Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS Reduces Position in Marriott International, Inc. $MAR

Key Points

• Kornitzer Capital Management reduced its stake in Marriott by 11.9% in Q4, selling 2,980 shares and leaving it with 22,090 shares valued at about $6.85 million.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive: Marriott has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy with an average price target of $357.27, and multiple firms recently raised targets (Wells Fargo to $403).
• Active ownership shifts: hedge funds and institutions own 70.7% of MAR, while insiders sold 95,540 shares (~$34.3M) over the past three months and currently hold 11.43% of the stock.

Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS trimmed its holdings in shares of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR - Free Report) by 11.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 22,090 shares of the company's stock after selling 2,980 shares during the quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS's holdings in Marriott International were worth $6,853,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in MAR. Rachor Investment Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Finally, ORG Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $44,000. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Marriott International from $356.00 to $383.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Marriott International from $329.00 to $369.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Citigroup increased their target price on Marriott International from $285.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Marriott International from $283.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Marriott International from $353.00 to $403.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Marriott International presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $357.27.

Marriott International Price Performance

Shares of MAR opened at $354.97 on Friday. The business's fifty day moving average price is $341.42 and its 200 day moving average price is $317.53. Marriott International, Inc. has a 12-month low of $246.50 and a 12-month high of $380.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $94.04 billion, a PE ratio of 37.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 1.11.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $2.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.61 by ($0.03). Marriott International had a negative return on equity of 84.23% and a net margin of 9.93%.The firm had revenue of $6.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.67 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.45 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Marriott International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.320-11.570 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 2.500-2.550 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Marriott International, Inc. will post 11.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marriott International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 26th were paid a $0.67 dividend. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 26th. Marriott International's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.24%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Marriott International news, EVP Benjamin T. Breland sold 2,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $358.03, for a total value of $716,060.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 26,399 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,451,633.97. This trade represents a 7.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Drew Pinto sold 4,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $359.81, for a total value of $1,439,240.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 8,221 shares in the company, valued at $2,957,998.01. The trade was a 32.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 95,540 shares of company stock valued at $34,274,055 in the last three months. 11.43% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Marriott International News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Marriott International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Heavy call buying suggests bullish positioning — traders bought ~31,615 call options on Apr. 30 (a ~928% jump vs. typical volume), which can amplify upside expectations into earnings and raise short‑term demand for the stock.
• Positive Sentiment: New premium property pipeline could support revenue growth and RevPAR recovery — Marriott will open the world’s first JW Marriott all‑inclusive in Costa Rica and has debuted The Luxury Collection in Rhodes, Greece, expanding luxury footprint and loyalty engagement. Costa Rica To Welcome The World’s First JW Marriott All‑Inclusive Marriott debuts The Luxury Collection in Rhodes, Greece
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/earnings focus: Zacks previews Q1 metrics expectations — investors are positioning ahead of the Q1 print, which can create volatility; the preview narrows what will move shares (beat vs. miss on RevPAR, fees and margin recovery). Gear Up for Marriott (MAR) Q1 Earnings: Wall Street Estimates for Key Metrics
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector comps: strong results from other lodging and travel-related names (and a Hotelling/EV trend in MarketBeat coverage) support a constructive backdrop, but some technicals suggest the rally may be stretched. Does Marriott’s Massive Rally Mean It’s Time to Check Out?
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer engagement angle: pieces on best Marriott credit cards can modestly support loyalty spend and booking frequency but are unlikely to move the stock materially near-term. The best credit cards for maximizing Marriott stays in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Reputational/political risk: a public comment from Marriott’s CEO about defending room access regardless of political views sparked headlines — such statements can attract controversy and activist attention, introducing short-term PR risk. Marriott CEO on why you have to defend both DEI and ICE’s right to a hotel room

Marriott International Company Profile

Marriott International is a global lodging company that develops, manages and franchises a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Its core activities include hotel and resort management, franchise operations, property development and the provision of centralized services such as reservations, marketing and loyalty program management. The company's brand architecture spans market segments from luxury and premium to select-service and extended-stay, enabling it to serve a wide range of business and leisure travelers as well as corporate and group customers.

The company traces its roots to the hospitality business founded by J.

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