Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) Shares Acquired by Centaurus Financial Inc.

Centaurus Financial Inc. increased its stake in Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) by 47.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 96 shares of the business services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 31 shares during the quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc.’s holdings in Booking were worth $341,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Booking in the 4th quarter worth $1,742,160,000. Northern Trust Corp grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 383,996 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,184,224,000 after acquiring an additional 5,040 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 4.3% in the 4th 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 last quarter. Sanders Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Sanders Capital LLC now owns 275,172 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $976,096,000 after acquiring an additional 9,419 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lone Pine Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Lone Pine Capital LLC now owns 152,501 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $540,955,000 after acquiring an additional 3,052 shares during the last quarter. 92.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Booking

In related news, Director Radakovich Lynn Vojvodich sold 22 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,583.07, for a total transaction of $78,827.54. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 211 shares in the company, valued at $756,027.77. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, Director Radakovich Lynn Vojvodich sold 22 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,583.07, for a total transaction of $78,827.54. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 211 shares in the company, valued at $756,027.77. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 750 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,534.10, for a total value of $2,650,575.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 26,971 shares in the company, valued at $95,318,211.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 1,021 shares of company stock worth $3,617,852 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.12% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wedbush reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $3,850.00 price target on shares of Booking in a report on Tuesday, April 30th. Argus lifted their price target on Booking from $4,200.00 to $4,342.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 4th. DA Davidson lifted their price target on Booking from $4,100.00 to $4,150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 3rd. HSBC lifted their price objective on Booking from $4,220.00 to $4,230.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 7th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Booking from $3,550.00 to $3,900.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-two have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Booking has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $3,902.54.

Booking Stock Performance

NASDAQ BKNG opened at $3,953.07 on Tuesday. Booking Holdings Inc. has a twelve month low of $2,605.00 and a twelve month high of $3,957.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $134.13 billion, a PE ratio of 29.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.40. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $3,674.20 and a 200 day simple moving average of $3,580.27.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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. 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.25 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $11.60 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 16.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Booking Holdings Inc. will post 178.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Booking Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Investors of record on Friday, June 7th will be paid a dividend of $8.75 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 7th. This represents a $35.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.89%. Booking’s dividend payout ratio is 26.25%.

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.