Booking Holdings Inc. $BKNG Stock: U S Global Investors Inc. Cuts Holdings

U S Global Investors Inc. lowered its position in shares of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) by 8.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 93,179 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 8,367 shares during the quarter. Booking accounts for approximately 1.5% of U S Global Investors Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. U S Global Investors Inc.’s holdings in Booking were worth $15,180,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bogart Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of Booking by 3,475.0% in the 2nd quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 143 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares during the period. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC boosted its position in Booking by 3,550.0% during the second quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 146 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 142 shares during the period. First Financial Corp IN lifted its position in Booking by 2,400.0% during the 2nd quarter. First Financial Corp IN now owns 150 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc boosted its stake in Booking by 2,400.0% during the 2nd quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 150 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 144 shares during the period. Finally, Kings Path Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Booking in the third quarter worth $29,000. Institutional investors own 92.42% of the company’s stock.

Booking Stock Up 1.7%

Booking stock opened at $161.10 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $121.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.83, a P/E/G ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.13. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $177.97 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $177.38. Booking Holdings Inc. has a twelve month low of $150.14 and a twelve month high of $220.81.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last announced its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The business services provider reported $2.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.43 by $0.11. Booking had a net margin of 25.53% and a negative return on equity of 102.96%. The company had revenue of $7.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $55.40 earnings per share. Booking’s quarterly revenue was up 8.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Booking Holdings Inc. will post 10.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Booking Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 11th were paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 11th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. Booking’s dividend payout ratio is presently 18.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently weighed in on BKNG shares. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $250.00 target price on shares of Booking in a research note on Thursday. DA Davidson set a $240.00 target price on Booking in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $230.00 price objective on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Booking from $266.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Oppenheimer reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $240.00 target price (up from $215.00) on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-six have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $233.71.

Key Booking News

Here are the key news stories impacting Booking this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BTIG Research reaffirmed its Buy rating and set a $250 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. The call provides bullish analyst support despite the latest weakness. BTIG Research Booking rating
• Positive Sentiment: Booking remains a major global online-travel platform with significant scale and a diversified brand portfolio, supporting its ability to capture travel demand. The comparison with Airbnb highlights Booking’s established competitive position, although it also underscores ongoing competition in the sector. Airbnb versus Booking comparison
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent market coverage attributed Booking’s decline to company-specific concerns rather than broad market weakness, indicating that investors are focusing on the regulatory news and its potential implications. Booking Holdings stock decline analysis
• Negative Sentiment: The European Union opened an investigation into Booking.com over alleged shortcomings in addressing fraudulent listings and phishing scams. Regulators are also examining advertising transparency. The probe could increase compliance costs, create reputational risk, and potentially lead to enforcement measures, weighing on investor sentiment. Reuters report on EU investigation
• Negative Sentiment: Shares declined while the broader market gained, reinforcing that the EU fraud-risk investigation is the primary near-term catalyst behind BKNG’s weakness. EU investigates Booking.com over fraud risks

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Ewout L. Steenbergen sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $211.03, for a total transaction 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 transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Vanessa Wittman sold 375 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $211.00, for a total transaction of $79,125.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 16,133 shares in the company, valued at $3,404,063. The trade was a 2.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 84,550 shares of company stock valued at $17,426,864 over the last ninety days. 0.17% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Booking Profile

Booking Holdings Inc is a global online travel and restaurant-reservation company that connects consumers with travel providers through digital platforms and mobile applications. Its services include accommodations, flights, rental cars, cruises, vacation packages, restaurant reservations and other travel-related offerings.

The company operates a portfolio of well-known brands, including Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, OpenTable, Rentalcars.com and Kayak-associated travel services.