Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.16 EPS

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday. The company reported $3.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.03 by $0.16, FiscalAI reports. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.72% and a negative return on equity of 80.97%. The firm had revenue of $2.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.19 billion.

Marriott International Stock Performance

Shares of MAR stock opened at $372.95 on Monday. Marriott International has a 52 week low of $253.76 and a 52 week high of $410.98. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $379.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $354.41. The company has a market capitalization of $98.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 1.11.

Marriott International Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Friday, May 22nd were paid a dividend of $0.73 per share. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 22nd. This is a positive change from Marriott International’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.67. Marriott International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.64%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Marriott International from $353.00 to $380.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Susquehanna raised their target price on Marriott International from $280.00 to $385.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Marriott International from $376.00 to $379.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Marriott International in a report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein set a $412.00 target price on shares of Marriott International in a research note on Monday, June 15th. 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, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $388.59.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marriott International

In other news, EVP Peggy Roe sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, May 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $361.56, for a total transaction of $1,084,680.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 19,827 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,168,650.12. This represents a 13.14% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 11.43% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Marriott International

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Marriott International during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Marriott International in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in Marriott International in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Advocate Investing Services LLC acquired a new position in Marriott International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Greenline Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marriott International in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Marriott International Company Profile

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.