Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) Shares Sold by New York State Common Retirement Fund

New York State Common Retirement Fund cut its holdings in Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) by 0.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 279,652 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,000 shares during the period. New York State Common Retirement Fund’s holdings in Marriott International were worth $78,006,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of MAR. Sound Income Strategies LLC boosted its stake in Marriott International by 494.4% during the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 107 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the period. Wingate Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Marriott International during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Silvant Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Marriott International during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Marriott International during the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Heck Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Marriott International during the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. 70.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Marriott International Price Performance

MAR stock opened at $287.56 on Thursday. Marriott International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $204.55 and a 52-week high of $307.52. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $283.98 and its 200-day simple moving average is $264.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $79.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.56, a P/E/G ratio of 3.38 and a beta of 1.57.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The company reported $2.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.37 by $0.08. Marriott International had a net margin of 9.46% and a negative return on equity of 116.67%. Sell-side analysts predict that Marriott International, Inc. will post 10.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marriott International Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 27th will be paid a $0.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 27th. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.88%. Marriott International’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.29%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MAR has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Argus boosted their target price on shares of Marriott International from $300.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Marriott International from $252.00 to $283.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 26th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Marriott International from $294.00 to $301.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Evercore ISI raised shares of Marriott International from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $330.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Marriott International from $246.00 to $293.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $284.05.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marriott International

In other Marriott International news, insider William P. Brown sold 1,707 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the insider now owns 23,077 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,560,791.10. This represents a 6.89 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 10.07% of the company’s stock.

Marriott International 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, City Express by Marriott, and St.