Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) Hits New 12-Month High on Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• Marriott International shares hit a new 52-week high after Truist Financial raised its price target from $350 to $356, while the stock traded as high as $384.25 and was last up 2.5% on the day.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but generally positive, with eight Buy ratings and seven Hold ratings; MarketBeat’s consensus rating is Moderate Buy with an average price target of $382.07.
• Marriott reported stronger-than-expected quarterly EPS of $2.72 and raised its quarterly dividend to $0.73 per share from $0.67, signaling continued financial strength and shareholder returns.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday after Truist Financial raised their price target on the stock from $350.00 to $356.00. Truist Financial currently has a hold rating on the stock. Marriott International traded as high as $384.25 and last traded at $382.2470, with a volume of 54049 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $373.81.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on shares of Marriott International from $388.00 to $386.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Marriott International from $372.00 to $376.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their target price on Marriott International from $400.00 to $402.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Marriott International from $350.00 to $353.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Finally, Mizuho increased their target price on shares of Marriott International from $343.00 to $384.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Marriott International currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $382.07.

Insider Transactions at Marriott International

In other Marriott International news, EVP Peggy Roe sold 3,000 shares of Marriott International stock in a transaction on Monday, May 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $361.56, for a total value of $1,084,680.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 19,827 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,168,650.12. The trade was a 13.14% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 11.43% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Marriott International

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MAR. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 1.1% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 20,774,015 shares of the company's stock valued at $5,410,384,000 after acquiring an additional 230,820 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in Marriott International by 21.7% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 9,175,377 shares of the company's stock worth $2,389,635,000 after purchasing an additional 1,637,119 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in Marriott International by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,440,359 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,377,577,000 after purchasing an additional 118,504 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 7.1% in the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 4,107,531 shares of the company's stock worth $1,274,475,000 after buying an additional 272,250 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International in the fourth quarter worth $812,570,000. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Marriott International Stock Up 2.5%

The firm has a market capitalization of $101.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.25, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.11. The company's 50 day moving average price is $349.52 and its 200 day moving average price is $328.30.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $2.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $1.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.59 billion. Marriott International had a negative return on equity of 80.97% and a net margin of 9.72%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.32 EPS. Marriott International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.380-11.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.990-3.060 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Marriott International, Inc. will post 11.66 earnings per share for the current year.

Marriott International Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, May 22nd will be given a $0.73 dividend. This is an increase from Marriott International's previous quarterly dividend of $0.67. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 22nd. Marriott International's payout ratio is currently 30.64%.

About Marriott International

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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