic Savings Bank now owns 699 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $2,944,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Virtu Financial LLC lifted its position in Booking by 268.5% during the third quarter. Virtu Financial LLC now owns 2,410 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $10,147,000 after buying an additional 1,756 shares during the period. World Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Booking by 3,561.9% in the 3rd quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,076 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $12,955,000 after purchasing an additional 2,992 shares during the period. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB raised its holdings in shares of Booking by 27.6% in the 3rd quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 1,550 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $6,529,000 after purchasing an additional 335 shares during the period. Finally, Inspire Trust Co. N.A. raised its holdings in shares of Booking by 404.4% in the 3rd quarter. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. now owns 459 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $1,933,000 after purchasing an additional 368 shares during the period. 92.42% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

BKNG has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. DA Davidson increased their target price on Booking from $5,005.00 to $5,800.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, February 21st. Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on Booking from $5,120.00 to $5,077.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Booking from $5,750.00 to $4,850.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. StockNews.com lowered Booking from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald lowered their price objective on Booking from $5,540.00 to $4,330.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Booking has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $5,263.28.

Booking Price Performance

Booking stock opened at $4,889.95 on Tuesday. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $4,648.23 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $4,804.01. Booking Holdings Inc. has a one year low of $3,180.00 and a one year high of $5,337.24. The firm has a market cap of $159.61 billion, a PE ratio of 28.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.37.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 20th. The business services provider reported $41.55 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $35.82 by $5.73. Booking had a negative return on equity of 159.34% and a net margin of 24.78%. The firm had revenue of $5.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.18 billion. Sell-side analysts expect that Booking Holdings Inc. will post 209.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Booking Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 7th were paid a $9.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 7th. This represents a $38.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.79%. This is an increase from Booking's previous quarterly dividend of $8.75. Booking's dividend payout ratio is currently 22.19%.

Booking Profile

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.

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