Apollon Wealth Management LLC Acquires 260 Shares of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)

Apollon Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) by 62.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 678 shares of the business services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 260 shares during the quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Booking were worth $2,406,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Diversified Trust Co boosted its position in Booking by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 764 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $2,710,000 after purchasing an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Howard Financial Services LTD. raised its holdings in Booking by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Howard Financial Services LTD. now owns 129 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $458,000 after buying an additional 3 shares during the period. Rockland Trust Co. boosted its position in shares of Booking by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 88 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $312,000 after buying an additional 3 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its holdings in shares of Booking by 4.5% in the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 69 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $245,000 after purchasing an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Silver Oak Securities Incorporated lifted its holdings in Booking by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 164 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $582,000 after buying an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.42% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Radakovich Lynn Vojvodich sold 59 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,700.00, for a total transaction of $218,300.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 289 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,069,300. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 4,302 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,422.75, for a total value of $14,724,670.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 33,548 shares in the company, valued at approximately $114,826,417. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Radakovich Lynn Vojvodich sold 59 shares of Booking stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,700.00, for a total value of $218,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 289 shares in the company, valued at $1,069,300. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 5,483 shares of company stock worth $18,891,445. 0.12% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Booking Price Performance

Booking stock traded up $7.00 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $3,605.41. 266,281 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 270,239. The company has a market capitalization of $122.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.00, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.40. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $3,526.40 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $3,412.40. Booking Holdings Inc. has a 12-month low of $2,456.93 and a 12-month high of $3,918.00.

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, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $14.03 by $6.36. Booking had a net margin of 21.81% and a negative return on equity of 288.35%. The business had revenue of $4.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.25 billion. The company’s revenue was up 16.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $11.60 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Booking Holdings Inc. will post 176.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Booking Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 7th will be given a $8.75 dividend. This represents a $35.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.97%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 7th. Booking’s dividend payout ratio is currently 26.25%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on BKNG shares. Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $3,850.00 price objective on shares of Booking in a research report on Tuesday, April 30th. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of 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. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Booking from $3,435.00 to $3,494.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday. Susquehanna lifted their price objective on shares of Booking from $3,600.00 to $4,100.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research report on Monday, February 26th. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their price objective on shares of Booking from $3,800.00 to $4,500.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Booking currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $3,844.48.

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.