Truist Financial Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) Stock

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) had its price objective raised by analysts at Truist Financial from $283.00 to $350.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “hold” rating on the stock. Truist Financial’s target price would suggest a potential downside of 1.43% from the stock’s previous close.

Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Marriott International from $353.00 to $403.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $329.00 to $369.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Marriott International from $320.00 to $356.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Marriott International in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on Marriott International from $287.00 to $285.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $343.27.

Marriott International Trading Down 1.0%

NASDAQ:MAR opened at $355.08 on Wednesday. Marriott International has a 1-year low of $205.40 and a 1-year high of $370.00. The stock has a market cap 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. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $317.04 and its 200-day moving average is $287.67.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $2.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.61 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $6.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.67 billion. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.93% and a negative return on equity of 84.23%. The company’s revenue was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.45 earnings per share. 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. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Marriott International will post 10.1 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Marriott International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Marriott International in the 4th quarter worth $812,570,000. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in Marriott International by 21.7% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 9,175,377 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,389,635,000 after buying an additional 1,637,119 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners acquired a new position in shares of Marriott International during the second quarter valued at about $196,579,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its position in shares of Marriott International by 7.2% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 4,921,767 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,281,825,000 after acquiring an additional 330,952 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 27,221.0% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 315,558 shares of the company’s stock worth $86,214,000 after acquiring an additional 314,403 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Marriott International News Roundup

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 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.