JMP Securities Reiterates "Market Outperform" Rating for Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG)

JMP Securities restated their market outperform rating on shares of Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Free Report) in a report issued on Monday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $3,950.00 price target on the business services provider's stock.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on BKNG. Seaport Res Ptn reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Booking in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. BMO Capital Markets reissued an outperform rating and issued a $4,205.00 target price (up previously from $4,150.00) on shares of Booking in a report on Friday. B. Riley assumed coverage on Booking in a research report on Wednesday, April 3rd. They issued a buy rating and a $4,400.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Booking from $3,550.00 to $3,900.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Finally, Benchmark reissued a hold rating on shares of Booking in a research report on Friday. 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's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $3,823.00.

Booking Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of BKNG stock traded up $21.03 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $3,598.41. 349,955 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 270,303. The company has a market cap of $122.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.99, a P/E/G ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.40. Booking has a 12 month low of $2,456.93 and a 12 month high of $3,918.00. The company's 50-day moving average price is $3,526.40 and its 200-day moving average price is $3,412.40.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 2nd. The business services provider reported $20.39 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $14.03 by $6.36. The company had revenue of $4.42 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.25 billion. Booking had a negative return on equity of 288.35% and a net margin of 21.81%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 16.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $11.60 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Booking will post 176.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Booking Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th were given a $8.75 dividend. This represents a $35.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.97%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 7th. Booking's dividend payout ratio is presently 26.25%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 4,302 shares of Booking stock in a transaction on Friday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,422.75, for a total transaction of $14,724,670.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 33,548 shares in the company, valued at approximately $114,826,417. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 4,302 shares of Booking stock in a transaction on Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,422.75, for a total transaction of $14,724,670.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 33,548 shares of the company's stock, valued at $114,826,417. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Radakovich Lynn Vojvodich sold 22 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,437.25, for a total transaction of $75,619.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 189 shares in the company, valued at $649,640.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 5,483 shares of company stock worth $18,891,445. Corporate insiders own 0.12% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Booking

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Duality Advisers LP acquired a new stake in Booking in the first quarter worth $359,000. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Booking by 29.2% in the 1st quarter. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. now owns 193,515 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $702,049,000 after acquiring an additional 43,743 shares during the period. Bard Financial Services Inc. acquired a new position in Booking during the 1st quarter valued at about $544,000. Flossbach Von Storch AG grew its position in Booking by 242.0% in the 1st quarter. Flossbach Von Storch AG now owns 28,557 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $103,601,000 after purchasing an additional 20,208 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Booking by 9.0% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 895 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $3,247,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. 92.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.