Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) Shares Bought by QRG Capital Management Inc.

QRG Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) by 4.6% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 26,396 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,155 shares during the quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Marriott International were worth $6,660,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Roble Belko & Company Inc raised its stake in shares of Marriott International by 845.5% during the first quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 104 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Marriott International by 72.6% in the 4th quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 126 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the period. Benjamin Edwards Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Marriott International in the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Keener Financial Planning LLC purchased a new position in Marriott International during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Anchor Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Marriott International in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Marriott International Stock Performance

Shares of MAR traded down $1.39 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $253.72. The stock had a trading volume of 379,267 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,443,881. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $238.36 and its 200 day simple moving average is $241.01. Marriott International, Inc. has a 12-month low of $180.75 and a 12-month high of $260.57. The firm has a market cap of $72.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.33, a P/E/G ratio of 4.65 and a beta of 1.60.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 1st. The company reported $2.13 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.17 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $5.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.95 billion. Marriott International had a net margin of 12.00% and a negative return on equity of 376.88%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.09 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Marriott International, Inc. will post 9.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marriott International Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 24th were paid a $0.63 dividend. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 23rd. This is an increase from Marriott International’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. Marriott International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 26.01%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on MAR shares. Mizuho increased their target price on Marriott International from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on Marriott International from $235.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Argus upped their price target on shares of Marriott International from $270.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 19th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Marriott International from $239.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 19th. Finally, Susquehanna assumed coverage on Marriott International in a report on Friday, June 21st. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $255.00 price target on the stock. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $242.19.

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.