Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) Stock Rating Upgraded by Sanford C. Bernstein

Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report released on Thursday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. Sanford C. Bernstein currently has $262.00 target price on the stock, up from their previous target price of $247.00.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on MAR. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Marriott International from $268.00 to $250.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 6th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on Marriott International from $235.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Mizuho lifted their price target on Marriott International from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Marriott International from $235.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, July 19th. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on Marriott International from $252.00 to $245.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Marriott International presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $244.44.

Marriott International Price Performance

Marriott International stock opened at $234.69 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $67.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.22, a PEG ratio of 4.24 and a beta of 1.60. Marriott International has a 1-year low of $180.75 and a 1-year high of $260.57. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $232.36 and a 200-day moving average price of $239.16.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $2.50 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.49 by $0.01. Marriott International had a negative return on equity of 239.60% and a net margin of 12.01%. The company had revenue of $6.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.47 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.26 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Marriott International will post 9.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marriott International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 16th will be given a $0.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 16th. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.07%. Marriott International’s payout ratio is currently 26.01%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Marriott International

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Roble Belko & Company Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 845.5% in the 1st quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 104 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. Bangor Savings Bank boosted its position in Marriott International by 131.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 104 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. purchased a new position in Marriott International in the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. Benjamin Edwards Inc. purchased a new position in Marriott International in the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, MFA Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Marriott International in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Marriott International Company Profile

Marriott International, Inc engages in operating, franchising, and licensing hotel, residential, timeshare, and other lodging properties worldwide. It operates its properties under the JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, St. Regis, EDITION, Bvlgari, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels, Le Méridien, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Tribute Portfolio, Gaylord Hotels, Design Hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Aloft Hotels, AC Hotels by Marriott, Moxy Hotels, Element Hotels, Protea Hotels by Marriott, and City Express by Marriott brand names, as well as operates residences, timeshares, and yachts.