Marriott International, Inc. (MAR) is one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Valued at $74.8 billion by market cap, it operates, franchises, and licenses a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities across the globe.

Shares of MAR have outperformed the broader market over the past year. MAR has surged 14.3% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 12.5%. However, in 2025, MAR stock is down 2.1%, compared to SPX’s 1.3% rise on a YTD basis. 

Narrowing the focus, MAR has surpassed the AdvisorShares Hotel ETF’s (BEDZ) 8.5% rise over the past year and 6.6% fall in this year.

On May 6, MAR announced its first quarter earnings, and its shares climbed 1.6%. Its revenue rose 5% year-over-year to $6.2 billion, and net income improved 18% to $665 million. The company reported adjusted EPS of $2.32, beating expectations. Global revenue per available room (RevPAR) grew by 4.1% in constant currency. Additionally, Marriott announced the acquisition of the lifestyle hotel brand citizenM for $355 million in the quarter, adding 36 open hotels with 8,544 rooms and three pipeline hotels with over 600 rooms to its portfolio.

For fiscal 2025, ending in December, analysts expect MAR’s EPS to grow 8.5% to $10.12 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.

Among the 24 analysts covering MAR stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on eight “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” and 14 “Holds,” and “Strong Sell.”

This configuration is more bullish than a month ago, with five analysts suggesting a “Strong Buy.”

On May 12, Jefferies analyst David Katz upgraded Marriott from “Hold” to “Buy,” raising the price target to $303 from $226. Katz emphasized Marriott’s resilient business model, which he believes is well-positioned to thrive despite economic uncertainties.

The mean price target of $283.17 represents a 3.6% premium to MAR’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $330 suggests an upside potential of 20.8%.