Booking Holdings (BKNG) Stock Today: Price, Big-Money Flows and Analyst Upgrades

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG) — the parent of Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK and OpenTable — traded essentially flat on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, even as new institutional ownership filings and fresh bullish analyst commentary kept the online travel giant firmly in Wall Street’s spotlight.

Below is a full breakdown of what happened to BKNG stock today, the key news that dropped on November 26, and how it fits into the broader 2025 story.

BKNG stock today: tiny move, tight range

According to real‑time and end‑of‑day data, Booking Holdings shares:

Opened: around $4,899.63
Intraday high: about $4,950.00
Intraday low: roughly $4,889.36
Closed: near $4,908.25 on November 26, 2025 ^[1]

That closing price is only about $2 above Tuesday’s close of $4,906.24, a move of roughly +0.04% — effectively flat on the day. ^[2]

Trading volume came in at around 163,000 shares, below the heavier days seen earlier this month but still in line with recent activity. ^[3]

From a bigger-picture standpoint:

52‑week high: about $5,839.41 (hit in early July 2025)
52‑week low: around $4,096.23 (in April 2025)
At current levels near $4,900, the stock is roughly 16% below its 52‑week high and almost 20% above its 52‑week low. ^[4]

A recent analysis noted that BKNG is down about 1% year‑to‑date in 2025, lagging the S&P 500 by roughly 15 percentage points despite strong fundamentals and solid earnings. ^[5]

Big institutional money is reshuffling its Booking exposure

The busiest part of today’s Booking news cycle wasn’t the share price — it was who owns the shares. Several new or updated 13F filings surfaced, and MarketBeat’s automated coverage pushed three separate stories on institutional moves in BKNG, all dated November 26, 2025.

1. Laurel Wealth Advisors turns BKNG into a billion‑dollar position

A standout headline today: “Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC Has $1.68 Billion Stake in Booking Holdings Inc.” ^[6]

Key details from the filing coverage:

Laurel Wealth Advisors boosted its Booking stake by a staggering 578,824% in Q2, lifting its holding to 289,462 shares.
That position was valued at roughly $1.68 billion, representing about 0.89% of Booking’s outstanding shares and 1.1% of Laurel’s own portfolio. ^[7]
The article also notes that institutional investors collectively own about 92.42% of BKNG’s float — underscoring just how “institutional” this name has become. ^[8]

2. Boston Partners quietly adds to its position

Another November 26 MarketBeat piece highlighted that Boston Partners increased its Booking stake by 16.4% in the latest reported quarter: ^[9]

The firm now owns 101,035 BKNG shares, up by 14,204 shares.
That stake was valued at approximately $584 million, giving Boston Partners roughly 0.31% ownership of Booking. ^[10]

The same report again stresses that over 92% of BKNG shares are held by institutions, a figure echoed across multiple filings today. ^[11]

3. Global Retirement Partners opens a fresh position

In a third 13F‑driven story, Global Retirement Partners LLC was reported to have initiated a new position in Booking: ^[12]

The firm acquired 739 BKNG shares in Q2, valued at about $4.28 million at the time of filing.
The article lists a long roster of other funds that modestly increased their BKNG stakes, reinforcing the theme of broad institutional participation in the name. ^[13]

4. Steward Partners trims its exposure sharply

Not all headlines were about buying. A separate MarketBeat story dated November 26 shows Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC dramatically cutting its BKNG stake by 89.7%: ^[14]

Steward Partners sold 32,853 BKNG shares in Q2, leaving it with 3,789 shares worth about $21.94 million. ^[15]
The piece also notes that company insiders sold 3,452 shares worth roughly $17.99 million over the last quarter, leaving insiders with about 0.16% ownership of the stock. ^[16]

How to interpret today’s fund flows

It’s important context: 13F filings describe past quarter‑end positions, not trades literally executed today. Still, the November 26 news flow paints a clear picture:

Large, sophisticated investors remain heavily involved in BKNG.
Some — like Laurel Wealth Advisors and Boston Partners — have been adding aggressively, while others — like Steward Partners — are locking in gains or reallocating capital.
Overall institutional ownership above 92% shows BKNG is very much an institutional battleground stock, which can amplify moves when sentiment shifts. ^[17]

Analyst sentiment: upgrades, growth labels and upside targets

Beyond ownership data, today’s narrative around Booking is shaped by recent analyst actions and research pieces.

Zacks calls Booking a “strong growth stock”

A fresh note tracked today from Zacks highlights Booking as a “strong growth stock”, emphasizing positive earnings revisions: ^[18]

For fiscal 2025, 10 analysts have raised their earnings estimates in the past 60 days.
The Zacks consensus EPS estimate has increased by about $3.17 over that period. ^[19]

Upward estimate revisions are often seen as one of the most powerful drivers of medium‑term stock performance, and they support the broader bullish tone around BKNG.

Bank of America upgrade: AI fears “overblown”

Earlier this week, Bank of America’s BofA Securities upgraded BKNG from “Neutral” to “Buy”, a move covered in detail by Fintel and Nasdaq: ^[20]

As of mid‑November, the average 12‑month price target for BKNG was about $6,308.68, implying over 32% upside from a recent closing price near $4,768. ^[21]
BofA’s call is framed around the view that worries about Google’s AI travel tools undercutting Booking’s business are overstated. Analysts argue the competitive impact is manageable and could be offset by Booking’s own AI investments and cost‑saving plan. ^[22]

A TipRanks summary of the upgrade notes that: ^[23]

Wall Street currently rates BKNG a “Moderate Buy”, with 18 Buys, 7 Holds and 0 Sells over the past three months.
The average target price of roughly $6,169 suggests about 27% upside from current levels.

StockAnalysis arrives at a similar conclusion, citing a 12‑month target around $6,103.86 from 28 analysts and classifying BKNG as a “Buy.” ^[24]

“High‑quality but lagging” – 24/7 Wall St

In a piece updated within the last 24 hours, 24/7 Wall St grouped Booking with Visa and Axon as “high‑quality stocks getting stomped by the market.” ^[25]

For BKNG specifically, the article notes:

The stock is down about 1% in 2025, trailing the S&P 500 by ~15 points.
Shares trade at roughly 18× forward earnings, well below the company’s historical ~25× multiple.
Q3 gross bookings climbed to $49.7 billion, with revenue rising to $9 billion and room nights up 8%, supported by alternative accommodations and Asia growth. ^[26]

The takeaway: Wall Street increasingly sees BKNG as fundamentally strong but temporarily out of favor, with valuation acting as a potential long‑term tailwind.

Earnings, dividends and cash flow: fundamentals behind the ticker

Today’s commentary frequently points back to Booking’s October Q3 earnings beat, which still anchors much of the 2025 story.

Q3 2025: travel demand stays resilient

In late October, Booking reported: ^[27]

Gross bookings: about $49.7 billion, up 14% year‑over‑year.
Revenue: around $9.01 billion, topping estimates near $8.7–8.8 billion.
Adjusted EPS: roughly $99.50, comfortably ahead of consensus around $95–96.

Management emphasized steady global travel demand and strong adoption of bundled reservations, while acknowledging a still‑uncertain macro and geopolitical backdrop. Shares jumped roughly 5% in after‑hours trading on the release. ^[28]

Subsequent analysis from MarketBeat and others highlights that: ^[29]

Revenue climbed about 12.7% year‑over‑year,
Analysts expect BKNG to deliver over $200 in EPS for the full year 2025,
EBITDA margins remain robust, supported by scale and technology leverage.

Dividend remains modest but well‑covered

Several of today’s institutional‑ownership stories also reiterate Booking’s recent dividend policy: ^[30]

BKNG pays a quarterly dividend of $9.60 per share, or $38.40 annually, implying a yield of around 0.8% at current prices.
The next dividend is scheduled to be paid on December 31, 2025, with an expected ex‑dividend date around December 5.
FinanceCharts estimates Booking’s free‑cash‑flow payout ratio at roughly 15%, suggesting the dividend is comfortably covered by FCF and leaves room for ongoing buybacks and investment. ^[31]

Booking’s capital‑return story is thus primarily buyback‑driven, with the dividend functioning as a small but growing sweetener rather than the main attraction.

Competitive and macro backdrop: AI, Google and holiday travel

Today’s research references also loop back to recent volatility in BKNG, much of it tied to AI‑driven competition.

Google’s AI travel push triggered the recent sell‑off

Earlier this month, Booking shares “nose‑dived” after a major tech platform rolled out globally a new AI‑powered travel experience, including plans for direct bookings inside its ecosystem — widely understood to be Google’s evolving AI travel tools. ^[32]

That announcement intensified fears that search and AI assistants could sidestep traditional OTAs like Booking by keeping users inside walled gardens.

However, both BofA’s upgrade and TipRanks’ coverage argue that: ^[33]

The threat is likely overstated in the near term,
Booking is investing heavily in its own AI systems and automation, and
The company recently raised its cost‑saving goal to $500–$550 million, potentially boosting margins and enabling more buybacks in 2026.

Holiday travel looks strong for KAYAK and the wider portfolio

On the demand side, KAYAK, one of Booking’s key brands, recently released holiday‑travel data showing: ^[34]

Searches up around 10% year‑over‑year for holiday trips in 2025,
Airfares trending lower on many routes, easing some pressure on consumers,
Growing use of AI tools for smarter trip planning.

This backdrop aligns with Booking’s own comments about steady travel demand and suggests that, even if growth moderates from post‑pandemic peaks, underlying appetite for travel remains solid heading into the key winter season. ^[35]

Upcoming catalysts: investor conference and ex‑div date

Looking beyond today’s flat session, investors have a couple of near‑term Booking‑specific events on the calendar.

Nasdaq 53rd Investor Conference – December 9

A recent press release from Booking announced that CFO Ewout Steenbergen will speak at the Nasdaq 53rd Investor Conference in London on December 9, 2025, with a live webcast available via the investor‑relations site. ^[36]

Such conferences often feature:

Updated commentary on demand trends,
Discussion of AI strategy and technology investment,
Color on capital allocation, including buybacks and dividends.

Any new guidance or tone shift from management could influence how the market interprets today’s “steady but subdued” trading.

Ex‑dividend date in early December

With Booking’s next ex‑dividend date expected around December 5 and payout on December 31, income‑oriented investors may adjust positions in the coming days, which can add short‑term noise to the share price around record‑date cut‑offs. ^[37]

Bottom line: a quiet price day, but not a quiet story

For November 26, 2025, BKNG’s tape was calm:

The stock closed essentially flat around $4,908,
Trading stayed within a tight intraday range,
No new earnings or major corporate announcements hit the wire. ^[38]

Behind that calm, though, today’s news flow reinforces a few key themes:

Institutional conviction remains high, with multiple large managers significantly raising stakes in BKNG, even as others trim exposure. ^[39]
Analyst sentiment has turned more constructive, highlighted by a BofA upgrade to Buy, a Zacks “strong growth stock” label, and double‑digit upside in consensus price targets. ^[40]
Fundamentals — travel demand, earnings, and cash flow — remain solid, even as the stock trades at a discount to its historical valuation amid worries about AI competition and broader macro risks. ^[41]

References

Booking Holdings (BKNG) Stock Today: Price, Big-Money Flows and Analyst Upgrades – November 26, 2025