FY2026 EPS Estimates for Booking Reduced by Erste Group Bank

Key Points

• Erste Group trimmed its FY2026 EPS estimate for Booking to $10.65 from $10.70, a very small revision that sits essentially in line with the Street consensus of $10.64.
• Booking reported Q1 EPS of $1.14 (missing expectations) while revenue rose 16.2% YoY to $5.53 billion, but management cut its FY26 revenue‑growth outlook to high‑single digits and gave a Q2 revenue guide below consensus, citing the Middle East conflict as a headwind.
• Analyst reactions are mixed—some firms trimmed targets while others reiterated buys—and the consensus remains a Moderate Buy with a $232.45 price target, even as recent insider sales and positioning could amplify stock moves.

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG - Free Report) - Analysts at Erste Group Bank reduced their FY2026 earnings per share estimates for Booking in a report released on Monday, April 27th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now expects that the business services provider will post earnings per share of $10.65 for the year, down from their previous estimate of $10.70. The consensus estimate for Booking's current full-year earnings is $10.64 per share.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The business services provider reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $27.56 by ($26.42). The firm had revenue of $5.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.51 billion. Booking had a negative return on equity of 128.99% and a net margin of 20.08%.The company's revenue for the quarter was up 16.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.99 earnings per share.

Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on BKNG. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $244.00 target price on shares of Booking in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on Booking to $210.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Oppenheimer set a $240.00 price objective on Booking and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Cantor Fitzgerald set a $180.00 price objective on Booking in a research note on Monday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Booking from $215.00 to $214.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-eight have issued a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Booking currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $232.45.

Booking Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:BKNG opened at $173.47 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $137.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.11, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.20. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $173.49 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $192.54. Booking has a 52-week low of $150.62 and a 52-week high of $233.58.

Booking Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, March 6th were paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 6th. Booking's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.26%.

Insider Activity at Booking

In related news, Director Vanessa Ames Wittman sold 1,125 shares of Booking stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $192.00, for a total transaction of $216,000.00. Following the sale, the director owned 16,050 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,081,600. This trade represents a 6.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Robert J. Mylod, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of Booking stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $204.21, for a total value of $204,214.40. Following the sale, the director directly owned 21,000 shares in the company, valued at $4,288,502.40. This trade represents a 4.55% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 60,876 shares of company stock valued at $10,559,629. 0.16% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Booking

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its position in shares of Booking by 7.7% during the 3rd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 6,914 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $38,132,000 after purchasing an additional 492 shares during the last quarter. Donaldson Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Booking by 59.6% during the 3rd quarter. Donaldson Capital Management LLC now owns 1,119 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $6,042,000 after purchasing an additional 418 shares during the last quarter. Dynasty Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Booking by 229.6% during the 3rd quarter. Dynasty Wealth Management LLC now owns 412 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $2,224,000 after purchasing an additional 287 shares during the last quarter. GRIMES & Co WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC increased its position in shares of Booking by 339.0% during the 3rd quarter. GRIMES & Co WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC now owns 180 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $974,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its position in shares of Booking by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 72,604 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $392,009,000 after purchasing an additional 4,589 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.42% of the company's stock.

Booking News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Booking this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results showed revenue up ~16% year‑over‑year and operating metrics that beat or roughly met Street expectations — supporting the case that demand remains resilient. Booking’s Q1 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Booking highlighted benefits from generative AI (cost reductions and booking lift) and Kayak launched an “Ask AI” conversational planner — both help revenue/margin outlook over time and support investor confidence in product-led growth. AI assistants slash costs KAYAK Ask AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Street reactions are mixed: some firms reiterated buys and nudged targets (UBS raised its target slightly), while others trimmed targets modestly — keeping consensus bullish but showing calibration. UBS sticks to buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst estimate movement is minor: Erste trimmed FY26 EPS to $10.65 from $10.70 — a small revision aligned with consensus, not a material reset. Erste estimate cut
• Negative Sentiment: Management cut its FY26 revenue-growth outlook (from low‑double digits to high‑single digits) and Q2 revenue guide (~$7.1–7.2B) came in below consensus — the guidance reset is the main driver of downside pressure. WSJ: Cuts full‑year outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical headwinds (Middle East conflict) are explicitly cited by management as curbing travel demand and prompting the outlook cut — an ongoing macro risk for near‑term revenue. Seeking Alpha: Outlook lowered
• Negative Sentiment: Market positioning signals: reports show notable insider sales and large institutional portfolio moves in Q1 — these flows can amplify price moves following the guidance miss. Quiver: insider & institutional activity

Booking Company Profile

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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