The Backstory: When an Investor Meets Booking holdings BKNG
In August, I took the plunge on 0.45 shares of Booking Holdings (BKNG) at $3,419 per share. That brought my total investment to $1,538.55. It wasn’t a huge piece of BKNG, but I was confident. People were itching to travel, and BKNG was riding the wave.
Now, as much as I’d like to pretend this was some grand, well-calculated move, it wasn’t quite that. My “strategy” mostly involved an educated guess and a lot of hoping BKNG would deliver the returns I needed for my Free Stock Strategy to work. This approach? It’s pretty straightforward: buy shares, wait for the stock to rise 40%, sell just enough to cover your original investment, and then sit back with “free” shares.
Today’s Triumph: Selling 0.32 Shares
Fast forward to November, and BKNG’s price had soared by 40%, hitting a lofty $4,814.66 per share. Time to test the strategy. I sold 0.32 shares at $4,814.656 each, netting $1,540.69—just enough to recover my initial investment of $1,538.55 (plus a grand bonus of $2.14).
The Prize: $625 in Free BKNG Shares
And now, the true beauty of this strategy: I still own 0.13 shares of BKNG, worth $625.91 at today’s price. These shares are officially “free,” as they no longer carry any of my original capital. It’s pure profit—or as close as you get to that in the stock market.
Why It Works (or Might Just Fool You Into Thinking It Does)
The beauty of this strategy lies in the satisfaction of reclaiming your original cash, plus the bonus of a little stock left in your portfolio. Sure, it’s only 0.13 shares, but as long as BKNG continues to thrive, those “free” shares could keep adding value.
Would I advise others to follow this approach? Maybe. But remember, I’m just a guy who stumbled upon a stock that happened to go up.
Final Takeaway: A Slice of BKNG for Free
Today, I’m left with $625 in “free” BKNG shares, a recovered principal, and a sense of victory over the market…or maybe just a lucky break. Either way, I’m calling it a win.
BUY, SELL, KEEP 
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