Arrowstreet Capital Stock Portfolio: Top 10 Stocks to Buy

7. Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders as of Q4: 99

Arrowstreet Capital’s Equity Stake: $1.39 Billion 

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) is an American travel technology company. On February 20, 2025, the company reported revenue of $5.47 billion for the final quarter of 2024, reflecting a 14% increase from the previous year and exceeding analysts’ expectations of $5.19 billion. The company also posted adjusted earnings of $41.55 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate of $36.70 compiled by analysts. Gross bookings for the quarter reached $37.2 billion, outperforming analysts’ projections of $34.5 billion. Both revenue and adjusted earnings per share showed significant year-over-year growth, highlighting the company’s strong performance in the travel and dining sector.

In addition to its earnings results, Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) announced that its board had approved a new $20 billion stock buyback program, complementing the $7.7 billion remaining from the previous program at the end of 2024. Looking ahead, Booking expects revenue to grow between 2% and 4% year-over-year in the first quarter, with gross bookings projected to rise by 5% to 7%. For the full year, revenue and gross bookings are expected to increase in the mid-single-digit percentage range, while adjusted earnings per share are expected to see low double-digit growth. Following these results, analysts at Jefferies and JPMorgan raised their price targets for Booking stock to $5,400 and $5,750, respectively, citing strong travel demand and the company’s plans to increase social media advertising.

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)’s Board of Directors has approved a cash dividend of $9.60 per share, representing a 10% increase from the previous year’s quarterly dividend of $8.75. The dividend is scheduled for payment on March 31, 2025, to stockholders who are recorded as of the close of business on March 7, 2025.

Insider Monkey’s database revealed that 99 hedge funds had stakes in Booking Holdings at the end of Q4, with a combined value of nearly $10.14 billion, compared to 93 funds in the previous quarter. The growing hedge fund interest underscores strong institutional confidence in the stock, positioning Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) as a top stock to buy.