Sarasin & Partners LLP Reduces Stock Holdings in Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR)

Sarasin & Partners LLP reduced its stake in Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) by 22.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,244 shares of the company’s stock after selling 3,611 shares during the period. Sarasin & Partners LLP’s holdings in Marriott International were worth $3,415,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Silvant Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marriott International during the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Marriott International in the third quarter valued at $33,000. Cyrus J. Lawrence LLC acquired a new stake in Marriott International in the second quarter valued at $36,000. ORG Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Marriott International by 158.5% in the fourth quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 137 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the period. Finally, Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Marriott International during the 3rd quarter worth $40,000. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on MAR shares. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Marriott International from $251.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. Macquarie reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $245.00 price objective on shares of Marriott International in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted 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. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Marriott International from $280.00 to $314.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Marriott International from $251.00 to $269.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, December 13th. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $272.15.

Marriott International Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:MAR opened at $277.18 on Monday. Marriott International, Inc. has a 1 year low of $204.55 and a 1 year high of $295.45. The stock has a market capitalization of $77.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.99, a PEG ratio of 4.48 and a beta of 1.57. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $282.53 and a 200-day simple moving average of $256.02.

Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) last issued its earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The company reported $2.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.31 by ($0.05). Marriott International had a negative return on equity of 177.91% and a net margin of 11.18%. The firm had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.27 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.11 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Marriott International, Inc. will post 9.25 earnings per share for the current year.

Marriott International Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 21st were issued a $0.63 dividend. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.91%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 21st. Marriott International’s dividend payout ratio is presently 26.36%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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 stock was 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 in the company, valued at $6,560,791.10. This represents a 6.89 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Benjamin T. Breland sold 500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.49, for a total value of $137,245.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 12,286 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,372,384.14. This represents a 3.91 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 13,815 shares of company stock worth $3,919,739 in the last 90 days. 10.07% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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, City Express by Marriott, and St.