Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) Receives Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts

Shares of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of "Moderate Buy" by the twenty-two research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, seven have assigned a buy recommendation and two have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $275.90.

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on MAR shares. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Marriott International from $302.00 to $299.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 21st. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Marriott International from $283.00 to $236.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Mizuho cut their target price on shares of Marriott International from $293.00 to $285.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a $245.00 price target (down from $313.00) on shares of Marriott International in a research report on Monday, April 14th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Marriott International from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th.

Marriott International Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:MAR traded down $0.26 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $273.21. 1,341,788 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,593,697. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $257.62 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $262.74. Marriott International has a 12 month low of $204.55 and a 12 month high of $307.52. The firm has a market capitalization of $74.83 billion, a PE ratio of 31.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.37 and a beta of 1.42.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 6th. The company reported $2.32 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.25 by $0.07. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.75% and a negative return on equity of 100.64%. The firm had revenue of $6.26 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.13 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Marriott International will post 10.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Marriott International Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, May 23rd will be issued a $0.67 dividend. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.98%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 23rd. This is an increase from Marriott International's previous quarterly dividend of $0.63. Marriott International's dividend payout ratio is currently 30.52%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Marriott International news, CEO Anthony Capuano sold 12,000 shares of Marriott International stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the chief executive officer owned 124,067 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $32,741,281.30. The trade was a 8.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Rajeev Menon sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.28, for a total transaction of $670,700.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 5,706 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,530,805.68. This represents a 30.47% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 15,500 shares of company stock valued at $4,107,710. 10.68% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marriott International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. AG2R LA Mondiale Gestion D Actifs bought a new stake in Marriott International in the first quarter valued at approximately $2,325,000. Swedbank AB increased its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 68,429 shares of the company's stock worth $16,300,000 after acquiring an additional 881 shares during the last quarter. Harold Davidson & Associates Inc. raised its stake in Marriott International by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Harold Davidson & Associates Inc. now owns 11,186 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,665,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the period. Modern Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Marriott International by 107.6% during the first quarter. Modern Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,646 shares of the company's stock worth $392,000 after purchasing an additional 853 shares during the period. Finally, Strs Ohio acquired a new position in shares of Marriott International in the first quarter valued at $18,020,000. 70.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Marriott International Company 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.