Booking FY2026 EPS Estimate Increased by Erste Group Bank

Key Points

• Erste Group Bank raised Booking’s FY2026 EPS estimate to $10.43 from $10.39, close to the $10.48 consensus, and projected FY2027 EPS of $12.33.
• Booking’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations, with EPS of $2.54 versus $2.43 expected and revenue of $7.35 billion, up 8.1% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $236.45; Booking also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.42 per share.

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG - Free Report) - Investment analysts at Erste Group Bank raised their FY2026 earnings estimates for Booking in a research note issued on Thursday, August 27th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now anticipates that the business services provider will post earnings of $10.43 per share for the year, up from their previous estimate of $10.39. The consensus estimate for Booking's current full-year earnings is $10.48 per share. Erste Group Bank also issued estimates for Booking's FY2027 earnings at $12.33 EPS.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The business services provider reported $2.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.43 by $0.11. Booking had a net margin of 25.53% and a negative return on equity of 102.96%. The business had revenue of $7.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $7.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $55.40 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Bank of America reissued a "buy" rating and set a $234.00 price objective on shares of Booking in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Piper Sandler restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $215.00 target price (up from $195.00) on shares of Booking in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a "market perform" rating and issued a $188.00 price target on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday. Argus lifted their price target on Booking from $210.00 to $245.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Finally, Benchmark boosted their price objective on Booking from $220.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Booking currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $236.45.

Booking Stock Performance

Booking stock opened at $205.63 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $154.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.76, a PEG ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 1.07. Booking has a fifty-two week low of $150.14 and a fifty-two week high of $226.10. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $192.18 and its 200-day moving average price is $177.64.

Booking Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be issued a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 11th. Booking's dividend payout ratio is presently 18.58%.

Insider Transactions at Booking

In related news, CFO Ewout L. Steenbergen sold 20,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $211.03, for a total transaction of $4,220,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 59,794 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $12,618,327.82. This trade represents a 25.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Vanessa Ames Wittman sold 1,125 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $192.00, for a total value of $216,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 16,508 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,169,536. The trade was a 6.38% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 77,550 shares of company stock valued at $16,112,304 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Booking

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Benjamin Edwards Inc. raised its position in shares of Booking by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 121 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $700,000 after acquiring an additional 2 shares during the period. DF Dent & Co. Inc. boosted its stake in Booking by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. DF Dent & Co. Inc. now owns 152 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $821,000 after acquiring an additional 3 shares during the last quarter. Prosperity Consulting Group LLC grew its holdings in Booking by 7.0% during the third quarter. Prosperity Consulting Group LLC now owns 46 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $248,000 after purchasing an additional 3 shares during the period. Mutual Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Booking by 1.2% during the fourth quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 246 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,317,000 after purchasing an additional 3 shares during the period. Finally, Avidian Wealth Enterprises LLC increased its stake in Booking by 3.2% in the fourth quarter. Avidian Wealth Enterprises LLC now owns 97 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $518,000 after purchasing an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.42% of the company's stock.

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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