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

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) had its price target hoisted by equities research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $251.00 to $295.00 in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “hold” rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group’s target price indicates a potential upside of 7.16% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other analysts have also recently issued reports on MAR. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of Marriott International from $258.00 to $264.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Marriott International from $252.00 to $283.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. Barclays increased their target price on Marriott International from $249.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Marriott International from $254.00 to $277.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Marriott International from $238.00 to $261.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $269.65.

Marriott International Price Performance

Marriott International stock opened at $275.28 on Thursday. Marriott International has a fifty-two week low of $204.55 and a fifty-two week high of $295.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $76.50 billion, a PE ratio of 28.80, a P/E/G ratio of 5.47 and a beta of 1.58. The company’s 50-day moving average is $280.75 and its 200-day moving average is $253.55.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 4th. The company reported $2.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.31 by ($0.05). The business had revenue of $6.26 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.27 billion. Marriott International had a net margin of 11.18% and a negative return on equity of 177.91%. Marriott International’s quarterly revenue was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.11 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Marriott International will post 9.26 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marriott International

In other Marriott International news, CFO Kathleen K. Oberg sold 2,360 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $285.41, for a total value of $673,567.60. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 39,726 shares in the company, valued at $11,338,197.66. This trade represents a 5.61 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider William P. Brown sold 1,707 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.30, for a total value of $485,300.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 23,077 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,560,791.10. The trade was a 6.89 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 13,815 shares of company stock worth $3,919,739 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 12.32% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marriott International

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MAR. Silvant Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Marriott International during the 3rd quarter worth about $31,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Marriott International in the third quarter worth approximately $33,000. Cyrus J. Lawrence LLC bought a new stake in Marriott International in the second quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in Marriott International during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Finally, Kimelman & Baird LLC acquired a new position in shares of Marriott International in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

About Marriott International

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, City Express by Marriott, and St.