Benchmark Issues Positive Forecast for Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) Stock Price

Key Points

• Benchmark raised Booking’s price target to $250 from $220 and maintained a “buy” rating, implying 21.05% upside from the prior close. The broader analyst consensus is “Moderate Buy” with a $234.74 target.
• Booking’s latest quarter exceeded expectations, with EPS of $2.54 versus $2.43 expected and revenue of $7.35 billion, up 8.1% year over year. Shares rose 6.3% to $206.53 during Wednesday trading.
• Despite resilient travel demand and potential benefits from AI and efficiency initiatives, investors should monitor weaker-than-expected near-term guidance, geopolitical travel risks, competitive pressure and recent insider selling.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) had its target price upped by stock analysts at Benchmark from $220.00 to $250.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the business services provider's stock. Benchmark's price objective suggests a potential upside of 21.05% from the stock's previous close.

Several other brokerages have also weighed in on BKNG. Citigroup restated a "buy" rating and issued a $236.00 price objective (up from $225.00) on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Booking from $224.00 to $208.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Robert W. Baird set a $230.00 price target on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of Booking from $244.00 to $220.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Tigress Financial reaffirmed a "strong-buy" rating and issued a $260.00 price objective (up from $244.00) on shares of Booking in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $234.74.

Booking Trading Up 6.3%

NASDAQ:BKNG traded up $12.26 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $206.53. 7,080,211 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,587,722. Booking has a one year low of $150.14 and a one year high of $231.80. The company has a market capitalization of $160.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.16, a P/E/G ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.07. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $176.96 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $176.82.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The business services provider reported $2.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.43 by $0.11. Booking had a negative return on equity of 117.14% and a net margin of 22.23%.The firm had revenue of $7.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.19 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $55.40 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 8.1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Booking will post 10.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Booking

In other Booking news, VP Peter J. Millones sold 62,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were 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 approximately $69,572,025.25. This represents a 12.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Robert J. Mylod, Jr. sold 5,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total transaction of $1,000,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 16,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,200,000. The trade was a 23.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 68,625 shares of company stock worth $11,445,375 in the last quarter. 0.17% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Booking

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BKNG. Brighton Jones LLC grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 34.9% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 251 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,249,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Booking in the 4th quarter worth about $209,000. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in Booking by 25.0% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 165 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $955,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its position in Booking by 50.0% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 87 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $504,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares during the period. Finally, Osterweis Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Booking during the 2nd quarter worth about $179,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.42% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Booking

Here are the key news stories impacting Booking this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results topped expectations: Adjusted earnings per share were $2.54 versus estimates of roughly $2.43–$2.45, while revenue rose 8.1% year over year to $7.35 billion, above the $7.19 billion consensus. Booking Holdings Q2 results top estimates as travel demand remains resilient
• Positive Sentiment: Travel demand remained resilient: Booking beat the high end of guidance for room nights, gross bookings and EBITDA, with solid domestic and regional demand offsetting some weakness in long-haul international travel. Booking Holdings tops second-quarter forecasts as travel demand stays resilient
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support strengthened: Wedbush raised its price target to $247 from $211 and assigned an “outperform” rating. BTIG reaffirmed its “buy” rating with a $250 target, while Cantor Fitzgerald lifted its target to $220, although it retained a “neutral” rating.
• Positive Sentiment: AI and efficiency initiatives provided additional upside potential: Management highlighted early gains from AI-powered personalization, connected-trip development and improved savings, which could support conversion and customer retention over time. BKNG Q2 Earnings Call Centers on Resilience, AI and Savings
• Neutral Sentiment: Near-term guidance and geopolitics remain watch points: Third-quarter revenue guidance of $9.4–$9.5 billion was below the $9.7 billion consensus, and management cited Middle East conflict and related travel volatility as risks.
• Negative Sentiment: Growth and competitive pressures could limit further gains: Revenue growth decelerated relative to recent quarters, marketing expenses grew faster than revenue, and competition—particularly from Google—may raise customer-acquisition costs. Booking Holdings: The Buy Thesis Survives Q2

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.

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