Marriott International, Inc. $MAR Stock: Kestra Advisory Services LLC Boosts Holdings

Kestra Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) by 5.6% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 23,573 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,255 shares during the period. Kestra Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Marriott International were worth $8,384,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Marriott International by 2.9% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 9,644,773 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,574,256,000 after buying an additional 272,044 shares during the last quarter. Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new stake in shares of Marriott International in the 2nd quarter worth $81,872,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 255.5% in the 2nd quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 300,872 shares of the company’s stock worth $111,500,000 after purchasing an additional 216,241 shares in the last quarter. Danske Bank A S raised its stake in shares of Marriott International by 170.4% in the second quarter. Danske Bank A S now owns 326,743 shares of the company’s stock worth $121,088,000 after purchasing an additional 205,886 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International in the third quarter worth $65,604,000. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In other Marriott International news, insider Deborah Harrison sold 3,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $352.09, for a total transaction of $1,232,315.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 282,383 shares in the company, valued at $99,424,230.47. This trade represents a 1.22% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider David Marriott sold 3,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, September 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $352.09, for a total transaction of $1,232,315.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 282,383 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $99,424,230.47. This trade represents a 1.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 77,824 shares of company stock valued at $32,243,110. 11.43% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Marriott International Stock Performance

NASDAQ:MAR opened at $428.26 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $369.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $359.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $110.28 billion, a PE ratio of 36.24, a P/E/G ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 1.15. Marriott International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $280.99 and a 52-week high of $433.30.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 2nd. The company reported $3.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.18. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.68% and a negative return on equity of 69.94%. The business had revenue of $7 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.93 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.47 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Marriott International, Inc. will post 12.10 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marriott International Dividend Announcement

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

Marriott International News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Marriott International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Marriott’s reported $4.8 billion cash-return plan could make its shareholder payout more substantial than its roughly 0.7% dividend yield alone suggests. The article also flags a balance-sheet factor that may affect how sustainable the plan is. Marriott’s Dividend Yields 0.7%. Its $4.8 Billion Cash Return Plan Changes the Math
• Positive Sentiment: One report says an analyst raised Marriott’s price target to $450, indicating potential upside in that analyst’s view. Marriott International Price Target Raised to $450
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views are mixed: a separate report cites a consensus target of $399.04. The supplied short-interest report is internally inconsistent, claiming a significant increase while also reporting zero shares, so it offers no reliable directional signal. Marriott Consensus Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Two reports say Marriott executives sold shares, in transactions valued at approximately $1.06 million and $2.10 million. Insider sales can weigh on sentiment, though the reports do not establish the reasons for the sales. EVP Sells $1,058,300 in Stock EVP Sells $2,103,477 in Stock

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on MAR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Marriott International from $388.00 to $406.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Marriott International from $384.00 to $403.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of Marriott International from $395.00 to $414.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 3rd. Erste Group Bank began coverage on shares of Marriott International in a report on Thursday, August 27th. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $365.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, November 6th. 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, Marriott International currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $399.04.

About Marriott International

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.