Kestra Advisory Services LLC Buys 7,767 Shares of Booking Holdings Inc. $BKNG

Kestra Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) by 7.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 116,394 shares of the business services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 7,767 shares during the quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Booking were worth $18,962,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Claro Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Booking in the third quarter worth approximately $231,000. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC boosted its holdings in Booking by 3.0% in the third quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 98,738 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $16,085,000 after acquiring an additional 2,903 shares in the last quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC grew its stake in Booking by 50.7% in the third quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 7,590 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,183,000 after acquiring an additional 2,554 shares during the period. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in Booking by 7.7% in the third quarter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. now owns 201,573 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $32,723,000 after acquiring an additional 14,400 shares during the period. Finally, Provenance Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in Booking by 17,224.0% in the third quarter. Provenance Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,331 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $706,000 after acquiring an additional 4,306 shares during the period. 92.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Booking Stock Performance

BKNG stock opened at $160.66 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $119.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 1.17. Booking Holdings Inc. has a 52-week low of $146.28 and a 52-week high of $220.81. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $166.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $176.13.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 3rd. The business services provider reported $4.66 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.49 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $9.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.55 billion. Booking had a negative return on equity of 89.54% and a net margin of 25.52%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $99.50 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Booking Holdings Inc. will post 10.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company restated a “positive” rating and set a $179.00 price objective (down from $190.00) on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their target price on Booking from $220.00 to $205.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 4th. Mizuho set a $205.00 price target on shares of Booking in a research report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $245.00 price target on shares of Booking in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, DA Davidson set a $240.00 price target on shares of Booking in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Booking has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $222.35.

Key Headlines Impacting Booking

Here are the key news stories impacting Booking this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Booking’s AI initiatives are drawing favorable attention. A Seeking Alpha article upgraded its rating, arguing AI could help drive revenue, while CEO Glenn Fogel described AI as a “big positive” for the company. Booking Holdings: AI Proves To Be A Revenue Multiplier (Rating Upgrade) AI is starting to help Booking’s business. Its stock should benefit
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen reiterated its Buy rating. Separately, Booking-backed Lola launched a service to help members get access to sought-after restaurant reservations and event tickets, with more cities planned. TD Cowen Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on Booking Holdings Lola Launches Lola VIP Drops
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent third-quarter results beat Booking’s own guidance on room nights, gross bookings and adjusted revenue, supporting the earlier share rally. These results provide a positive business backdrop, but may be outweighed today by competitive and analyst concerns. Booking Stock Jumps As Q3 Results Spotlight Margin Strength
• Negative Sentiment: Airbnb reported its fastest revenue growth in more than three years and raised its outlook, lifting its shares while Booking and Expedia fell. The news may renew concerns about competition and relative growth prospects in online travel. Airbnb Jumps on Growth and Raised Outlook; Booking and Expedia Fall
• Negative Sentiment: Several analyst actions point to a more cautious view: JPMorgan lowered its expectations, and Barclays and UBS cut their price targets. A downgrade also accompanied coverage of Booking shares, adding to near-term pressure. JPMorgan Lowers Expectations for Booking Barclays Lowers Booking Price Target UBS Cuts Booking Price Target

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Peter Millones, Jr. sold 50,050 shares of Booking stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $207.59, for a total transaction of $10,389,879.50. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 375,025 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $77,851,439.75. The trade was a 11.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CFO Ewout L. Steenbergen sold 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $211.03, for a total value of $4,220,600.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 59,794 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,618,327.82. This trade represents a 25.06% 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. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 77,425 shares of company stock valued at $16,004,164. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Booking Company Profile

Booking Holdings Inc is an online travel company that connects travelers with accommodations and other travel services. Through its digital platforms, customers can search for and book hotels, vacation rentals, flights, rental cars, attractions and other travel experiences.

The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands, including Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, Rentalcars.com and OpenTable. Its services span accommodation reservations, travel search and comparison, car rentals, and restaurant reservations.

Booking Holdings traces its history to Priceline, which was founded in 1997.