Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) Stock: Insider Benjamin Breland Sells 2,408 Shares

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) EVP Benjamin Breland sold 2,408 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $424.52, for a total value of $1,022,244.16. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 21,243 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,018,078.36. The trade was a 10.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Marriott International Stock Down 0.4%

NASDAQ:MAR traded down $1.50 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $423.16. 1,906,618 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,572,952. The company has a market cap of $108.96 billion, a PE ratio of 42.23, a PEG ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 1.15. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $373.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $360.25. Marriott International, Inc. has a one year low of $280.99 and a one year high of $433.30.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last posted its earnings results on Monday, November 2nd. The company reported $3.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $7 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.93 billion. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.68% and a negative return on equity of 69.94%. The business’s revenue was up 8.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.47 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Marriott International, Inc. will post 12.10 EPS for the current year.

Marriott International Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a $0.73 dividend. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Marriott International’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.14%.

Institutional Trading of Marriott International

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MAR. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Marriott International by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 9,644,773 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,574,256,000 after acquiring an additional 272,044 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in Marriott International by 0.8% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 727,472 shares of the company’s stock worth $237,893,000 after buying an additional 5,530 shares during the last quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. raised its stake in shares of Marriott International by 5.9% in the third quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 664,123 shares of the company’s stock valued at $236,209,000 after buying an additional 36,765 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank raised its stake in shares of Marriott International by 5.9% in the first quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 669,398 shares of the company’s stock valued at $218,940,000 after buying an additional 37,080 shares during the period. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its position in shares of Marriott International by 15.3% during the 2nd quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 470,593 shares of the company’s stock valued at $174,311,000 after buying an additional 62,529 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Marriott International

Investors following MAR have been watching these stories:

• Positive Sentiment: Marriott agreed to add a 350-room Courtyard hotel in Bengaluru, expanding its footprint in a major South Asian market. The project is a longer-term growth opportunity rather than an immediate earnings driver. Article: Marriott signs agreement for South Asia’s largest Courtyard Hotel in Bengaluru
• Neutral Sentiment: Marriott Bonvoy is offering 25% off stays through May 2027. The extended sale could encourage bookings, but discounting may also weigh on room rates and revenue per available room. Article: Marriott Bonvoy Cyber Week sale
• Negative Sentiment: Two insiders disclosed sales made November 10: CAO Felitia Lee sold 736 shares, and Deborah Harrison sold 11,985 shares. Such sales can raise investor concern, although both retained substantial holdings and the transactions alone do not establish a negative view of the company. Article: Marriott International insider trades

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on MAR shares. Mizuho dropped their target price on shares of Marriott International from $384.00 to $374.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Wolfe Research began coverage on Marriott International in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Freedom Broker lowered Marriott International from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Marriott International from $426.00 to $463.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Marriott International in a research note on Wednesday, November 4th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Marriott International currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $399.04.

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, D.C., in 1927. It entered the lodging business in the 1950s and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.