Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) Sets New 52-Week High - Should You Buy?

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $5,532.50 and last traded at $5,499.50, with a volume of 232656 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5,502.00.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on BKNG shares. BTIG Research upgraded Booking from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $5,500.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, April 4th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Booking from $5,500.00 to $5,800.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, February 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald cut their price target on shares of Booking from $5,540.00 to $4,330.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 16th. Cfra upgraded Booking from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Booking from $5,550.00 to $5,700.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $5,299.29.

Booking Trading Down 1.2%

The firm has a market cap of $178.16 billion, a PE ratio of 31.64, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.42. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $4,919.55 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $4,917.01.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The business services provider reported $24.81 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $17.57 by $7.24. The business had revenue of $4.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.58 billion. Booking had a net margin of 24.78% and a negative return on equity of 159.34%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $20.39 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Booking Holdings Inc. will post 209.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Booking Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, June 6th will be issued a $9.60 dividend. This represents a $38.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 6th. Booking's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 23.89%.

Institutional Trading of Booking

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BKNG. Realta Investment Advisors bought a new position in shares of Booking in the fourth quarter worth approximately $520,000. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in Booking by 34.9% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 251 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,249,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Booking in the 4th quarter worth $209,000. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Booking by 24.7% in the fourth quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 91 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $444,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tritonpoint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Booking in the fourth quarter worth $248,000. 92.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Booking Company 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.