BMO Capital Markets Reaffirms "Outperform" Rating for Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG)

BMO Capital Markets restated their outperform rating on shares of Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Free Report) in a report released on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. BMO Capital Markets currently has a $4,205.00 price objective on the business services provider's stock, up from their prior price objective of $4,150.00.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on BKNG. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on shares of Booking from $3,080.00 to $3,610.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, January 19th. B. Riley initiated coverage on shares of Booking in a research report on Wednesday, April 3rd. They set a buy rating and a $4,400.00 target price for the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Booking from $3,550.00 to $3,900.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Wedbush reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $3,850.00 price objective on shares of Booking in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Booking from $3,560.00 to $3,950.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Booking has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $3,823.00.

Booking Trading Up 3.0 %

Shares of NASDAQ:BKNG traded up $104.47 during trading on Friday, reaching $3,577.38. The company's stock had a trading volume of 534,621 shares, compared to its average volume of 269,375. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $3,523.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $3,395.60. Booking has a 12 month low of $2,456.93 and a 12 month high of $3,918.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $121.70 billion, a PE ratio of 30.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.40.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 2nd. The business services provider reported $20.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $14.03 by $6.36. The business had revenue of $4.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.25 billion. Booking had a negative return on equity of 751.49% and a net margin of 20.08%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 16.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $11.60 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Booking will post 176.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Booking Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th were issued a $8.75 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $35.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.98%. Booking's payout ratio is 29.67%.

Insider Transactions at Booking

In related news, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 4,302 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,422.75, for a total value of $14,724,670.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 33,548 shares of the company's stock, valued at $114,826,417. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Director Radakovich Lynn Vojvodich sold 22 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,583.07, for a total value of $78,827.54. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 211 shares of the company's stock, valued at $756,027.77. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 4,302 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,422.75, for a total value of $14,724,670.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 33,548 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $114,826,417. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 5,483 shares of company stock worth $18,891,445 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.15% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Booking

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Activest Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Booking during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Naples Money Management LLC acquired a new stake in Booking during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Booking during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Booking during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Booking in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.42% of the company's stock.

About Booking

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.