Cape Investment Advisory Inc. Cuts Stake in Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)

Cape Investment Advisory Inc. lowered its holdings in shares of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) by 17.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 440 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 92 shares during the quarter. Booking makes up 0.9% of Cape Investment Advisory Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest holding. Cape Investment Advisory Inc.’s holdings in Booking were worth $2,186,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in BKNG. Jacobi Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Booking by 8.0% during the 4th quarter. Jacobi Capital Management LLC now owns 54 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $269,000 after buying an additional 4 shares in the last quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 4.9% in the fourth quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC now owns 1,380 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $6,856,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. SVB Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Booking in the fourth quarter valued at $2,942,000. Flputnam Investment Management Co. grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 5,217 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $25,920,000 after purchasing an additional 155 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Verus Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 20.0% in the fourth quarter. Verus Capital Partners LLC now owns 60 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $298,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. 92.42% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Booking from $4,470.00 to $5,248.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 21st. Wedbush lifted their target price on Booking from $5,000.00 to $5,500.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Tigress Financial lifted their target price on Booking from $4,580.00 to $5,600.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 18th. B. Riley lifted their price objective on shares of Booking from $5,700.00 to $6,000.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 21st. Finally, Cfra raised shares of Booking from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Booking has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $5,370.43.

Booking Stock Performance

Shares of BKNG opened at $5,016.01 on Friday. Booking Holdings Inc. has a 1 year low of $3,180.00 and a 1 year high of $5,337.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $164.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.99, a P/E/G ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.39. The company’s fifty day moving average is $4,898.79 and its two-hundred day moving average is $4,615.15.

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 20th. The business services provider reported $41.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $35.82 by $5.73. The business had revenue of $5.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.18 billion. Booking had a net margin of 24.78% and a negative return on equity of 159.34%. Sell-side analysts predict that Booking Holdings Inc. will post 209.92 EPS for the current year.

Booking Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 7th will be issued a $9.60 dividend. This is a boost from Booking’s previous quarterly dividend of $8.75. This represents a $38.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.77%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 7th. Booking’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.19%.

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.