BKNG

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Booking Holdings (BKNG). Shares have lost about 3.6% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Booking Holdings due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Booking Holdings reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.54 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.67%. The figure increased 15% year over year.Revenues of $7.35 billion surpassed the consensus estimate by 2.26% and increased 8% year over year and about 7% on a constant currency (cc) basis.The company benefited from resilient travel demand, with room nights rising 5% year over year to 325 million. Gross bookings increased by 9% to $51.0 billion, supported by room-night growth, higher constant-currency average daily rates and contributions from other travel verticals. Booking Holdings’ room-night growth reflected continued demand despite geopolitical pressures. Domestic room nights grew high single digits globally, while international room nights increased slightly as long-haul travel remained affected by indirect impacts from the Middle East conflict.The company saw mid-single-digit room night growth in Europe, Asia and the Rest of World, while the U.S. grew high single digits. Alternative accommodation room nights at Booking.com increased 4% year over year, with the category representing approximately 37% of Booking.com room nights. Booking Holdings continued to build its Connected Trip strategy, which combines multiple travel services into a more integrated customer experience. Connected Trip transactions grew in the low double digits year over year and represented a low double-digit percentage of Booking.com’s total transactions.The company also highlighted progress in loyalty and mobile engagement. Level 2 and Level 3 Genius members accounted for a high-50% share of room nights, while the mobile app mix of total room nights remained in the high-50% range, both increasing year over year. Merchant revenues were $5.13 billion (69.7% of total revenues), up 15% year over year. Agency revenues were $1.90 billion (25.9% of total revenues), down 6.9% year over year. Advertising & Other revenues were $322 million (4.4% of total revenues), up 8.4% year over year.Revenue growth trailed gross bookings growth primarily due to elevated cancellations in March that affected second-quarter revenues. The company also noted that higher payment revenues supported revenue performance during the quarter. Booking Holdings maintained cost discipline during the quarter. Total operating expenses increased 7% year over year to $4.85 billion, slower than revenue growth. Marketing expenses increased 11% to $2.37 billion, while sales and other expenses rose 5% to $942 million.Adjusted EBITDA increased 9% year over year to $2.65 billion, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 40 basis points year over year.BKNG increased its expected annual run-rate savings from its Transformation Program to approximately $650 million, with the additional savings expected to be realized primarily in 2027. The company incurred approximately $30 million in transformation costs during the second quarter. As of June 30, 2026, the company's cash and cash equivalents totaled $17.21 billion, up from $16.02 billion as of March 31, 2026.Booking Holdings had $18.18 billion of total long-term debt, up from $15.40 billion as of March 31, 2026.The company generated $3.64 billion in free cash flow during the quarter, up 16% year over year. BKNG returned $4.1 billion to its shareholders, including $3.7 billion through share repurchases, marking its highest quarterly capital return amount in company history. Booking Holdings expects third-quarter 2026 room nights to grow 3% to 5%, while gross bookings, revenues and adjusted EBITDA are each projected to increase 4% to 6% year over year. The outlook assumes stability in the broader travel environment and continued indirect impacts from the Middle East conflict.For full-year 2026, the company expects gross bookings, revenues and adjusted EBITDA to increase in the high-single-digit range, while adjusted EPS growth is projected in the low-to-mid-teens range. Management continues to focus on Connected Trip, AI capabilities and expansion in key markets. In the past month, investors have witnessed a flat trend in estimates review. Currently, Booking Holdings has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. However, the stock has a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Booking Holdings has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Over the past six months, Booking has been a great trade, beating the S&P 500 by 5.5%. Its stock price has climbed to $196.08, representing a healthy 17.3% increase. This was partly due to its solid quarterly results, and the run-up might have investors contemplating their next move. Following the strength, is BKNG a buy right now? Or is the market overestimating its value? Find out in our full research report, it’s free. Formerly known as The Priceline Group, Booking Holdings (NASDAQ:BKNG) is the world’s largest online travel agency. A company’s gross profit margin has a significant impact on its ability to exert pricing power, develop new products, and invest in marketing. These factors can determine the winner in a competitive market. For online travel businesses like Booking, gross profit tells us how much money the company gets to keep after covering the base cost of its products and services, which typically include customer support, payment processing, fulfillment fees (paid to the airlines, hotels, or car rental companies), and data center expenses to keep the app or website online. Booking’s gross margin is one of the highest in the consumer internet sector, an output of its asset-lite business model and strong pricing power. It also enables the company to fund large investments in product and marketing during periods of rapid growth to achieve higher profits in the future. As you can see below, it averaged an elite 87% gross margin over the last two years. That means Booking only paid its providers $12.99 for every $100 in revenue. Free cash flow isn’t a prominently featured metric in company financials and earnings releases, but we think it’s telling because it accounts for all operating and capital expenses, making it tough to manipulate. Cash is king. Booking has shown terrific cash profitability, driven by its lucrative business model that enables it to reinvest, return capital to investors, and stay ahead of the competition while maintaining an ample cushion. The company’s free cash flow margin was among the best in the consumer internet sector, averaging an eye-popping 35.3% over the last two years. Average revenue per booking (ARPB) is a critical metric to track because it not only measures how much users book on its platform but also the commission that Booking can charge. Booking’s ARPB growth has been mediocre over the last two years, averaging 4.1%. This isn’t great, but the increase in room nights booked is more relevant for assessing long-term business potential. We’ll monitor the situation closely; if Booking tries boosting ARPB by taking a more aggressive approach to monetization, it’s unclear whether bookings can continue growing at the current pace. Booking’s merits more than compensate for its flaws, and with its shares outperforming the market lately, the stock trades at 13.8× forward EV/EBITDA (or $196.08 per share). Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it’s free. ONE MORE THING: Top 6 Stocks for This Week. This market is separating quality stocks from expensive ones fast. AI is taking down whole sectors with no warning. In a rotation this fast, you need more than a list of good companies. Our AI system flagged Palantir before it ran 1,662% between October 2022 and February 2026. AppLovin before it ran 753% between February 2024 and February 2026. Nvidia before it ran 1,178% between January 2023 and February 2026. Each week it produces 6 new names that pass the same tests. Get Our Top 6 Stocks for Free HERE. Stocks that have made our list include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,460% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,552% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

Axon Enterprise (NASDAQ:AXON) primarily generates revenue by manufacturing conducted energy devices under its signature brand and providing connected hardware alongside cloud-based digital evidence management software for domestic and international law enforcement agencies. While it finalized two nine-figure contracts with major municipalities and advanced its integration of radar technology into public safety drone systems, it reported an approximately 6% operating margin for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Booking Holdings (NASDAQ:BKNG) primarily generates revenue by operating a global network of digital platforms that connect everyday consumers with travel service providers for online accommodation bookings, flight reservations, vehicle rentals, and restaurant dining arrangements. It faced ongoing regulatory scrutiny as a designated gatekeeper under European Union regulations and expanded software partnerships for its restaurant reservation platforms. At the same time, it recorded an operating margin of approximately 34% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Revenue here refers to the standardized income statement revenue line item, and evaluating this baseline metric provides everyday retail investors with an unfiltered view of the total sales volume flowing into the enterprise before any operating costs, administrative expenses, or taxes are deducted. Data source: Company filings. Data as of Aug. 21, 2026. These are completely different businesses operating at different scales. Still, the market is awarding a much higher price-to-earnings ratio for Axon Enterprise due to its industry leadership in supplying must-have technology for law enforcement. On the other hand, Booking trades at a lower valuation due to slower growth and a more competitive travel reservation market. Much of Axon's past revenue has come from selling hardware (e.g., TASER), but its software services are expanding rapidly. As cloud-based software services become a greater contributor to the top line, margins could expand. Booking could see much higher revenue as it expands its platform to include flights, car rentals, and other travel-related services. But it's unclear whether these add-on services will accelerate its revenue growth rate or merely extend its current trend. Investors should watch whether Booking can continue delivering stronger growth as it executes its "Connected Trip" strategy, or whether Axon can maintain high revenue growth and gradually narrow the gap with the travel reservation leader. Before you buy stock in Axon Enterprise, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Axon Enterprise wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut are built for long-term growth and could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $443,461!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,307,633!* That performance is why people listen. With a track record of beating the S&P 500 by nearly 5x, Stock Advisor offers a distinct advantage. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built for the long haul. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 26, 2026. John Ballard has positions in Axon Enterprise. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Axon Enterprise and Booking Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Axon Enterprise vs. Booking Holdings: Evaluating Absolute Scale and Sequential Volatility in Quarterly Revenue Trends was originally published by The Motley Fool

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) primarily generates revenue by offering global online reservation services for accommodations, vehicle rentals, flights, vacation packages, and restaurant dining across multiple digital brands aimed at both individual consumers and travel service providers. While navigating an expanded collective lawsuit from European hospitality associations and updating an organizational restructuring program targeting expense savings, it reported an operating margin of approximately 34% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. CAVA (NYSE:CAVA) primarily generates revenue by operating a chain of Mediterranean dining establishments and distributing its branded savory dips, spreads, and signature dressings through various grocery retailers and online food ordering services. It appointed a new director to its board. It launched an internal career development platform to support future hiring initiatives and reported a free cash flow margin of about 8% for the quarter ended July 12, 2026. Revenue here refers to the standardized income statement revenue line item, and this foundational financial metric matters because it helps investors clearly understand the total amount of money entering the business before accounting for any operating expenses, taxes, or internal administrative costs. Data source: Company filings. Data as of Aug. 17, 2026. Booking is the larger, more established business operating in the massive travel industry. But CAVA's higher revenue growth rate indicates it is a promising emerging restaurant brand worth considering for long-term investors. Both companies experience mild fluctuations in quarterly revenue, but year over year, they consistently grow revenue. A better way for investors to measure their performance is to use trailing 12-month figures. On a TTM basis, both companies experience smoother growth curves. Booking reported TTM revenue of $28 billion through the second quarter, rising 13% year over year. CAVA posted TTM revenue of $1.4 billion, up 27%. Booking is serving a growing travel industry, and it's also currently expanding its addressable market with new offerings through its Connected Trip strategy. This means its revenue will likely continue to expand over the next decade, making it difficult for CAVA to reach it. Investors will want to watch CAVA's restaurant expansion, as it is early in opening more locations. Its restaurant base is still in the hundreds, and as it scales, its revenue and earnings potential will almost certainly grow. Before you buy stock in Booking Holdings, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Booking Holdings wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut are built for long-term growth and could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $419,408!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,348,694!* That performance is why people listen. With a track record of beating the S&P 500 by nearly 5x, Stock Advisor offers a distinct advantage. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built for the long haul. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 20, 2026. John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Booking Holdings and Cava Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Booking vs. CAVA: Comparing Total Scale and Growth Trajectories in Quarterly Revenue Trends was originally published by The Motley Fool

LONDON, Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New research from KAYAK shows flying abroad this September and October costs on average 26% less than during the July-August peak, making 'shoulder season' a smart window for UK travellers to escape the crowds without overspending. KAYAK's Shoulder Season Savings Guide reveals the ten countries with the steepest price drops compared to summer 2026, with the majority being short-haul destinations well suited to a quick European break. Albania tops the list at £111, a 52% drop, followed by Romania (£123, -47%) and Bulgaria (£146, -43%). Other big fallers include Sweden, Algeria, Norway, Poland, Tunisia, Barbados and Ghana. Rachel Mumford, KAYAK's UK Travel Expert, says: "It's easy to assume the best deals only come around in the depths of winter, but our data proves some of the biggest savings of the year are hiding in plain sight, shortly after the hotter summer months." The data also points to a rise in island getaways once summer crowds have thinned. Six of the ten fastest-growing shoulder season destinations (Paphos, Luqa, Chania, Arrecife, Palermo and Rhodes) are Mediterranean island or coastal spots. Paphos leads the pack with a 129% search jump and prices down 14% compared to peak summer, while Luqa follows close behind with a 92% search increase. Palermo, meanwhile, has seen searches rise 72% with fares holding flat year-on-year. Longer-haul destinations are drawing plenty of interest too, with Cape Town searches up 72% alongside a 32% drop in fares, and Seoul seeing a 70% rise in searches paired with 16% cheaper flights. Kathmandu and Dubai also feature among the trending routes for those looking further afield. Mumford adds: "Whether taking advantage of lower fares to tick long-haul trips off your list or extending the summer with a Mediterranean escape, travelling during the shoulder season can be a smart move, often offering fewer crowds, better prices and greater flexibility to enjoy the kind of break people want.” For more tips on shoulder season savings, visit KAYAK’s guide here. About KAYAK KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is a leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. Trusted by millions of travellers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android, and we also support business travellers with our corporate travel solution. CONTACT: [email protected]

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.31%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +1.05%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.03%.  September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) are up +0.33%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) are down -0.02%. Stock indices are trading mixed today, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrials posting new all-time highs.  Some positive corporate earnings results are supporting gains in stock indices today.  Booking Holdings is up more than +7% after reporting better-than-expected Q2 gross bookings.  Also, Amgen is up more than +5% after reporting stronger-than-expected Q2 EPS. Jeff Bezos Says He’s Selling $1 Billion In Amazon Stock Every Year to Fund Blue Origin — ‘It’s The Most Important Work I’m Doing’ Apple’s New CEO Is Bringing a Familiar Face Back From Retirement. The Shift Is Happening. Nasdaq Futures Climb as Tech Rally Continues on Palantir Boost, U.S. JOLTS Report and SpaceX Earnings on Tap Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! However, the Nasdaq 100 fell from a 1-month high and turned slightly negative as a -7% decline in Advanced Micro Devices led chipmakers lower after the company’s third-quarter sales forecast underwhelmed investors expecting stronger performance amid healthy demand.  Also, SpaceX is down more than -8% after the company projected higher-than-expected spending on its AI business. Today’s US economic news was slightly weaker than expected and a slight drag on stocks.  The July ADP employment change rose by +44,000, weaker than expectations of +65,000. Also, the July ISM services index rose +0.1 to 54.1, weaker than expectations of 54.5.  In addition, the July ISM services price paid sub-index unexpectedly rose +2.6 to 70.3, stronger than expectations of a decline to 65.0 and a sign of sticky service price pressures. US MBA mortgage applications fell -2.9% in the week ended July 31, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down -3.6% and the refinancing mortgage sub-index down -1.9%.  The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose +5 bp to a 1-year high of 6.81% from 6.76% in the prior week. Tuesday evening, Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid said, "Given the strength of demand and investment, I do not see the current stance of monetary policy as restrictive.  As such, I believe that bringing inflation down to the Fed's 2% objective will require tighter policy." Sep WTI crude oil prices (CLU26) tumbled to a 3-week low today and are down more than -1% after Axios reported that the US, Iran, and Oman were nearing an interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.  Crude prices briefly pushed higher today after a Houthi military spokesperson said the group will escalate attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the northern Red Sea to prevent them from transiting the area.  President Trump has threatened Iran with renewed air strikes and stressed that his latest offer of talks is Iran’s “last chance” as he demanded full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.  A diplomatic resolution is hanging on talks between Oman and Iran to get more ships moving through the strait, but Iran continues to insist on its authority over the waterway. The outlook for strong Q2 earnings is a bullish factor for stocks. Forecasts compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest Q2 earnings may increase by +23%, close to Q1’s blowout earnings of +30%, which was more than double the +12% analysts had expected. AI spending is expected to account for most of earnings, with AI infrastructure stocks set to contribute nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth in Q2.  So far, earnings results have been positive, with 86% of the 387 S&P 500 companies that have reported Q2 earnings beating estimates, according to Bloomberg data. The markets are discounting a 58% chance of a +25 bp rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on September 15-16. Overseas stock markets are mixed today.  The Euro Stoxx 50 fell from a new all-time high and is down -0.06%.  China's Shanghai Composite climbed to a 2-week high and closed up +1.47%.  Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average rose to a 1.5-week high and closed up +3.66%. Interest Rates September 10-year T-notes (ZNU6) today are down -2 ticks.  The 10-year T-note yield is up +1.2 bp to 4.625%.  Sep T-notes fell from a 2-week high today and moved lower, and the 10-year T-note yield rebounded from a 1-week low of 4.592%.  Strength in stocks today has reduced safe-haven demand for government debt securities and is weighing on T-note prices.  Also, Tuesday evening’s hawkish comments from Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid weighed on T-notes when he said tighter Fed policy is needed to reduce inflation.  T-notes remained lower after the July ISM services price paid sub-index unexpectedly increased, a sign of service price pressures. Losses in T-notes are limited after today’s July ADP employment and July ISM services reports were weaker than expected, a dovish factor for Fed policy. In supportive news for T-note prices, the Treasury today maintained the amount of government securities to be auctioned at next week’s quarterly refunding at $125 billion, unchanged from last quarter, and retained its previous guidance for future debt issuance, signaling no change in note and bond auction sizes well into 2027. European government bond yields are moving lower today.  The 10-year German bund yield fell to a 3-week low of 3.088% and is down -0.1 bp to 3.106%.  The 10-year UK gilt yield dropped to a 3.5-week low of 4.874% and is down -0.9 bp to 4.888%. The Eurozone July S&P composite PMI was revised upward by +0.1 to 52.0 from the previously reported 51.9. Eurozone June PPI eased to 4.6% y/y from 5.9% y/y in May, right on expectations. Markets are discounting an 81% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on September 10. US Stock Movers Mining stocks are climbing today with gold jumping to a 7-week high, silver rallying to a 1-month high, and copper soaring to a 2-month high.  Anglogold Ashanti (AU) is up more than +8%, and Newmont Corp (NEM) and Hecla Mining (HL) are up more than +7%.  Also, Coeur Mining (CDE) and Barrick Mining (B) are up more than +6%, and Freeport McMoRan (FCX) is up more than +3%.  In addition, Southern Copper (SCCO) is up more than +2%. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is down more than -7% to lead chipmakers lower today after its Q3 sales forecast underwhelmed investors expecting a stronger performance amid healthy demand.  Also, Microchip Technology (MCHP) is down more than -4%, and ARM Holdings Plc (ARM), Lam Research (LRCX), and NXP Semiconductors NV (NXPI) are down more than -3%.  In addition, Applied Materials (AMAT), Intel (INTC), Qualcomm (QCOM), and Texas Instruments (TXN) are down more than -2%. Shopify (SHOP) is up more than +17% to lead gainers in the Nasdaq 100 after reporting Q2 revenue of $3.58 billion, stronger than the consensus of $3.45 billion. Charles River Laboratories (CRL) is up more than +11% to lead gainers in the S&P 500 after reporting Q2 revenue of $1.00 billion, above the consensus of $975.7 million. Wynn Resorts Ltd (WYNN) is up more than +10% after reporting Q2 adjusted EPS of $1.24, better than the consensus of $1.15. Compass (COMP) is up more than +8% after reporting Q2 revenue of $4.31 billion, above the consensus of $4.11 billion, and forecasting Q3 revenue of $3.85 billion to $4.05 billion, stronger than the consensus of $3.77 billion. Kratos (KTOS) is up more than +7% after raising its full-year revenue forecast to $1.75 billion to $1.81 billion from a previous estimate of $1.70 billion to $1.76 billion, better than the consensus of $1.74 billion. Everus Construction (ECG) is up more than +7% after raising its 2026 revenue estimate to $4.5 billion to $4.7 billion from a previous estimate of $4.3 billion to $4.4 billion. Booking Holdings (BKNG) is up more than +6% after reporting Q2 gross bookings of $51.00 billion, above the consensus of $49.68 billion. Amgen (AMGN) is up more than +5% to lead gainers in the Dow Jones Industrials after reporting Q2 adjusted EPS of $6.29, well above the consensus of $5.62. Arista Networks (ANET) is up more than +3% after reporting Q2 revenue of $3.04 billion, well above the consensus of $2.83 billion, and forecasting Q3 revenue of $3.30 billion, better than the consensus of $2.95 billion. Insulet (PODD) is down more than -18% to lead losers in the S&P 500 after cutting its full-year revenue estimate on a constant currency basis to +20% to +22% from a previous estimate of +21% to +23%. DaVita (DVA) is down more than -18% after reporting Q2 dialysis revenue per treatment of $415.87, below the consensus of $417.16, and forecasting full-year adjusted operating income of $2.15 billion to $2.25 billion, the midpoint below the consensus of $2.23 billion. CDW (CDW) is down more than -12% after reporting a Q2 gross profit margin of 20.1%, below the consensus of 21%. SpaceX (SPCX) is down more than -8% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100 after disclosing higher-than-expected spending on its artificial intelligence business, despite reporting better-than-expected Q2 earnings. Viasat (VSAT) is down more than -8% after reporting Q1 revenue of $1.16 billion, below the consensus of $1.20 billion. Match Group (MTCH) is down more than -7% after reporting Q2 revenue of $853.1 million, below the consensus of $856.6 million, and forecasting Q3 revenue of $885 million to $895 million, the midpoint below the consensus of $891.2 million. Uber Technologies (UBER) is down more than -5% after forecasting Q3 gross bookings of $58.25 billion to $60.25 billion, the midpoint below the consensus of $59.32 billion. Earnings Reports (8/5/2026) Albemarle Corp (ALB), Allstate Corp/The (ALL), APA Corp (APA), AppLovin Corp (APP), Atmos Energy Corp (ATO), Axon Enterprise Inc (AXON), Block Inc (XYZ), CDW Corp/DE (CDW), Cencora Inc (COR), CF Industries Holdings Inc (CF), Charles River Laboratories International (CRL), Corpay Inc (CPAY), CVS Health Corp (CVS), DoorDash Inc (DASH), eBay Inc (EBAY), Eli Lilly & Co (LLY), Expedia Group Inc (EXPE), Global Payments Inc (GPN), Honeywell Aerospace Inc (HONA), Host Hotels & Resorts Inc (HST), Insulet Corp (PODD), Iron Mountain Inc (IRM), Kraft Heinz Co/The (KHC), McKesson Corp (MCK), MetLife Inc (MET), Motorola Solutions Inc (MSI), News Corp (NWSA), NiSource Inc (NI), Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY), Phillips 66 (PSX), Realty Income Corp (O), Sandisk Corp (SNDK), Solventum Corp (SOLV), STERIS PLC (STE), Texas Pacific Land Corp (TPL), Uber Technologies Inc (UBER), Walt Disney Co/The (DIS), Western Digital Corp (WDC), Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc (ZBH). On the date of publication, Rich Asplund 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. This article was originally published on Barchart.com

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.46%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.74%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up +0.51%.  September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) are up +0.50%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) are up +0.47%. Stock indices are edging higher today, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrials posting new all-time highs and the Nasdaq 100 posting a 1-month high.  Some positive corporate earnings results are supporting gains in stock indices today. Booking Holdings is up more than +7% after reporting better-than-expected Q2 gross bookings.  Also, Amgen is up more than +5% after reporting stronger-than-expected Q2 EPS. Jeff Bezos Says He’s Selling $1 Billion In Amazon Stock Every Year to Fund Blue Origin — ‘It’s The Most Important Work I’m Doing’ Apple’s New CEO Is Bringing a Familiar Face Back From Retirement. The Shift Is Happening. Nasdaq Futures Climb as Tech Rally Continues on Palantir Boost, U.S. JOLTS Report and SpaceX Earnings on Tap Tired of missing midday reversals? The FREE Barchart Brief newsletter keeps you in the know. Sign up now! On the negative side, SpaceX is down more than -10% after the company projected higher-than-expected spending on its AI business.  Also, Advanced Micro Devices is down more than -4% after the company’s third-quarter sales forecast underwhelmed investors expecting stronger performance amid healthy demand. Market sentiment also weakened after crude oil prices recovered from overnight losses and moved higher when Yemen’s Houthi militant group threatened to escalate attacks on Saudi vessels in the northern Red Sea. US MBA mortgage applications fell -2.9% in the week ended July 31, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down -3.6% and the refinancing mortgage sub-index down -1.9%.  The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose +5 bp to a 1-year high of 6.81% from 6.76% in the prior week. The US July ADP employment change rose by +44,000, weaker than expectations of +65,000. Tuesday evening, Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid said, "Given the strength of demand and investment, I do not see the current stance of monetary policy as restrictive.  As such, I believe that bringing inflation down to the Fed's 2% objective will require tighter policy." Sep WTI crude oil prices (CLU26) rebounded from a 3-week low today and moved higher after a Houthi military spokesperson said the group will escalate attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the northern Red Sea to prevent them from transiting the area.  However, gains in crude are limited after Axios reported that the US, Iran and Oman were nearing an interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.  President Trump has threatened Iran with renewed air strikes and stressed that his latest offer of talks is Iran’s “last chance” as he demanded full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.  A diplomatic resolution is hanging on talks between Oman and Iran to get more ships moving through the strait, but Iran continues to insist on its authority over the waterway. The outlook for strong Q2 earnings is a bullish factor for stocks. Forecasts compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest Q2 earnings may increase by +23%, close to Q1’s blowout earnings of +30%, which was more than double the +12% analysts had expected. AI spending is expected to account for most of earnings, with AI infrastructure stocks set to contribute nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth in Q2.  So far, earnings results have been positive, with 86% of the 372 S&P 500 companies that have reported Q2 earnings beating estimates, according to Bloomberg data. The markets are discounting a 58% chance of a +25 bp rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on September 15-16. Overseas stock markets are higher today.  The Euro Stoxx 50 rose to a new all-time high and is up +0.15%.  China's Shanghai Composite climbed to a 2-week high and closed up +1.47%.  Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average rose to a 1.5-week high and closed up +3.66%. Interest Rates September 10-year T-notes (ZNU6) today are down +2 ticks.  The 10-year T-note yield is up +1.6 bp to 4.629%.  Sep T-notes fell from a 2-week high today and moved lower, and the 10-year T-note yield rebounded from a 1-week low of 4.592%.  Strength in stocks today has reduced safe-haven demand for government debt securities and is weighing on T-note prices.  Also, Tuesday evening’s hawkish comments from Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid weighed on T-notes when he said tighter Fed policy is needed to reduce inflation.  Losses in T-notes are limited after today’s July ADP employment report showed employers added fewer jobs than expected, a dovish factor for Fed policy. In supportive news for T-note prices, the Treasury today maintained the amount of government securities to be auctioned at next week’s quarterly refunding at $125 billion, unchanged from last quarter, and retained its previous guidance for future debt issuance, signaling no change in note and bond auction sizes well into 2027. European government bond yields are moving higher today.  The 10-year German bund yield rebounded from a 3-week low of 3.088% and is up +0.9 bp to 3.116%.  The 10-year UK gilt yield rebounded from a 3.5-week low of 4.878% and is up +0.9 bp to 4.905%. The Eurozone July S&P composite PMI was revised upward by +0.1 to 52.0 from the previously reported 51.9. Eurozone June PPI eased to 4.6% y/y from 5.9% y/y in May, right on expectations. Markets are discounting an 81% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on September 10. US Stock Movers Mining stocks are climbing today with gold and silver prices rallying to 1-month highs and copper prices soaring to a 2-month high.  Anglogold Ashanti (AU) is up more than +8%, and Hecla Mining (HL) is up more than +7%.  Also, Newmont Corp (NEM) and Coeur Mining (CDE) are up more than +6%, and Barrick Mining (B) is up more than +5%.  In addition, Freeport McMoRan (FCX) is up more than +3%, and Southern Copper (SCCO) is up more than +2%. Shopify (SHOP) is up more than +16% to lead gainers in the Nasdaq 100 after reporting Q2 revenue of $3.58 billion, stronger than the consensus of $3.45 billion. Wynn Resorts Ltd (WYNN) is up more than +11% to lead gainers in the S&P 500 after reporting Q2 adjusted EPS of $1.24, better than the consensus of $1.15. Kratos (KTOS) is up more than +10% after raising its full-year revenue forecast to $1.75 billion to $1.81 billion from a previous estimate of $1.70 billion to $1.76 billion, better than the consensus of $1.74 billion. Everus Construction (ECG) is up more than +10% after raising its 2026 revenue estimate to $4.5 billion to $4.7 billion from a previous estimate of $4.3 billion to $4.4 billion. Booking Holdings (BKNG) is up more than +7% after reporting Q2 gross bookings of $51.00 billion, above the consensus of $49.68 billion. Amgen (AMGN) is up more than +5% to lead gainers in the Dow Jones Industrials after reporting Q2 adjusted EPS of $6.29, well above the consensus of $5.62. Compass (COMP) is up more than +5% after reporting Q2 revenue of $4.31 billion, above the consensus of $4.11 billion, and forecasting Q3 revenue of $3.85 billion to $4.05 billion, stronger than the consensus of $3.77 billion. Arista Networks (ANET) is up more than +2% after reporting Q2 revenue of $3.04 billion, well above the consensus of $2.83 billion, and forecasting Q3 revenue of $3.30 billion, better than the consensus of $2.95 billion. Insulet (PODD) is down more than -19% to lead losers in the S&P 500 after cutting its full-year revenue estimate on a constant currency basis to +20% to +2% from a previous estimate of +21% to +23%. DaVita (DVA) is down more than -17% after reporting Q2 dialysis revenue per treatment of $415.87, below the consensus of $417.16, and forecasting full-year adjusted operating income of $2.15 billion to $2.25 billion, the midpoint below the consensus of $2.23 billion. CDW (CDW) is down more than -16% after reporting a Q2 gross profit margin of 20.1%, below the consensus of 21%. SpaceX (SPCX) is down more than -10% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100 after disclosing higher-than-expected spending on its artificial intelligence business, despite reporting better-than-expected Q2 earnings. Match Group (MTCH) is down more than -7% after reporting Q2 revenue of $853.1 million, below the consensus of $856.6 million, and forecasting Q3 revenue of $885 million to $895 million, the midpoint below the consensus of $891.2 million. Viasat (VSAT) is down more than -5% after reporting Q1 revenue of $1.16 billion, below the consensus of $1.20 billion. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is down more than -4% after its Q3 sales forecast underwhelmed investors expecting a stronger performance amid healthy demand. Earnings Reports (8/5/2026) Albemarle Corp (ALB), Allstate Corp/The (ALL), APA Corp (APA), AppLovin Corp (APP), Atmos Energy Corp (ATO), Axon Enterprise Inc (AXON), Block Inc (XYZ), CDW Corp/DE (CDW), Cencora Inc (COR), CF Industries Holdings Inc (CF), Charles River Laboratories International (CRL), Corpay Inc (CPAY), CVS Health Corp (CVS), DoorDash Inc (DASH), eBay Inc (EBAY), Eli Lilly & Co (LLY), Expedia Group Inc (EXPE), Global Payments Inc (GPN), Honeywell Aerospace Inc (HONA), Host Hotels & Resorts Inc (HST), Insulet Corp (PODD), Iron Mountain Inc (IRM), Kraft Heinz Co/The (KHC), McKesson Corp (MCK), MetLife Inc (MET), Motorola Solutions Inc (MSI), News Corp (NWSA), NiSource Inc (NI), Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY), Phillips 66 (PSX), Realty Income Corp (O), Sandisk Corp (SNDK), Solventum Corp (SOLV), STERIS PLC (STE), Texas Pacific Land Corp (TPL), Uber Technologies Inc (UBER), Walt Disney Co/The (DIS), Western Digital Corp (WDC), Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc (ZBH). On the date of publication, Rich Asplund 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. This article was originally published on Barchart.com

Booking Holdings BKNG reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.54 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.67%. The figure increased 15% year over year.Revenues of $7.35 billion surpassed the consensus estimate by 2.26% and increased 8% year over year and about 7% on a constant currency (cc) basis.The company benefited from resilient travel demand, with room nights rising 5% year over year to 325 million. Gross bookings increased by 9% to $51.0 billion, supported by room-night growth, higher constant-currency average daily rates and contributions from other travel verticals. Booking Holdings’ room-night growth reflected continued demand despite geopolitical pressures. Domestic room nights grew high single digits globally, while international room nights increased slightly as long-haul travel remained affected by indirect impacts from the Middle East conflict. Booking Holdings Inc. price-eps-surprise | Booking Holdings Inc. Quote The company saw mid-single-digit room night growth in Europe, Asia and the Rest of World, while the U.S. grew high single digits. Alternative accommodation room nights at Booking.com increased 4% year over year, with the category representing approximately 37% of Booking.com room nights. Booking Holdings continued to build its Connected Trip strategy, which combines multiple travel services into a more integrated customer experience. Connected Trip transactions grew in the low double digits year over year and represented a low double-digit percentage of Booking.com’s total transactions.The company also highlighted progress in loyalty and mobile engagement. Level 2 and Level 3 Genius members accounted for a high-50% share of room nights, while the mobile app mix of total room nights remained in the high-50% range, both increasing year over year. Merchant revenues were $5.13 billion (69.7% of total revenues), up 15% year over year. Agency revenues were $1.90 billion (25.9% of total revenues), down 6.9% year over year. Advertising & Other revenues were $322 million (4.4% of total revenues), up 8.4% year over year.Revenue growth trailed gross bookings growth primarily due to elevated cancellations in March that affected second-quarter revenues. The company also noted that higher payment revenues supported revenue performance during the quarter. Booking Holdings maintained cost discipline during the quarter. Total operating expenses increased 7% year over year to $4.85 billion, slower than revenue growth. Marketing expenses increased 11% to $2.37 billion, while sales and other expenses rose 5% to $942 million.Adjusted EBITDA increased 9% year over year to $2.65 billion, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 40 basis points year over year.BKNG increased its expected annual run-rate savings from its Transformation Program to approximately $650 million, with the additional savings expected to be realized primarily in 2027. The company incurred approximately $30 million in transformation costs during the second quarter. As of June 30, 2026, the company's cash and cash equivalents totaled $17.21 billion, up from $16.02 billion as of March 31, 2026.Booking Holdings had $18.18 billion of total long-term debt, up from $15.40 billion as of March 31, 2026.The company generated $3.64 billion in free cash flow during the quarter, up 16% year over year. BKNG returned $4.1 billion to its shareholders, including $3.7 billion through share repurchases, marking its highest quarterly capital return amount in company history. Booking Holdings expects third-quarter 2026 room nights to grow 3% to 5%, while gross bookings, revenues and adjusted EBITDA are each projected to increase 4% to 6% year over year. The outlook assumes stability in the broader travel environment and continued indirect impacts from the Middle East conflict.For full-year 2026, the company expects gross bookings, revenues and adjusted EBITDA to increase in the high-single-digit range, while adjusted EPS growth is projected in the low-to-mid-teens range. Management continues to focus on Connected Trip, AI capabilities and expansion in key markets. Currently, Booking Holdings carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Retail-Wholesale sector are The TJX Companies TJX, Insight Enterprises NSIT and TripAdvisor TRIP, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.The TJX Companies shares have inched up 1% in the past six months. TJX is set to report its second-quarter fiscal 2027 results on Aug. 19, 2026.Insight Enterprises shares have gained 54% in the past six months. NSIT is slated to report its second-quarter 2026 results on Aug.6.TripAdvisor's shares have returned 12.3% in the past six months. TRIP is scheduled to report its second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) : Free Stock Analysis Report The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) : Free Stock Analysis Report TripAdvisor, Inc. (TRIP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Insight Enterprises, Inc. (NSIT) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Booking Holdings (BKNG) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.54 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.45 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.22 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +3.67%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this online booking service would post earnings of $1.1 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.14, delivering a surprise of +3.64%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times. Booking Holdings, which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry, posted revenues of $7.35 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.26%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $6.8 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Booking Holdings shares have lost about 10% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 11%. While Booking Holdings has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Booking Holdings was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $4.54 on $9.8 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $10.42 on $29.41 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Internet - Commerce is currently in the bottom 28% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Another stock from the same industry, Etsy (ETSY), has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 5. This online crafts marketplace is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.17 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +368%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.3% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. Etsy's revenues are expected to be $649.7 million, down 3.4% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Etsy, Inc. (ETSY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research