Reviewing Proficient Auto Logistics (NASDAQ:PAL) and Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG)

Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) and Proficient Auto Logistics (NASDAQ:PAL) are both retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, risk, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

92.4% of Booking shares are held by institutional investors. 0.1% of Booking shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.0% of Proficient Auto Logistics shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Booking and Proficient Auto Logistics’ top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Booking	$21.37 billion	6.29	$4.29 billion	$133.34	29.71
Proficient Auto Logistics	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Booking has higher revenue and earnings than Proficient Auto Logistics.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations for Booking and Proficient Auto Logistics, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Booking	0	8	22	1	2.77
Proficient Auto Logistics	0	0	3	0	3.00

Booking currently has a consensus price target of $3,902.54, indicating a potential downside of 1.49%. Proficient Auto Logistics has a consensus price target of $18.50, indicating a potential upside of 15.19%. Given Proficient Auto Logistics’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Proficient Auto Logistics is more favorable than Booking.

Profitability

This table compares Booking and Proficient Auto Logistics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Booking	21.81%	-288.35%	22.36%
Proficient Auto Logistics	N/A	N/A	N/A

Summary

Booking beats Proficient Auto Logistics on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Booking

Booking Holdings Inc, formerly The Priceline Group Inc., is a provider of travel and restaurant online reservation and related services. The Company, through its online travel companies (OTCs), connects consumers wishing to make travel reservations with providers of travel services across the world. It offers consumers an array of accommodation reservations (including hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, apartments, vacation rentals and other properties) through its Booking.com, priceline.com and agoda.com brands. Its other brands include KAYAK, Rentalcars.com and OpenTable, Inc. (OpenTable). As of December 31, 2016, Booking.com offered accommodation reservation services for over 1,115,000 properties in over 220 countries and territories on its various Websites and in over 40 languages, which included over 568,000 vacation rental properties (updated property counts were available on the Booking.com Website).

About Proficient Auto Logistics

Proficient Auto Logistics, Inc. focuses on providing auto transportation and logistics services in North America. It primarily focuses on transporting and delivering finished vehicles from automotive production facilities, ports of entry, and rail yards to a network of automotive dealerships. The company operates approximately 1,130 auto transport vehicles and trailers, including 615 company-owned transport vehicles and trailers. It serves auto companies, electric vehicle producers, auto dealers, auto auctions, rental car companies, and auto leasing companies. The company was formerly known as AH Acquisition Corp. and changed its name to Proficient Auto Logistics, Inc. in October 2023. The company was incorporated in 2023 and is based in Jacksonville, Florida.