Marriott Reports Strong Q4 Earnings and Future Growth Outlook
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 11 2026
0mins
Should l Buy MAR?
Source: Benzinga
Marriott International's stock surged by 8.43% as it reached a 52-week high, reflecting strong investor confidence following its recent earnings report.
The company reported a Q4 2025 non-GAAP EPS of $2.58, slightly missing estimates, but revenue of $6.69 billion exceeded expectations, indicating resilience in revenue growth. Additionally, Marriott's global RevPAR increased by 1.9%, driven by strong international performance, particularly in the EMEA and APEC regions, which positions the company favorably in the recovering tourism market.
With a robust development pipeline and an optimistic outlook for 2026, Marriott's strategic initiatives and strong brand performance are expected to support continued growth, attracting investor interest in the hospitality sector.
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Analyst Views on MAR
Wall Street analysts forecast MAR stock price to fall
14 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 359.940
Low
269.70
Averages
314.26
High
370.00
Current: 359.940
Low
269.70
Averages
314.26
High
370.00
About MAR
Marriott International, Inc. is an operator, franchisor, and licensor of hotel, residential, timeshare, and other lodging properties under various brand names. Its segments include U.S. and Canada, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Greater China, Asia Pacific, excluding China. Its brand portfolio offers a range of brands and lodging offerings in hospitality. Its brands are categorized by style of offering: Classic and Distinctive. The classic brands offer time-honored hospitality for the modern traveler. The distinctive brands offer memorable experiences with a perspective, each of which it groups into four tiers: Luxury, Premium, Select, and Midscale. Its hotel brands include JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Marriott Executive Apartments, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, TownePlace, City Express, Four Points Flex by Sheraton, citizenM, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Tourism Resurgence: Xishuangbanna reported over 4 million visits and tourism revenue of 5.04 billion yuan (approximately $730 million) during the holiday, demonstrating the resilience of local tourism markets in attracting visitors despite economic challenges.
- Theme Park Launch: iQiyi opened its first theme park in Yangzhou, featuring virtual reality and live performances to meet the rising demand for offline entertainment, positioning it as a new growth driver for the company amid fierce competition in the streaming market.
- Luxury Market Trends: Despite retail sales in China growing only 0.9% in December, Louis Vuitton opened two new stores in the past year, emphasizing the use of social media and celebrity endorsements to attract consumers, showcasing the resilience of luxury brands during the festive shopping season.
See More
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- Earnings Focus: Miners Antofagasta and BHP Group are set to report earnings on Tuesday, alongside InterContinental Hotels Group and EssilorLuxottica, which will directly influence investor decisions and market sentiment as earnings season progresses.
- Economic Data Releases: Key economic indicators, including German inflation and economic sentiment data as well as UK unemployment figures, are scheduled for release on Tuesday, and any significant changes could impact market trends, especially in the context of economic recovery.
- Holiday Impact: Asian financial markets are experiencing thin trading volumes on Tuesday due to the Lunar New Year holidays, with mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea markets closed, potentially leading to increased market volatility.
See More
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- Chairman's Resignation: Thomas Pritzker, the chairman of Hyatt Hotels, announced his immediate resignation after over two decades in the role, highlighting the pressures and challenges facing corporate governance amid scandals.
- Scandal Association: Pritzker expressed regret over his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, admitting to poor judgment in maintaining contact, which could negatively impact Hyatt's brand image and stakeholder trust.
- Succession Plan: The Hyatt board appointed CEO Mark Hoplamazian as the new chairman, ensuring continuity in governance and aiming to stabilize investor confidence during this transitional period.
- Executive Resignation Wave: Pritzker's departure marks the latest in a series of high-profile resignations, reflecting the corporate world's heightened sensitivity to associations with Epstein, potentially affecting future leadership structures and strategic directions.
See More
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- Industry Trend Shift: As hotels seek to cut costs, brands like Hyatt and IHG have begun to eliminate or adjust free breakfast services, with Hyatt removing it from 40 properties last year, highlighting the industry's urgent need for cost control.
- Changing Customer Expectations: According to JD Power, 78% of hotel guests still enjoy breakfast at the hotel, but only 8% pay for it, indicating that free breakfast has become a basic expectation for customers, potentially impacting brand loyalty.
- Economic Impact Analysis: Some hotel operators report that free breakfast can account for 5% to 7% of total revenue, yet in many cases, it does not lead to corresponding revenue growth, prompting operators to reassess its value.
- Future Model Exploration: Experts predict that hotels may replace free breakfast with credits or optional add-ons to cater to different customer segments while maintaining clear communication of value to avoid customer attrition.
See More
Contrasting Investor Outcomes of Airbnb and Marriott
- Investment Return Comparison: Airbnb and Marriott illustrate starkly different investment return outcomes, as both have faced market disruptions, yet investor gains vary significantly, highlighting the market's varied responses to different business models.
- Disruptive Impact: While Airbnb's innovative business model has triggered industry disruption, it has not necessarily translated into successful returns for investors, whereas Marriott has maintained relatively stable earnings through its robust traditional operational model.
- Long-Term Success Factors: The video emphasizes that long-term investment success relies not only on disruptive innovation but also on effective execution and market adaptability, which are crucial for investor decision-making.
- Market Response Analysis: By analyzing the cases of Airbnb and Marriott, investors can gain insights into market reactions to different strategies, enabling them to make more informed choices in future investments.
See More
Airbnb vs. Marriott: Contrasting Investor Returns Post-IPO
- Limitations of Disruptive Models: Airbnb's post-IPO performance illustrates that despite its disruptive business model and first-mover advantage, investor returns are not strong when fundamentals and valuations are overlooked, reflecting market sensitivity to short-term fluctuations.
- Stability of Marriott: Marriott's steadier results highlight the importance of sustainable cash flow and resilient unit economics, particularly in changing macroeconomic conditions, showcasing the advantages of traditional firms in uncertain environments.
- Contrasting Investor Returns: The contrasting outcomes for investors in Airbnb and Marriott reveal that disruption alone does not guarantee long-term investment success, emphasizing the need for investors to focus on fundamentals and market dynamics.
- Investment Insights: Notably, the analyst team's list of 10 best stocks does not include Marriott, suggesting that investors should be cautious and focus on potential high-return opportunities when making stock selections.
See More
