Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) Stock: Insider Benjamin Breland Sells 2,500 Shares

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) EVP Benjamin Breland sold 2,500 shares of Marriott International stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $423.32, for a total value of $1,058,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 23,899 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,116,924.68. The trade was a 9.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

Marriott International Stock Performance

MAR opened at $416.47 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $107.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.56, a P/E/G ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 1.15. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $366.29 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $358.15. Marriott International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $280.99 and a 52-week high of $433.30.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 2nd. The company reported $3.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 firm had revenue of $7 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.93 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.47 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 8.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Marriott International, Inc. will post 12.10 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marriott International Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced 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 payout ratio is 29.14%.

More Marriott International News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Marriott declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.73 per share, payable December 31 to shareholders of record November 19. The annualized dividend is $2.92, a modest income-return component for investors. Marriott dividend announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Recent quarterly results beat analyst estimates for earnings and revenue; a MarketBeat review noted that fee growth outpaced room revenue, supporting the view that Marriott’s performance is not solely dependent on travel demand. Marriott earnings analysis
• Positive Sentiment: Marriott is entering Laos with a Luxury Collection property, extending its international brand presence and potential fee-generating hotel network. Marriott debuts in Laos
• Positive Sentiment: Recent headlines point to bullish views from Robert W. Baird, Barclays and Goldman Sachs, while Zacks characterized MAR as a strong momentum stock. These indicate favorable analyst and trend sentiment, though the provided reports give no price targets or detailed rationale. Baird view Barclays view Goldman Sachs view Zacks momentum article
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Anthony Capuano sold 63,355 shares for about $26.6 million, reducing his direct stake by 55.47%. EVPs Rena Reiss and Benjamin Breland also sold shares. Multiple insider sales can raise investor concern, although the filings alone do not establish the executives’ reasons. CEO SEC filing Rena Reiss SEC filing Benjamin Breland SEC filing
• Negative Sentiment: Freedom Broker downgraded Marriott from “strong buy” to “hold,” tempering the otherwise positive analyst headlines. Freedom Broker ratings

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd bought a new stake in Marriott International in the first quarter worth $25,000. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC lifted its position in Marriott International by 127.0% during the first quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 84 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Marriott International by 100.0% in the 1st quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 82 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Marriott International during the 1st quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 57.6% in the 1st quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 104 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. 70.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Truist Financial increased their price target on Marriott International from $356.00 to $360.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Marriott International from $365.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. CICC Research initiated coverage on Marriott International in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $410.00 target price on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on Marriott International from $379.00 to $372.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, TD Cowen raised shares of Marriott International to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 8th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target 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, DC, in 1927. It entered the lodging business in the 1950s and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

Marriott serves travelers in countries and territories around the world and offers the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.