Ghe LLC Boosts Position in Marriott International, Inc. $MAR

Ghe LLC raised its stake in shares of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) by 356.6% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 27,407 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 21,405 shares during the quarter. Marriott International accounts for about 1.9% of Ghe LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 9th biggest holding. Ghe LLC’s holdings in Marriott International were worth $8,964,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MAR. Y.D. More Investments Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Marriott International during the 1st quarter valued at $327,000. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC grew its position in Marriott International by 5.7% in the first quarter. Applied Finance Capital Management LLC now owns 11,707 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,829,000 after acquiring an additional 629 shares in the last quarter. LGT Fund Management Co Ltd. raised its position in Marriott International by 50.0% during the first quarter. LGT Fund Management Co Ltd. now owns 6,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,962,000 after purchasing an additional 2,000 shares in the last quarter. Global Assets Advisory LLC bought a new stake in Marriott International during the first quarter worth about $121,000. Finally, Diversify Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International in the 1st quarter worth about $1,190,000. Institutional investors own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Marriott International Price Performance

NASDAQ:MAR opened at $376.11 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $99.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.47, a P/E/G ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a fifty day moving average of $375.43 and a 200 day moving average of $348.63. Marriott International, Inc. has a 52 week low of $253.76 and a 52 week high of $410.98.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $2.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $1.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.59 billion. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.72% and a negative return on equity of 80.97%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.32 earnings per share. 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 anticipate that Marriott International, Inc. will post 11.64 EPS for the current year.

Marriott International Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 22nd were given a dividend of $0.73 per share. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 22nd. This is a positive change from Marriott International’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.67. Marriott International’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.64%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marriott International

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on MAR shares. Barclays raised their price objective on Marriott International from $372.00 to $376.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Marriott International from $350.00 to $353.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $336.00 to $412.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, June 15th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Marriott International in a report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Susquehanna upped their price target on shares of Marriott International from $280.00 to $385.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Marriott International presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $384.73.

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.