Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) Price Target Increased to $4,025.00 by Analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) had its target price boosted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $3,950.00 to $4,025.00 in a research report released on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the business services provider’s stock.

A number of other brokerages have also recently commented on BKNG. JMP Securities increased their target price on shares of Booking from $3,600.00 to $3,950.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a research report on Monday, February 26th. Erste Group Bank reiterated a hold rating on shares of Booking in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on shares of Booking from $3,450.00 to $4,200.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. B. Riley started coverage on shares of Booking in a report on Wednesday, April 3rd. They set a buy rating and a $4,400.00 price target for the company. Finally, Barclays decreased their target price on Booking from $3,900.00 to $3,800.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 23rd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $3,823.00.

Booking Stock Up 3.0 %

Shares of BKNG traded up $104.47 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $3,577.38. 534,715 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 200,734. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $3,524.43 and a 200-day moving average price of $3,399.84. The stock has a market capitalization of $121.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.05 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.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 2nd. The business services provider reported $20.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $14.03 by $6.36. Booking had a negative return on equity of 433.49% and a net margin of 21.81%. The company had revenue of $4.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.25 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $11.60 earnings per share. Booking’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Booking will post 176.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Booking Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th were paid a $8.75 dividend. This represents a $35.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.98%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 7th. Booking’s payout ratio is 26.25%.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Paulo Pisano sold 300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,485.00, for a total value of $1,045,500.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 4,233 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,752,005. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Booking news, insider Paulo Pisano sold 300 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,485.00, for a total transaction of $1,045,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 4,233 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,752,005. The transaction 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 business’s stock in a transaction 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 sale, the director now directly owns 189 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $649,640.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 5,483 shares of company stock valued at $18,891,445 in the last 90 days. 0.15% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Booking

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Activest Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Booking during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Naples Money Management LLC purchased a new stake in Booking during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Booking during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Booking in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Booking in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. 92.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.