Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The business services provider reported $24.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $17.57 by $7.24, Zacks reports. Booking had a negative return on equity of 159.34% and a net margin of 24.78%. The business had revenue of $4.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.58 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $20.39 EPS. The business's revenue was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year.

Booking Price Performance

Shares of BKNG traded up $53.95 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $5,155.38. The stock had a trading volume of 117,243 shares, compared to its average volume of 252,184. The stock has a market capitalization of $168.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.76, a P/E/G ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.37. The company's fifty day moving average is $4,649.29 and its two-hundred day moving average is $4,812.32. Booking has a 52 week low of $3,180.00 and a 52 week high of $5,337.24.

Booking Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 7th were issued a dividend of $9.60 per share. This represents a $38.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.74%. This is an increase from Booking's previous quarterly dividend of $8.75. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 7th. Booking's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 23.89%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently issued reports on BKNG. Citigroup raised their price target on Booking from $5,500.00 to $5,800.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, February 21st. DA Davidson increased their target price on shares of Booking from $5,005.00 to $5,800.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, February 21st. Barclays boosted their price objective on Booking from $5,100.00 to $5,600.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, February 21st. Wedbush raised their target price on Booking from $5,000.00 to $5,500.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Booking from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $5,262.41.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

An institutional investor recently raised its position in Booking stock. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG - Free Report) by 34.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 251 shares of the business services provider's stock after buying an additional 65 shares during the quarter. Brighton Jones LLC's holdings in Booking were worth $1,249,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.42% of the company's stock.

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.