Valued at a market cap of $131.9 billion, Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) is a global provider of online and traditional travel and restaurant reservation services, operating across the United States, Europe, and other international markets. In addition to reservations, it offers travel insurance, payment facilitation, advertising, and management services for travel providers and restaurants.
Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally considered “large-cap” stocks and Booking Holdings fits this criterion perfectly. Through platforms such as Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable, the company enables consumers to book accommodations, transportation, dining, and travel experiences.
Shares of the online travel agency have declined 27.7% from its 52-week high of $5,839.41. Over the past three months, shares of Booking Holdings have decreased 13.5%, lagging behind the broader S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 1.1% rise during the same timeframe.
Longer term, BKNG stock has dipped 20.7% on a YTD basis, underperforming SPX's marginal gain. Furthermore, Booking Holdings' shares have dropped 15.6% over the past 52 weeks, compared to the 15.6% return of the SPX over the same time frame.
The stock has been trading below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since early January.
Shares of Booking Holdings rose 3.1% on Feb. 18 after the company reported strong Q4 2025 results highlighted by 15.5% constant-currency revenue growth to $6.35 billion and adjusted EBITDA up 19% year-over-year to $2.2 billion. Additionally, management’s Q1 guidance for 14%–16% revenue growth and 10% - 14% EBITDA growth, combined with confidence in generative AI investments driving long-term growth.
To underscore the stock's outperformance, its rival, Expedia Group, Inc. (EXPE) has lagged behind BKNG, with EXPE falling 24.3% on a YTD basis. However, over the past year, EXPE's return of 7.6% outpaced BKNG's gain over the same period.
Despite BKNG’s underperformance relative to the SPX, analysts are bullish with a consensus rating of "Strong Buy" from 37 analysts. The mean price target of $5,781.58 suggests a 36.8% upside potential from current levels.
On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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