Abacus FCF Raises Booking Holdings Stake 2.7% to $22.0 Million
Abacus FCF Advisors LLC increased its Booking Holdings stake by 2.7% to 4,077 shares, valuing the position at $22.01 million in the third quarter. Booking comprises 2.9% of the firm’s portfolio, making it its fourth-largest holding.
1. Third-Quarter Financial Performance
Booking Holdings reported third-quarter revenue of $9.01 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $8.71 billion and representing year-over-year growth of 12.7%. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $99.50, topping expectations of $95.56. The company delivered a net margin of 19.37%, though return on equity remained negative at 134.86%. Management noted strong booking volumes in Europe and North America, with lodging nights up mid-teens percentage points compared with the prior year.
2. Institutional and Hedge Fund Moves
According to the latest 13F filings, Abacus FCF Advisors LLC increased its position in Booking Holdings by 2.7%, acquiring 108 additional shares to bring its total to 4,077 shares valued at $22.0 million. Several other institutional investors made modest additions: Aprio Wealth Management added 2 shares to reach 88, GSG Advisors added 2 to reach 49, Bigelow Investment Advisors added 2 to reach 108, Grove Bank & Trust added 2 to reach 65, and Ballentine Partners added 2 to reach 488. Institutional ownership stands at 92.42% of the float.
3. Analyst Sentiment and Consensus
Among research firms covering Booking Holdings, one analyst rates the stock as Strong Buy, 26 rate it as Buy and eight rate it as Hold, resulting in a consensus Moderate Buy recommendation. Brokerages have recently revised their earnings forecasts upward for the current fiscal year, anticipating adjusted EPS of approximately 209.92. Analysts cite resilient leisure travel demand and a favorable cost structure as key drivers of improved profitability.
4. Dividend Policy and Insider Transactions
The board declared a quarterly dividend of $9.60 per share, payable December 31st to holders of record as of December 5th, implying an annualized payout of $38.40 and a yield of roughly 0.7%. In recent insider activity, Director Robert J. Mylod Jr. sold 40 shares for proceeds of $200,000, reducing his stake by 4.0%, while CEO Glenn D. Fogel sold 571 shares for approximately $3.09 million, a 2.65% reduction. Over the past three months, insiders have sold 3,324 shares valued at $17.19 million; insiders now hold 0.16% of outstanding shares.