33,039 Shares in Booking Holdings Inc. $BKNG Purchased by Busey Bank

Key Points

• Busey Bank purchased 33,039 shares of Booking Holdings in the third quarter, valued at approximately $5.38 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 92.42% of the company.
• Booking reported quarterly EPS of $2.54 and revenue of $7.35 billion, beating analyst estimates, while revenue increased 8.1% year over year. The company also pays a quarterly dividend of $0.42, representing a 1.1% annualized yield.
• BKNG opened at $150.14, near its 52-week low of $149.87, despite a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average analyst price target of $233.71.

Busey Bank purchased a new stake in Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 33,039 shares of the business services provider's stock, valued at approximately $5,383,000.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of BKNG. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in Booking during the second quarter worth $11,646,302,000. State Street Corp raised its position in Booking by 2,674.6% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 39,420,711 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $7,026,348,000 after acquiring an additional 37,999,915 shares in the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new position in Booking in the second quarter worth $1,691,186,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in Booking in the second quarter valued at $1,370,455,000. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its holdings in Booking by 2,525.5% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 6,101,866 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,087,597,000 after acquiring an additional 5,869,459 shares during the period. 92.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Booking Price Performance

NASDAQ BKNG opened at $150.14 on Wednesday. Booking Holdings Inc. has a 1-year low of $149.87 and a 1-year high of $220.81. The company has a market capitalization of $112.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.62 and a beta of 1.13. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $174.95 and a 200 day moving average price of $178.28.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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. The firm had revenue of $7.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.19 billion. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $55.40 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Booking Holdings Inc. will post 10.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Booking Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 11th were given a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 11th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Booking's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 18.58%.

Booking News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Booking this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Booking has delivered stronger revenue momentum than Advance Auto Parts over the past eight quarters, although its results show significant seasonal fluctuations. Advance Auto Parts vs. Booking Holdings: Flat Against Volatile Revenue
• Positive Sentiment: Investors purchased approximately 48,851 BKNG call options, roughly 225% above typical call volume. The activity may indicate bullish positioning or expectations for a rebound, though options flows can be speculative. Booking Holdings has huge, unusual call options activity
• Neutral Sentiment: Booking is expected to report quarterly results next week. Investors will focus on bookings, travel demand, margins, and management’s outlook for the remainder of the year. Booking Expected to Release Quarterly Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts cited a lack of the usual factors supporting a likely earnings beat, increasing downside risk ahead of the report and likely contributing to investor caution. Booking Holdings Earnings Expected to Grow
• Negative Sentiment: BKNG recently reached a fresh 52-week low, signaling persistent technical weakness and reduced investor confidence ahead of earnings. Booking Holdings Falls to a Fresh 52-Week Low
• Negative Sentiment: Bank of America lowered its BKNG price target to $232, although the revised target remains substantially above recent trading levels. Booking Holdings Price Target Lowered

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Robert J. Mylod, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total value of $200,000.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 14,000 shares in the company, valued at $2,800,000. The trade was a 6.67% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Vanessa Wittman sold 375 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $211.00, for a total transaction of $79,125.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 16,133 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,404,063. The trade was a 2.27% 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. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 78,425 shares of company stock valued at $16,210,864. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have commented on BKNG shares. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Booking from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. TD Cowen upgraded shares of Booking to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday, September 14th. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $250.00 price target on shares of Booking in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Benchmark raised their price objective on shares of Booking from $220.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $250.00 price objective (up from $240.00) on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-six have given a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $233.71.

Booking Profile

Booking Holdings Inc is a global online travel and restaurant-reservation company that connects consumers with travel providers through digital platforms and mobile applications. Its services include accommodations, flights, rental cars, cruises, vacation packages, restaurant reservations and other travel-related offerings.

The company operates a portfolio of well-known brands, including Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, OpenTable, Rentalcars.com and Kayak-associated travel services.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.