Marriott International, Inc. $MAR Stake Raised by AIA Group Ltd

Key Points

• AIA Group increased its Marriott stake by 29.8% in the third quarter, adding 12,624 shares to bring its holdings to 54,987 shares, valued at about $19.6 million.
• Marriott reported quarterly adjusted EPS of $3.02, ahead of the $2.84 consensus, and revenue rose 8% to about $7.0 billion. The company also raised its full-year adjusted EPS outlook and reported growth in fees and its hotel development pipeline.
• Valuation and uneven regional performance remain risks: the article notes Marriott’s high earnings multiple, weaker RevPAR in the Middle East and Africa and roughly flat results in Greater China, alongside increased debt and interest expense.

AIA Group Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR - Free Report) by 29.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 54,987 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 12,624 shares during the quarter. AIA Group Ltd's holdings in Marriott International were worth $19,557,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Kintegral Advisory LLC grew its holdings in Marriott International by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Kintegral Advisory LLC now owns 4,731 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,683,000 after purchasing an additional 26 shares during the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Marriott International by 0.5% during the third quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 5,366 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,909,000 after buying an additional 26 shares during the period. World Equity Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 2.0% in the second quarter. World Equity Group Inc. now owns 1,437 shares of the company's stock worth $533,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Founders Financial Securities LLC lifted its stake in shares of Marriott International by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 3,493 shares of the company's stock worth $1,242,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management boosted its holdings in Marriott International by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 2,472 shares of the company's stock valued at $808,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the period. 70.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Marriott International News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong results and raised guidance: Marriott reported adjusted EPS of $3.02, topping estimates, while revenue grew 8% to $7.01 billion. Global RevPAR rose 6.5%, and the company raised its full-year adjusted EPS forecast to $12.07–$12.14, above consensus. Article: Marriott's Earnings Beat Shows Why It's More Than a Bet on Travel Demand
• Positive Sentiment: Fee growth and expansion add support: Gross fee revenue increased 14%, outpacing RevPAR growth. Marriott also reported a record development pipeline of more than 634,000 rooms, while conversions accounted for over 40% of openings year to date—growth that can expand the brand network without Marriott funding hotel construction. Article: Marriott: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish analyst call: Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $456 and maintained a Buy rating, implying potential upside from the cited share price.
• Neutral Sentiment: Other analyst opinions are more cautious: Barclays raised its target to $409 but kept an Equal Weight rating, while Baird’s $414 target came with a Neutral rating. Freedom Broker downgraded Marriott to Hold while raising its target to $439. These calls suggest analysts see less-consistent upside after the stock’s strong run.
• Neutral Sentiment: Marriott is testing an airline-style upgrade list in its Bonvoy app, a potential loyalty-program enhancement; the near-term financial impact is unclear. Article: Marriott Testing Airline-Style Upgrade List in Bonvoy App
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and regional risks: Shares trade at a high earnings multiple, leaving room for pullbacks if growth disappoints. RevPAR declined in the Middle East and Africa, and was roughly flat in Greater China; debt and interest expense also increased.

Marriott International Price Performance

MAR stock opened at $416.38 on Wednesday. Marriott International, Inc. has a 1-year low of $263.51 and a 1-year high of $433.30. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $362.52 and a 200 day moving average price of $356.68. The company has a market capitalization of $108.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.17, a PEG ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 1.15.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 2nd. The company reported $3.02 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.18. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.68% and a negative return on equity of 73.98%. The company had revenue of $7 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.93 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.47 earnings per share. Marriott International's revenue for the quarter was up 8.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Marriott International, Inc. will post 12.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marriott International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 20th were given a dividend of $0.73 per share. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 20th. Marriott International's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.26%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently weighed in on MAR shares. Wolfe Research began coverage on Marriott International in a research report on Wednesday, September 2nd. They set a "hold" rating for the company. China Intl Cap upgraded shares of Marriott International to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Marriott International from $388.00 to $406.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $410.00 to $395.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $395.00 to $414.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $393.04.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Deborah Harrison sold 3,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $352.09, for a total value of $1,232,315.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 282,383 shares in the company, valued at approximately $99,424,230.47. This trade represents a 1.22% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider David Marriott sold 3,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, September 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $352.09, for a total value of $1,232,315.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 282,383 shares of the company's stock, valued at $99,424,230.47. The trade was a 1.22% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 11.43% of the company's stock.

Marriott International Company Profile

Marriott International, Inc is a global hospitality company that develops, franchises, licenses and manages hotels, resorts, residences and other lodging properties. Its portfolio includes brands such as Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, JW Marriott, Courtyard, Fairfield by Marriott, Residence Inn and Element. The company also operates Marriott Bonvoy, a travel loyalty program that provides members with benefits and rewards across participating properties and travel experiences.

Marriott traces its origins to 1927, when J.

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