Aggressive Stock Portfolio: 12 Stocks Picked by Hedge Funds

1. Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)

3-Year Average Revenue Growth: 29.39%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 99

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) works through various online travel and reservation websites, including Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable. The company provides services like bookings for hotels, flights, cars, vacation packages, and restaurants across multiple markets. With the use of AI tools and direct bookings, the company improves customer experience and enhances customer engagement.

For Q4 2024, Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) posted that full-year gross bookings increased 17% to $166 billion, and total revenue rose 14% to $24 billion. Meanwhile, adjusted EBITDA for Q4 reached $1.8 billion, a 26% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, full-year adjusted EPS rose 23% to over $187 per share, and EBITDA hit $8 billion, increasing 17% from 2023.

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) enhanced its operations with AI integration with its recent Booking.com’s AI trip planner and Priceline’s AI assistant, Penny.” In addition, OpenTable got an improved reservation system, and the “Connected Trip” program drove transaction volume up 45%. Moreover, airline ticket bookings grew 38% for the year, and merchant bookings made up 59% of total gross bookings, rising 9 percentage points and boosting profits.

In the future, Booking predicts at least 8% growth in gross bookings and revenue in constant currency for 2025. Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) also projects a rise of 15% in adjusted earnings per share. With strong revenue growth, increasing profits, and steady investment in AI services, the company reflects high-growth potential. Its success in scaling alternative accommodations, increasing direct bookings, and cutting costs set it apart. As it continues to deliver consistent EPS growth and shareholder value, it is well positioned as a top stock in our stock portfolio.

Overall, Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) ranks first on our list of the Aggressive Stock Portfolio: Stocks Picked by Hedge Funds. While we acknowledge the potential of BKNG, our conviction lies in the belief that certain AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BKNG but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

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