BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S Sells 17,019 Shares of Marriott International, Inc. $MAR

Key Points

• BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S has reduced its holdings in Marriott International by 65.7%, retaining 8,884 shares valued at approximately $2.12 million after selling 17,019 shares in the first quarter.
• Marriott International recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.67, with a yield of 1.0%, and has authorized a share buyback program for 25 million shares.
• Several analysts have adjusted their price targets for Marriott, with a consensus price target now set at $281.00 and an average rating of "Moderate Buy."

BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S cut its holdings in Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR - Free Report) by 65.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,884 shares of the company's stock after selling 17,019 shares during the period. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S's holdings in Marriott International were worth $2,116,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bernard Wealth Management Corp. acquired a new position in Marriott International during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda acquired a new position in Marriott International during the fourth quarter worth $34,000. Morse Asset Management Inc acquired a new position in Marriott International during the first quarter worth $30,000. Heck Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Marriott International during the fourth quarter worth $38,000. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC increased its holdings in Marriott International by 46.7% during the first quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 157 shares of the company's stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MAR has been the topic of several research reports. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $285.00 to $280.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 6th. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $285.00 to $287.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 20th. Dbs Bank upgraded shares of Marriott International from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. Mizuho decreased their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $293.00 to $285.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of Marriott International in a report on Monday, June 23rd. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $284.00 price objective on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $281.00.

Marriott International Stock Performance

Shares of MAR stock traded down $5.22 on Monday, hitting $268.60. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,259,664 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,691,818. The stock's 50 day moving average is $269.30 and its 200-day moving average is $259.54. Marriott International, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $205.40 and a fifty-two week high of $307.52. The company has a market capitalization of $72.91 billion, a PE ratio of 30.28, a PEG ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.44.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 5th. The company reported $2.65 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.65. The business had revenue of $6.74 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.66 billion. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.60% and a negative return on equity of 93.44%. Marriott International's revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.50 earnings per share. Marriott International has set its FY 2025 guidance at 9.850-10.080 EPS. Q3 2025 guidance at 2.310-2.390 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Marriott International, Inc. will post 10.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Marriott International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 21st will be given a $0.67 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 21st. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Marriott International's payout ratio is presently 30.21%.

Marriott International declared that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Thursday, August 7th that authorizes the company to repurchase 25,000,000 shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually a sign that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity at Marriott International

In other news, CEO Anthony Capuano sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.90, for a total value of $3,166,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 124,067 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $32,741,281.30. This represents a 8.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Rajeev Menon sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.28, for a total transaction of $670,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 5,706 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,530,805.68. This trade represents a 30.47% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 10.68% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Marriott International Profile

Marriott International, Inc engages in operating, franchising, and licensing hotel, residential, timeshare, and other lodging properties worldwide. It operates its properties under the JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, St. Regis, EDITION, Bvlgari, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels, Le Méridien, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Tribute Portfolio, Gaylord Hotels, Design Hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Aloft Hotels, AC Hotels by Marriott, Moxy Hotels, Element Hotels, Protea Hotels by Marriott, City Express by Marriott, and St.