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Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG), headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, is a leader in online travel and hospitality services, operating brands like Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, Kayak, and OpenTable. Valued at $137.4 billion by market cap, the companyoffers a platform that allows to make travel reservations, as well as accommodation reservations, rentals cars, airline tickets, and vacation packages. The leading provider of online travel and related services is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 after the market closes on Tuesday, Apr. 28.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect BKNG to report a profit of $1.11 per share on a diluted basis, up 12.1% from $0.99 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has consistently surpassed Wall Street’s EPS estimates in its last four quarterly reports.
For the full year, analysts expect BKNG to report EPS of $9.90, up 8.6% from $9.12 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 16.4% year over year to $11.52 in fiscal 2027.
BKNG stock has underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 28.4% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares down 3.4% during this period. Similarly, it underperformed the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLY) 20.1% returns over the same time frame.
BKNG's underperformance was driven by rising U.S.-Iran tensions creating a risk-off environment for global travel. With heavy exposure in Asia via Agoda and Europe, fears of regional instability, higher oil prices, and trip deferrals hit transaction volumes. In addition, the U.S. government shutdown uncertainty and the Fed policy concerns added to the pressure.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on BKNG stock is bullish, with a “Strong Buy” rating overall. Out of 38 analysts covering the stock, 26 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, two suggest a “Moderate Buy,” and 10 give a “Hold.” BKNG’s average analyst price target is $230.80, indicating an ambitious potential upside of 30.2% from the current levels.
