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

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) had its price target hoisted by equities researchers at Barclays from $320.00 to $356.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Barclays‘s price target would indicate a potential upside of 0.26% from the stock’s current price.

MAR has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Evercore upped their price target on Marriott International from $320.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Marriott International from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $285.00 to $370.00 in a report on Friday, January 9th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Marriott International from $296.00 to $328.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $294.00 to $323.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Marriott International in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $343.27.

Marriott International Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of NASDAQ:MAR opened at $355.08 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $317.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $287.67. The stock has a market capitalization of $94.09 billion, a PE ratio of 37.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 1.13. Marriott International has a twelve month low of $205.40 and a twelve month high of $370.00.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported $2.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.61 by ($0.03). Marriott International had a negative return on equity of 84.23% and a net margin of 9.93%.The business had revenue of $6.69 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.67 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.45 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. 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 expect that Marriott International will post 10.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Marriott International

In related news, CAO Felitia Lee sold 1,617 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 4,893 shares in the company, valued at $1,497,160.14. The trade was a 24.84% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 10.68% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marriott International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. CI Investments Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 11.3% in the fourth quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 5,171 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,604,000 after acquiring an additional 526 shares in the last quarter. Fiduciary Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Marriott International by 7.1% in the 4th quarter. Fiduciary Group LLC now owns 17,219 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,342,000 after purchasing an additional 1,145 shares in the last quarter. Advocate Investing Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Marriott International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Davis R M Inc. bought a new position in shares of Marriott International during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $215,000. Finally, Federation des caisses Desjardins du Quebec increased its holdings in Marriott International by 7.9% during the fourth quarter. Federation des caisses Desjardins du Quebec now owns 14,448 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,482,000 after buying an additional 1,056 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

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 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.