Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) Hits New 12-Month High on Analyst Upgrade

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday after JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on the stock from $323.00 to $356.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has a neutral rating on the stock. Marriott International traded as high as $367.73 and last traded at $358.75, with a volume of 2491348 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $359.35.

MAR has been the topic of several other reports. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on shares of Marriott International from $329.00 to $369.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of Marriott International from $287.00 to $285.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Marriott International from $296.00 to $328.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Evercore lifted their price objective on Marriott International from $320.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on Marriott International from $285.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Marriott International presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $343.27.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CAO Felitia Lee sold 1,617 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.98, for a total value of $494,769.66. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 4,893 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,497,160.14. This represents a 24.84% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 10.68% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Marriott International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.67/share, which supports income investors and signals confidence in cash flow. Marriott Dividend Release
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts lifted price targets and ratings after Q4 results and guidance (Goldman, Jefferies, Wells Fargo and others raised PTs), providing continued buy‑side support. Analyst Upgrades Summary
• Positive Sentiment: Company issued FY‑2026 EPS guidance (11.320–11.570) and Q1 guidance (2.500–2.550), and reported revenue slightly above expectations — guidance and top‑line strength are supportive for forward earnings forecasts. Q4 Results & Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: International expansion driving growth: Asia‑Pacific (ex‑China) momentum and a strong India pipeline (India = 42% of 2025 pipeline) support overseas revenue upside as U.S. demand softens. Asia‑Pacific Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Management is “actively investing” in AI and migrating systems, which could improve margins and guest personalization over time. AI Investment Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Opened Crystal Cove Barbados, the first Tribute Portfolio all‑inclusive resort — incremental unit growth but limited immediate earnings impact. Crystal Cove Opening
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand and lifestyle initiatives (e.g., The Ritz‑Carlton x Kilometre collaboration) are PR/brand positives but not material to near‑term cash flow. Ritz‑Carlton Collaboration
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 EPS missed by a small amount (miss of $0.03) and management disclosed a $23M hit from the breakup with Sonder — one‑time charges that can dent near‑term reported earnings. Sonder Breakup Charges
• Negative Sentiment: Newly flagged contract‑dispute risks tied to Marriott’s asset‑light model could pose legal, profitability and growth headwinds if disputes escalate. Contract Disputes Risk
• Negative Sentiment: Some market commentary and short‑idea pieces warn the stock may be extended or vulnerable to a pullback despite upgrades, adding selling pressure from momentum traders. Short Idea / Bearish Commentary

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Marriott International

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in MAR. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in Marriott International by 2.5% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 8,887 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,479,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC grew its stake in shares of Marriott International by 39.1% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 5,805 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,383,000 after buying an additional 1,631 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP raised its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 39.6% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 19,332 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,605,000 after buying an additional 5,480 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Marriott International by 21.8% during the 1st quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 6,035 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,438,000 after acquiring an additional 1,079 shares during the period. Finally, RFG Advisory LLC grew its position in Marriott International by 60.9% in the 2nd quarter. RFG Advisory LLC now owns 1,665 shares of the company’s stock valued at $455,000 after acquiring an additional 630 shares in the last quarter. 70.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Marriott International Price Performance

The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $317.04 and its 200-day simple moving average is $287.67. The company has a market capitalization of $94.09 billion, a PE ratio of 37.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 1.13.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $2.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.61 by ($0.03). Marriott International had a negative return on equity of 84.23% and a net margin of 9.93%.The business had revenue of $6.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.67 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.45 earnings per share. Marriott International’s quarterly revenue was up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. Marriott International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.320-11.570 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 2.500-2.550 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Marriott International, Inc. will post 10.1 earnings per share for the current year.

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.