Harvard University Stock Portfolio: Top 10 Stock Picks

3. Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)

Harvard Management Company’s Stake: $155.4 million

Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) is a leading global player in the online travel industry, operating in over 220 countries with a portfolio of well-known brands, including Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable. The company offers a comprehensive range of services, including hotel reservations, car rentals, airline tickets, cruise bookings, and vacation packages.

In the third quarter, Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) delivered strong financial results, with an 8% year-over-year growth in room nights booked, totaling nearly 300 million. Revenue rose to $8 billion, reflecting a 9% increase from the prior year. The platform now features over 29 million listings and approximately 3.4 million properties, as the company continues to expand into new regions and develop innovative products and services.

On November 15, BTIG maintained its Neutral rating on Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), citing positive trends in the current quarter. The firm highlighted a quarter-to-date acceleration in reservations, particularly in October and early November, suggesting growth for the fourth quarter could surpass Q3 by about four percentage points. While it is too early to revise forecasts, the potential for low double-digit room night growth has emerged, exceeding both market expectations of 8% and the company’s guidance of 6-8%.