Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. Purchases 2,019 Shares of Marriott International, Inc. $MAR

Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. raised its position in Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) by 10.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,077 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 2,019 shares during the quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD.’s holdings in Marriott International were worth $5,750,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Marriott International in the second quarter valued at about $613,000. National Pension Service boosted its stake in shares of Marriott International by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 603,431 shares of the company’s stock valued at $157,158,000 after purchasing an additional 9,530 shares in the last quarter. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Marriott International during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $858,000. Headwater Capital Co Ltd acquired a new position in Marriott International during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $21,857,000. Finally, Harbor Investment Advisory LLC boosted its position in Marriott International by 2.7% in the third quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 572,367 shares of the company’s stock valued at $149,067,000 after buying an additional 14,898 shares in the last quarter. 70.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on MAR shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Marriott International in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Barclays upped their price objective on Marriott International from $320.00 to $356.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Marriott International from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $285.00 to $370.00 in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Marriott International from $283.00 to $350.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Marriott International from $285.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $343.27.

Key Marriott International News

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

Marriott International Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ MAR opened at $355.08 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $317.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $287.67. Marriott International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $205.40 and a 52-week high of $370.00. The company has a market capitalization of $94.09 billion, a P/E 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 analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.61 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $6.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.67 billion. Marriott International had a negative return on equity of 84.23% and a net margin of 9.93%.Marriott International’s quarterly revenue was up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.45 EPS. 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. Analysts forecast that Marriott International, Inc. will post 10.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Marriott International Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 26th will be issued a $0.67 dividend. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 26th. Marriott International’s payout ratio is presently 28.24%.

Insider Transactions at Marriott International

In other Marriott International news, CAO Felitia Lee sold 1,617 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.98, for a total transaction of $494,769.66. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 4,893 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,497,160.14. This represents a 24.84% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 10.68% of the company’s stock.

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.