Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) EVP Sells 2,500 Shares of Company Stock

Key Points

• Marriott EVP Benjamin Breland sold 2,500 shares at an average price of $423.32, totaling about $1.06 million. He retained 23,899 shares after the sale.
• Marriott reported quarterly EPS of $3.02, beating the $2.84 consensus, while revenue reached $7 billion and rose 8% year over year.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share, equivalent to a 0.7% annualized yield; shares traded up 0.2% to $418.26 on Friday.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) EVP Benjamin Breland sold 2,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $423.32, for a total value of $1,058,300.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 23,899 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,116,924.68. The trade was a 9.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

Marriott International Trading Up 0.2%

Shares of MAR traded up $0.98 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $418.26. 572,538 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,565,651. The stock has a market capitalization of $107.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 1.15. Marriott International, Inc. has a 1 year low of $280.99 and a 1 year high of $433.30. The firm's fifty day moving average is $365.04 and its 200-day moving average is $357.63.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, November 2nd. The company reported $3.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.18. Marriott International had a negative return on equity of 69.94% and a net margin of 9.68%. The firm had revenue of $7 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.93 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.47 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 8.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Marriott International, Inc. will post 12.10 EPS for the current year.

Marriott International Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Marriott International's payout ratio is presently 29.14%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on shares of Marriott International in a research report on Wednesday, September 2nd. They issued a "hold" rating for the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Marriott International from $384.00 to $403.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. CICC Research began coverage on shares of Marriott International in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $410.00 price target on the stock. Argus decreased their price target on shares of Marriott International from $445.00 to $425.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 14th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $395.00 to $414.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Marriott International presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $394.48.

Marriott International News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Marriott declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.73 per share, payable December 31 to shareholders of record November 19. The annualized dividend is $2.92, a yield of about 0.7%; the payout may support investor interest, though the yield is modest. Marriott International Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Recent Zacks articles characterized MAR as a strong momentum and growth stock. This may reinforce favorable investor sentiment, although the headlines provide no new company results or specific rating data. Zacks momentum article Zacks growth article
• Neutral Sentiment: Marriott is expanding its Luxury Collection into Laos with a new property. The debut adds to the company’s international presence, but the report provides no details on expected financial contribution. Marriott debuts in Laos with new Luxury Collection property
• Negative Sentiment: Freedom Broker cut its rating on Marriott from “strong buy” to “hold,” a less favorable analyst view that could temper optimism. Freedom Broker rating

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marriott International

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Marriott International by 9.4% in the third quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 240,251 shares of the company's stock worth $85,475,000 after acquiring an additional 20,628 shares during the period. Werba Rubin Papier Wealth Management lifted its position in Marriott International by 4.3% during the third quarter. Werba Rubin Papier Wealth Management now owns 679 shares of the company's stock valued at $242,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares during the period. Terril Brothers Inc. purchased a new stake in Marriott International in the third quarter valued at $317,000. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its holdings in Marriott International by 13.6% in the third quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 13,339 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,744,000 after purchasing an additional 1,592 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ritholtz Wealth Management grew its position in Marriott International by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 4,479 shares of the company's stock worth $1,593,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.70% of the company's stock.

Marriott International Company Profile

Marriott International is a global lodging company that manages, franchises, and licenses hotels, resorts, and other accommodations. Its portfolio spans luxury, premium, select-service, and extended-stay brands, including The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W Hotels, Marriott, Sheraton, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Moxy.

The company traces its origins to a root beer stand opened by J. Willard and Alice Marriott in Washington, DC, in 1927. It entered the lodging business in the 1950s and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

Marriott serves travelers in countries and territories around the world and offers the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.

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