BKNG Shares Drop to Lowest Point in Over 16 Months as Brokerages Highlight AI-Related Concerns
Stock Performance: Booking Holdings (BKNG) shares have dropped over 8%, reaching their lowest levels since September 2024, despite better-than-expected fourth-quarter results, due to concerns about potential AI disruption.
Revenue Growth: The company reported a 16% increase in fourth-quarter revenue to $6.3 billion, surpassing Street estimates, and projected low double-digit revenue growth for fiscal 2026.
Stock Split Announcement: Booking's board approved a 25-for-1 stock split, effective April 2, which will adjust trading on a split-adjusted basis starting April 6.
Analyst Ratings: Analysts have reduced price targets for Booking, with Cantor Fitzgerald lowering it to $4,495 and Barclays to $5,500, while maintaining neutral or overweight ratings, reflecting concerns about AI developments impacting stock valuation.
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- River Cruise Experience: Agoda's latest ranking reveals that from January to February 2026, popular river cruise destinations in Asia include Bangkok's Chao Phraya River, where guests enjoy a buffet of Thai and international cuisines along with live entertainment, attracting a significant number of tourists.
- Halong Bay Day Tours: Vietnam's Halong Bay offers breathtaking scenery on day cruises, allowing guests to enjoy sunset views with tea, music, and access to activities like cave exploration, enhancing visitor engagement and satisfaction.
- Han River Night Cruises: In Da Nang, Vietnam, evening cruises on the Han River provide stunning views of iconic landmarks under the night sky, offering fresh fruits and a serene escape from the city's hustle, thereby increasing local tourism appeal.
- Clarke Quay Boat Tours: Cruises from Clarke Quay in Singapore allow passengers to glide past iconic landmarks, with hourly departures enhancing the experience of the city’s skyline, thus promoting a vibrant tourism atmosphere and boosting the local economy.
- Escalating Boycott: Since early 2025, Canadians have expressed anger towards U.S. President Trump's tariff policies and sovereignty claims, leading to a growing number of consumers opting not to purchase American goods, indicating a new social and economic order is forming.
- Changing Consumer Behavior: According to a Leger survey, over 60% of Canadians reported avoiding U.S.-made alcohol and produce, with more than half trying not to buy from U.S. retailers or websites, a trend expected to persist over the next six months.
- Tourism Impact: Canadian air travel to the U.S. has dropped nearly 18%, while car crossings fell 27% year-over-year, significantly impacting U.S. retailers that rely on Canadian tourists, particularly in Maine and North Dakota.
- Tense Economic Relations: The trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. is under strain, with economists warning that the percentage of Canadian imports from the U.S. has hit record lows, potentially affecting Canada's inflation and GDP in the long term.
- Price Rally Analysis: Booking Holdings shares surged over 8% on Thursday but are consolidating on Friday, indicating a potential end to the uptrend as the market reacts to the $4,600 resistance level.
- Psychological Factors: Market psychology plays a crucial role in forming significant support and resistance levels, particularly at historical price points like $4,400 and $4,600, where investor sentiment directly influences trading decisions.
- Resistance Formation: After breaking the $4,400 support in October, many investors sold at $5,400, creating resistance at that level; the current $4,600 may face a similar situation as traders react to past losses.
- Trader Behavior Patterns: Many novice traders mistakenly believe trading is logical, while the market is driven by emotions, complicating the formation of support and resistance levels, which savvy traders can exploit for profit.
- AI Strategic Shift: OpenAI's decision to pause its ambitions for direct travel bookings alleviates investor fears that generative AI could disrupt traditional travel platforms, creating a rebound opportunity for online travel agencies.
- Real-Time Data Challenges: Industry observers note that managing real-time pricing and inventory for travel is technically challenging, indicating that OpenAI still needs to rely on traditional intermediaries for complex global logistics.
- Reaffirmation of Intermediary Value: Analyst Richard Clarke states that OpenAI's pivot is incrementally positive for online travel agencies, allowing companies like Booking and Expedia to continue engaging consumers on AI platforms and reducing the risk of disintermediation.
- Positive Market Reaction: With OpenAI shifting back to a partnership model, the threat of an AI takeover in the travel industry appears to be fading quickly, significantly restoring market confidence in travel-related stocks.
- Bali's Rising Popularity: Bali ranks first in accommodation searches with a 27% increase compared to last year, attracting travelers to enjoy the vibrant energy brought by the tropical rains, thereby enhancing the local tourism appeal.
- Bandung's Allure: Bandung, with a 27% increase in accommodation searches, ranks second, becoming a popular choice for visitors due to its cool climate and rich culinary culture, further driving local economic growth.
- Yogyakarta's Poetic Atmosphere: Yogyakarta sees a 40% increase in accommodation searches, drawing visitors with its unique indoor attractions and coffee culture, showcasing a new trend in rainy season travel and enhancing cultural tourism appeal.
- Indoor Fun in Malang & Batu: Malang's accommodation searches surge by 47%, making it an ideal rainy season destination, with numerous indoor museums providing diverse experiences that promote the diversification of local tourism.
- Market Decline: On Thursday, the S&P 500 Index fell by 0.56%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 1.61%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index decreased by 0.29%, reflecting heightened market concerns over inflation amid disruptions in energy markets due to the ongoing war in Iran.
- Surging Oil Prices: WTI crude oil prices soared over 8% to a 19.5-month high, exacerbating inflation fears and pushing bond yields higher, with the 10-year T-note yield rising to 4.15%, marking a three-week high.
- Supportive Economic Data: Despite the pressure on stocks, initial jobless claims in the US were lower than expected, indicating a resilient labor market, while Q4 nonfarm productivity rose by 2.8%, surpassing the expected 1.9%, providing some support to the market.
- Optimistic Earnings Outlook: With over 90% of S&P 500 companies reporting earnings, 73% exceeded expectations, and Q4 earnings growth is projected at 8.4%, highlighting that corporate profitability remains a crucial factor supporting the stock market.











