Empowered Funds LLC Has $7.92 Million Stock Position in Marriott International, Inc. $MAR

Empowered Funds LLC lifted its stake in shares of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) by 151.7% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 24,218 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 14,595 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Marriott International were worth $7,921,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd acquired a new position in Marriott International in the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 127.0% during the first quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 84 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Marriott International by 100.0% in the first quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 82 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the period. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Marriott International in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new stake in Marriott International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Marriott International Stock Performance

Marriott International stock opened at $372.95 on Friday. Marriott International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $253.76 and a 52-week high of $410.98. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $379.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $354.20. The stock has a market capitalization of $98.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.13, a PEG ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 1.11.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $2.72 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.16. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.72% and a negative return on equity of 80.97%. The business had revenue of $1.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.59 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.32 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. 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. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Marriott International, Inc. will post 11.66 EPS for the current year.

Marriott International Increases Dividend

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently issued reports on MAR. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on shares of Marriott International from $352.00 to $365.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $412.00 price objective on Marriott International in a report on Monday, June 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Marriott International from $387.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Truist Financial upped their price target on Marriott International from $350.00 to $356.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Marriott International from $446.00 to $449.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Marriott International presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $388.59.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marriott International

In related news, EVP Peggy Roe sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 19,827 shares in the company, valued at $7,168,650.12. This trade represents a 13.14% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 11.43% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.