Ensign Peak Advisors Inc Grows Position in Marriott International, Inc. $MAR

Ensign Peak Advisors Inc boosted its stake in shares of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) by 26.7% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 928,909 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 195,865 shares during the period. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc’s holdings in Marriott International were worth $253,787,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MAR. AlphaQuest LLC boosted its holdings in Marriott International by 2,750.0% in the second quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 114 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 110 shares during the last quarter. Addison Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Marriott International during the 2nd quarter worth about $34,000. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. acquired a new stake in Marriott International during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in Marriott International by 198.0% during the second quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 149 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 99 shares during the period. Finally, Quaker Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Marriott International by 203.4% during the 2nd quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 150 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 295 shares during the period. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Marriott International Trading Up 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ MAR opened at $284.20 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $76.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 1.36. Marriott International, Inc. has a twelve month low of $205.40 and a twelve month high of $307.52. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $270.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $268.10.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported $2.47 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.38 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $1.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.46 billion. Marriott International had a net margin of 10.07% and a negative return on equity of 89.29%. Marriott International has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 2.540-2.620 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 9.980-10.060 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Marriott International, Inc. will post 10.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Marriott International announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, August 7th that allows the company to buyback 25,000,000 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Marriott International Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 20th will be paid a $0.67 dividend. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 20th. Marriott International’s payout ratio is presently 28.30%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marriott International

In related news, insider Deborah Marriott Harrison sold 70,000 shares of Marriott International stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $291.63, for a total value of $20,414,100.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 175,210 shares in the company, valued at $51,096,492.30. This trade represents a 28.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Benjamin T. Breland sold 1,650 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $286.10, for a total transaction of $472,065.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 18,225 shares in the company, valued at $5,214,172.50. The trade was a 8.30% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 85,799 shares of company stock worth $24,911,376. 10.68% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MAR. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Marriott International in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Marriott International from $302.00 to $296.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Marriott International from $280.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on Marriott International from $287.00 to $285.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Marriott International in a report on Tuesday. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $329.00 price target for the company. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $289.87.

Marriott International 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.