Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) Short Interest Up 8.1% in January

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of January. As of January 31st, there was short interest totalling 715,700 shares, a growth of 8.1% from the January 15th total of 662,100 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 238,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 3.0 days. Approximately 2.2% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Booking Stock Up 0.7 %

Shares of Booking stock traded up $35.70 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $5,044.40. 202,438 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 263,793. The business has a fifty day moving average of $4,919.75 and a two-hundred day moving average of $4,510.94. The company has a market capitalization of $166.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 1.39. Booking has a 1 year low of $3,180.00 and a 1 year high of $5,337.24.

Analyst Ratings Changes

BKNG has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Booking from $4,205.00 to $5,155.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 31st. UBS Group upped their target price on Booking from $5,050.00 to $5,550.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on Booking from $3,900.00 to $5,250.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on Booking from $4,200.00 to $4,300.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Booking from $3,940.00 to $4,510.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $5,044.43.

Institutional Trading of Booking

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of BKNG. AEGON ASSET MANAGEMENT UK Plc purchased a new stake in shares of Booking in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. New Wave Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Booking in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Summit Securities Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Booking in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Bernard Wealth Management Corp. purchased a new position in shares of Booking during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Valley National Advisers Inc. boosted its position in shares of Booking by 600.0% during the 4th quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc. now owns 7 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 6 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.42% of the company’s stock.

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.