Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) Given Market Outperform Rating at JMP Securities

JMP Securities restated their market outperform rating on shares of Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) in a research report report published on Monday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $3,950.00 price objective on the business services provider’s stock.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on BKNG. Seaport Res Ptn restated a buy rating on shares of Booking in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Erste Group Bank restated a hold rating on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday, March 13th. Wedbush reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $3,850.00 price target on shares of Booking in a research report on Tuesday, April 30th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on Booking from $3,580.00 to $4,250.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, B. Riley initiated coverage on Booking in a report on Wednesday, April 3rd. They issued a buy rating and a $4,400.00 target price on the stock. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $3,876.96.

Booking Trading Up 3.3 %

Shares of NASDAQ BKNG opened at $3,780.03 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $128.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.40. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $3,532.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $3,420.07. Booking has a 1-year low of $2,456.93 and a 1-year high of $3,918.00.

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

Booking Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Investors of record on Friday, June 7th will be issued a dividend of $8.75 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 7th. This represents a $35.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.93%. Booking’s dividend payout ratio is 26.25%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Paulo Pisano sold 227 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,580.75, for a total value of $812,830.25. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 4,233 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $15,157,314.75. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, Director Radakovich Lynn Vojvodich sold 28 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,498.29, for a total transaction of $97,952.12. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 233 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $815,101.57. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Paulo Pisano sold 227 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,580.75, for a total transaction of $812,830.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 4,233 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,157,314.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 5,651 shares of company stock valued at $19,485,975. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Booking

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Booking in the fourth quarter worth about $1,742,160,000. Northern Trust Corp raised its holdings in shares of Booking by 1.3% during the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 383,996 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,184,224,000 after acquiring an additional 5,040 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Booking by 4.3% in the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 376,734 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,336,362,000 after acquiring an additional 15,381 shares during the period. Sanders Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Booking by 3.5% in the fourth quarter. Sanders Capital LLC now owns 275,172 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $976,096,000 after acquiring an additional 9,419 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. increased its position in Booking by 29.2% during the 1st quarter. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. now owns 193,515 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $702,049,000 after purchasing an additional 43,743 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.42% of the company’s stock.

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.