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, and City Express by Marriott brand names, as well as operates residences, timeshares, and yachts. The company was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

Marriott International

(RTTNews) - Marriott International, Inc. (MAR), the hotel chain giant, Wednesday announced the sad passing of Donna Marriott, wife of J.W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr., Chairman Emeritus of Marriott International.
Donna passed away on December 30, aged 90 and is survived by her husband, Bill; children Debbie and her husband, Ron; John and his wife, Muriel; David and his wife, Carrie; daughters-in-law Juliana Marriott and Angela Marriott. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren.
She and Bill Marriott, Jr., had recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. "I first met the girl of my dreams sitting on a bench at a bus stop at the University of Utah. She has blessed my life and the lives our children and grandchildren for over 70 years. It has been a joyful marriage and partnership. I will dearly miss her. I love her with all of my heart.", said Bill Marriott.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Marriott Announces Passing Away Of Donna Marriott, Wife Of Chairman Emeritus J.W. Marriott Jr

The U.S. hotel industry is entering a more normalized demand environment in 2026 as travel activity stabilizes following several volatile years. Stable occupancy trends, modest rate-led revenue growth and uneven regional performance continue to shape operating conditions, while cautious corporate travel patterns weigh on near-term momentum. Elevated labor and operating costs remain a persistent headwind, reinforcing a more measured industry outlook and a shift away from volume-driven growth.
Reflecting this tempered setup, the Zacks Hotels and Motels industry has declined 0.7% over the past year, underperforming the broader S&P 500’s advancement of 19.3%, highlighting a more selective and margin-focused operating environment.
That said, the backdrop is not uniformly challenging. Hotel operators with strong loyalty ecosystems, premium brand exposure, disciplined pricing strategies and scalable, asset-light operating models are demonstrating relative resilience. Conversion-led development, technology-enabled efficiency initiatives and diversified fee-based revenue streams are helping respective companies manage cost pressure. As group and business travel gradually strengthen—particularly in urban and convention-oriented markets—well-positioned brands are better equipped to defend margins and maintain profitability.
Within this landscape, Marriott International, Inc. MAR, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. HLT and Hyatt Hotels Corporation H stand out as prominent global operators navigating the same macro backdrop through differentiated strategic approaches. Each brings a distinct mix of scale, brand positioning and growth levers, shaping varied risk-reward profiles as investors evaluate which hotel stocks are best positioned to lead into the next phase of the cycle.
Marriott International: Scale, Loyalty and Premium Mix Support Visibility
Marriott’s positioning entering 2026 is anchored by unmatched global scale, a premium-skewed brand portfolio and the strength of Marriott Bonvoy as a durable demand and earnings driver. The company continues to benefit from relative outperformance at the upper end of the chain scale, where higher-income consumers have remained more resilient and continue to prioritize travel. Luxury and premium segments have been leading RevPAR trends, while select-service demand has been comparatively mixed.
Development momentum remains a key support. Marriott’s pipeline stands at a record level, underpinned by strong global signings, robust conversion activity and sustained owner preference for its brands despite elevated construction and financing costs. Conversions, in particular, are enhancing capital efficiency while expanding high-margin fee streams. Ongoing growth across lifestyle and experiential brands is further deepening Marriott’s exposure to demand-rich travel categories.
Marriott Bonvoy continues to reinforce the broader ecosystem. Membership growth, co-branded credit cards and adjacent businesses—including media, retail and alternative accommodations—are expanding engagement and monetization beyond traditional room nights. With RevPAR growth expected to stabilize and room growth remaining solid, Marriott heads into 2026 with high visibility into steady, mid-cycle earnings expansion.
Marriott currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and has gained 12.6% in the past year. For 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for MAR’s sales and earnings per share (EPS) suggests an increase of 6.2% and 13.5%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
MAR, HLT & H One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Hilton Worldwide: Asset-Light Growth and Conversion Momentum
Hilton’s 2026 setup is defined by its asset-light model, strong free cash flow generation and industry-leading net unit growth. Although near-term RevPAR trends have been uneven due to calendar shifts, government travel softness and renovation impacts, attributes of fee growth, cost discipline and portfolio mix optimization are likely to aid the company in the upcoming periods.
A central pillar of Hilton’s strategy is development-led growth. Net unit growth remains robust, supported by a conversion-heavy pipeline and expanding luxury, lifestyle and upper midscale offerings. New brand launches and collection formats are unlocking significant white space among independent hotels, particularly in the upper midscale and upscale segments, where Hilton sees a large global conversion opportunity. This approach allows Hilton to scale rapidly without balance-sheet intensity while maintaining attractive owner economics.
Hilton expects group demand to strengthen, with forward bookings improving in 2026. Management also points to limited industry supply growth and a potentially more supportive macro backdrop as tailwinds for future RevPAR. With free cash flow conversion exceeding peers and substantial capital returns ongoing, Hilton appears positioned to deliver a combination of steady earnings growth and shareholder yield into 2026.
Hilton currently has a Zacks Rank #3 and has gained 18.2% in the past year. For 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for HLT’s sales and EPS suggests an increase of 9% and 14.2%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.
Hyatt Hotels: Premium Exposure With Elevated Macro Sensitivity
Hyatt approaches 2026 with a more concentrated operating profile, skewed toward luxury, lifestyle and all-inclusive segments, resulting in greater variability in near-term performance. Management has acknowledged that uneven demand trends and region-specific pressure continue to weigh on results. In the United States, select-service hotels underperformed amid softer leisure transient demand, highlighting ongoing weakness in lower-tier discretionary travel. RevPAR comparisons were further pressured by holiday timing distortions and event-related impacts, which reduced group contribution during the period.
International markets have been comparatively stronger, though not without challenges. In Greater China, Hyatt cited a pronounced slowdown in banqueting and food-and-beverage activity, driven by continued government pressure that has made consumers more cautious around conspicuous spending. This dynamic persists even as room demand in upper-upscale and luxury properties remains relatively stable.
Hyatt has also flagged exposure to external macro risks that could disrupt travel demand. Management pointed to the U.S. government shutdown and FAA-mandated reductions in flight capacity as potential headwinds, noting that it would be “naive” to assume such constraints will not affect travel volumes. While revenue-management actions may help offset some of the impact, reduced air lift represents a near-term risk, particularly for leisure-oriented destinations. Although Hyatt’s capital-light evolution, expanding pipeline and growing loyalty contribution are likely to support longer-term growth potential, the company remains more sensitive to demand volatility and external shocks than its peers.
Hyatt currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and has gained 4.8% in the past year. For 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for H’s sales and EPS suggests an increase of 2% and 146.9%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.
Bottom Line
Overall, the hotel industry is navigating a more normalized phase of the cycle characterized by stable occupancy trends and rate-driven revenue growth, placing a premium on disciplined execution and earnings durability. Marriott offers a steady, lower-volatility profile underpinned by unmatched global scale, a premium-weighted brand portfolio and the enduring strength of its loyalty ecosystem.
Hyatt provides differentiated exposure to luxury and experiential travel, but its more concentrated operating footprint introduces greater sensitivity to macro conditions and regional demand variability. Hilton, by contrast, stands out for its asset-light business model, industry-leading unit growth and strong free cash flow generation, supported by a conversion-led development pipeline and improving group demand trends. As investors look toward 2026, Hilton appears best positioned to deliver superior upside potential, while Marriott and Hyatt offer a measured, albeit distinct, risk-reward profiles.
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MAR, H, HLT: Which Hotel Stock Offers the Best Setup for 2026?

In this podcast, Motley Fool contributors Jon Quast, Dan Caplinger, and Jason Hall talk about stocks.
To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center. When you're ready to invest, check out this top 10 list of stocks to buy.
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A full transcript is below.
Should you buy stock in Airbnb right now?
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This podcast was recorded on Dec. 18, 2025.
Jason Hall: Do you still have some items to buy on your holiday shopping list? What about your holiday stock shopping list? Today is Thursday, December 18. Welcome to Motley Fool Money. I'm your host today, Jason Hall, and I'm joined by Motley Fool analysts Dan Caplinger and Jon Quast to discuss some of our favorite hidden gem stocks that look like great buys as 2025 comes to a close. Get ready for a fun, Foolish round table discussion. If I say hidden gems, you probably think I'm talking about small esoteric companies that nobody's ever heard of, right?. That's true. But it's not the only place that you can find hidden gems. On today's show, we have three giants and their respective industries. Airbnb is one of those dominant companies, and Jon, you brought it to the table. It's a name that people think of when describing the entire short-term stays industry now. It's become the verb, too. Since the first day of trading post IPO, the stock's up almost double, but it peaked like a month later, and it's way down since then in early 2021. Jon, why is this on your list as a hidden gem stock worth buying?
Jon Quast: Well, let me give you my elevator pitch here for Airbnb to start it off. People aren't giving up this short-term rental model. Airbnb is the dominant player in this space, and I think it has a brand mote, and it's printing cash, like few companies do. Eventually, these factors should make Airbnb stock a winner. I know it hasn't performed great in recent years, but I think that it will eventually catch up. Let's talk about one of the traits I like of a hidden gem, and that's reasonable growth in an expanding market. Airbnb is growing its revenue at a double-digit pace, 10% in the most recent quarter, expecting high single-digit in the upcoming quarter. But it's not red hot, but that is reasonable growth. There's market research pointing to ongoing growth in this space as a whole. Airbnb is one of the third parties that puts out reports on this. What's so interesting to me is that Airbnb has showed that there are rental property owners who are willing to put their listing on multiple platforms, and that's the majority. But if you're only listing exclusively, you're not listing with Airbnb's competitors. You're listing on Airbnb exclusively. It's either Airbnb alone or Airbnb plus, but never without Airbnb. That to me, shows the mot here, and one of the reasons I like it in this expanding market.
Jason Hall: There's more you like, too.
Jon Quast: For sure. I also like companies that exhibit this trait of having this relentless drive and curiosity to finding new business opportunities. Airbnb is definitely one of those. It's invested $200 million this year in experiences and services. When you look at its bookings in the third quarter, half weren't attached to a place to stay. I'm talking about its experiences and services. People stay in a new place, and maybe they'll book an experience on top of that, but half of the experiences now don't have a place attached to it, so they're doing it exclusively for the experience. That's an interesting trend. The company investing in that seems to be paying off. Management's also talked about, hey, we're going to launch a couple new business ideas every single year. This is throwing spaghetti at the wall, for sure, but it has extra cash on hand, so it can't afford to invest in these new ideas you look at the whole thing. It trades at 18 times its free cash flow. That's a valuation I can get behind. It's buying back shares, and the share count is coming down, and it's investing in new opportunities. Here's the thing. Its competitive position does afford investors the luxury of patience. If it was being outcompeted, if it was burning cash, you wouldn't have the ability to be very patient here. But because it is so strong, you can be patient while it waits for some of these new ideas to work out.
Jason Hall: Jon, I'm a little less convinced that optionality is going to lead to that next leg of growth. But the core business is a wonderful business. You mentioned the valuation, and that says that other investors don't necessarily think it's a wonderful business. Maybe some margin of safety there. Plus, or maybe interest rates falling a catalyst for the business moving forward, too? We'll find out about that, but, Dan, you say there's something else that stands out to you.
Dan Caplinger: There's a couple of things. One is that co-founder CEO Brian Chesky has done a great strategy where he is actually living in a different Airbnb property. It's like on a weekly basis or every couple of weeks, something like that. As I get older, as I start to travel more, I'm finding that is more appealing an idea for me, as well. I think that that may actually resonate with some older travelers as they get to a point where they're thinking about retirement, have more time to spend on the road. Just suddenly, that hotel mindset, it's just different from what you get from an Airbnb. I think there's a lot of potential there. The other thing that I have run into in my own travels in the past year is that Airbnbs actually starting to get some cross-listings from traditional hotels. What I was shocked at is the pricing on the hotel rooms on Airbnb is sometimes cheaper than what you get from aggregator sites. I even ran into one situation where it happened to be a Marriott property. I'm a Marriott Bonvoy loyalty member. There was a better price on Airbnb than I could get as a loyalty member. It ticked me off as a loyalty member, but it does speak to the appeal that hotel owners have when they're trying to get as much money as they possibly can. Maxing it out, putting it on all platforms is the smart thing to do. I just never expected a traditional hotel to be so interested in Airbnb. I think that's a potential growth driver, as well.
Jason Hall: See, that's the optionality that I think could be compelling, and it's a little bit of maybe Amazon's ad business on its own platform for inventory. Where there's a lot of competition for consumer goods, and it's the same way for Airbnb. It also says to me that Airbnb, you know what? We're not afraid of the hotel industry. Come, give us some money. Put your properties on our platform. We'll take a little money from you. We're still going to win. Up next, Dan makes the case for Lululemon in the midst of growing competition and a change in the C suite. Stay with us.
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Jason Hall: Welcome back to Motley Fool Money. Over the long term, Lululemon has been a huge winner. It's up more than 15X since going public. But in recent years, it has not been a great investment. Investors have lost money from the peak back in 2023. We can go all the way back to 2020. Beginning of 2020, the stock is still down. The business has lost some of its luster. Dan, what's going on with Lululemon today that makes it compelling to you as a buy?
Dan Caplinger: I've been following Lululemon for a long time, and it's interesting to me how stocks that arguably start out more looking like rule breakers can end up emulating hidden gem style stocks later on. We all know Lululemon yoga apparel business, it changed the retail industry. It opened up an entire new category of these so-called Athlesure products. It brought a new meaning to casual Fridays at the office. It's been instrumental. It's spawned a whole bunch of other specialty retail concepts as well. Business is done really well. But after briefly topping $500 a share, late in 2023, early in 2024, we've seen the stock plunge 70%. Well, what happened? Growth trends slowed. They even reversed in the core North American market. Even now, the company is guarded about its immediate outlook. Seems like it's trying to bottom, but even most recent quarter, we saw same store sales in the North American segment drop. There's a lot of questions about Lululemon right now, but the thing I focus on is we have seen Lululemon be resilient before. Turn back the clock, what, 10, 11 years or so. From around 2012-2014, the stock was down about 50%. What happened? Yoga pants were suddenly see through. We had all these quality control issues. That was exacerbated by some comments from the then CEO, now former CEO and founder, which I won't bother to repeat here, but it took a while for the company to write the ship after that big boondoggle. But the payoff was the stock was a 10 bagger by 2021. Come back to today. Now we're facing a similarly interesting moment. Lululemon just announced its quarterly results earlier this month, but it also said CEO Calvin McDonald is stepping down. Shareholders were happy with that move. More recently, we've seen activist investors come in. Elliott Management has apparently taken $1 billion stake in Lululemon stock has suggested a former Ralph Loren executive named Jane Nelson for the job. Very much the stock in play right now a lot of investors trying to see, is this the thing that breaks Lululemon out of its slump.
Jon Quast: It's so interesting, Dan, that we're going to experience a change here at CEO, and I'm a little bit worried about a new management team coming in here and overcorrecting because I really don't think things are as bad as it appears. I think you have good apparel businesses and bad ones, and bad ones have piling up inventory, and that leads to markdowns, and it leads to a complete disintegration of its profit margins. You look at Lululemon. That's not what's happening. It's a good business. Inventory is fine. Margins are fine. It's just having a slowdown. I'm worried that a new manager could come in here and overcorrect when in reality, it stay the course and do what you need to do to keep appealing to your customers.
Dan Caplinger: I agree with a lot of what you said, Jon, and I will admit, I'm less than convinced that this recent trend of trying to pick up superstar CEOs for consumer goods companies that are going through some temporary problems. I just don't think that's as important as just going back to basics. Let's make some good products. Let's build up a core base of loyal customers, make them feel valued. But here's the thing. Investors have bid down Lululemon stock so far that they're essentially assuming no real chance of successfully reigniting the growth fires here. I'm not that pessimistic. I think somebody new in the corner office might be able to reverse that negative sentiment and get the stock moving in the right direction.
Jason Hall: I think competition is a real threat, but it's also an important reminder that it's a really compelling business. Competitors are not jumping in this to lose money. We've seen other retail or other apparel businesses that have struggled because they lost control of distribution. Lululemon is different because it still has so much control over its distribution footprint. I do think that I agree with both of you that this is less a turnaround and more of a recalibration, but the stock is still priced maybe for more trouble ahead. Up next. We've got one more. I've got a Mag 7 seven stock that I think is more hidden Jim than you might think. Stick with us.
Jason Hall: Welcome back to Motley Fool Money to wrap up today's show. I want to talk about Alphabet, guys.
Dan Caplinger: But what are we talking about here? I thought you said this was a hidden gem. Alphabet, more like hiding in plain sight. This was April, maybe. But now?
Jason Hall: I think that's fair. From the beginning of the year, the stocks up 55%, but that big sell-off during the lows in April, the stock's basically doubled since then, and it's clearly gone from being perceived as a feared loser from AI eroding that ad-driven search business to now one of the expected winners from artificial intelligence. Now, I think it's true. We're seeing it's getting really serious traction with Gemini, its Cloud services business is booming. We've also figured out that the ad business it's actually holding up pretty well, even as we do see search be affected by AI. But I think the reason it makes a cut for me, and of the stocks that we've discussed today, it's the one that I have actually most recently bought. It's because of those things and all of the other things that Alphabet is positioned to win from. Yes, that includes search. That includes AI and the Cloud. But it's basically got a Netflix bolted onto it with YouTube. It's a cool little thing with YouTube is it's a much lower risk content development engine because it shares in the profits with content creators. By the way, it's emerged as one of the largest cable TV companies in the US, too, with YouTube TV. Also, we continue to creep closer to autonomous vehicles becoming a real thing. Waymo is approaching half a million rides a week, and they're aiming to hit one million rides a week really soon. Eventually, that's going to be a big business. It's going to feel like an overnight success, but it will have actually taken 15-20 years to build out.
Jon Quast: Well, I think that's exactly why Alphabet is a hidden gem. It's not because it's undiscovered, but rather because investors tend to think about it one dimensionally, when in reality, as you point out, Jason, this business can win every way from Thursday in so many different ways. As an analyst, I can barely keep up with everything that it is doing and succeeding in. Optionality is a business trait that we can't measure by any valuation metric. There isn't astock screenerthat's going to pull this out, but it's so important from an investing perspective. Just looking at the plethora of past stock market winners, they had that trait, and Alphabet certainly has it, and there are underappreciated optionality aspects of the business.
Dan Caplinger: Jason, kudos to you for making this purchase recently. I think it's always hard when you've seen a stock really take off before you've had a chance to really add to your position. I was fortunate enough. I saw Alphabet as sort of this mispriced under appreciated stock years ago, and I've been adding even as many commentators dismissed the company for missing out on AI, missing out on cloud computing. Well, Alphabet proved that wrong, and now the stock is much more favorably valued than it used to be. There's still potential, though for future gains good on you, Jason.
Jason Hall: Guys, I got one last question to wrap this up. We've talked about three stocks today. Which do you think is the biggest winner in five years? Jon, you go first.
Jon Quast: I hate to say it. Y'all know how much I love Airbnb, but I believe that LuluLemon has the clearest path to doubling in value over the next five years. I think all three of these stocks are really safe. I really do. But LuluLemon, to me, it has a really good balance between its growth rate and its valuation, maybe the most favorable balance between those two factors. For me, it has the nod of the best stock today.
Dan Caplinger: Jason, I've got to say, I agree with Jon 100% and not just because it was my pick. But I have to say this, too, I wish that it would be Alphabet. I wish that Alphabet would be able to outperform LuluLemon over the next five years because I own a lot more Alphabet stock. I think Alphabet is going to do just fine, and I'm really optimistic and hopeful Airbnb might finally catch a break here, start executing well enough, get some appreciation from shareholders, get the stock moving back in the right direction.
Jason Hall: Airbnb just keeps landing on my too-hard pile. The valuation is really compelling. I'm waiting to see more evidence that these other things are going to really help it deliver, and we're going to be rewarded with a higher multiple. Alphabet, this is just about the most expensive multiple on a sales basis it's ever traded for. It's not cheap. There's still all the other things I laid out we're counting on. The market is expecting big things from the company. I agree. I come back to thinking of this group, the highest probability. I agree. I think the best margin of safety, the business that's proven, the business that's a lot stronger than the stock is treating it like. I think that's Lululemon, too. I agree. How about that? All three of us?
Dan Caplinger: It's a first, Jason. I'm not sure that's ever happened before.
Jason Hall: It's either a really good thing or really bad thing Jon?
Jon Quast: This is a shocking development, for sure.
Jason Hall: Guys, this has been a lot of fun. Dan, Jon, thank you both so much for joining me today. As always, people on the program may have interest in the stocks they talk about, and the Motley Fool may have formal recommendations for or against, so don't buy or sell stocks based solely on what you hear. All personal finance content follows Motley Fool editorial standards and is not approved by advertisers. Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. To see our full advertising disclosure, please check out our show notes. For Jon Quast, Dan Caplinger, and the entire Motley Fool Money team, I'm Jason Hall. We'll see you tomorrow.
Dan Caplinger has positions in Alphabet and Lululemon Athletica Inc. Jason Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Jon Quast has positions in Airbnb. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Airbnb, Alphabet, and Lululemon Athletica Inc. The Motley Fool recommends Abercrombie & Fitch and Marriott International. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Hidden Gem Stocks to Love at the End of the Year

For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – December 19, 2025 – Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights CAPITAL ONE COF, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL MAR and Tesla's TSLA
3 STOCKS TO WATCH NEAR ALL-TIME HIGHS: COF, MAR, TSLA
An easing in inflation pressures helped stabilize markets in Thursday's trading session, although a few notable stocks had already printed fresh highs ahead of November's favorable CPI report. Being leaders in their respective industries, investors are surely wondering if higher highs are in store for three of these popular stocks in particular. This makes it an ideal time to take a look at the trend of earnings estimate revisions, the primary influencer to the Zacks Rank.
CAPITAL ONE
ZACKS RANK #1 (STRONG BUY)
With its stock hitting a new all-time high of $244 a share, Capital On is in more wallets following the successful acquisition of Discover Financial earlier in the year.
Acquiring Discover has transformed Capital One into a market leader by giving it both size and infrastructure, combining one of the largest credit card issuers with a major payments network. Becoming a vertically integrated powerhouse in consumer finance, Capital One stock is up +35% in 2025, and EPS revisions have continued to soar thanks to strong financial results and shareholder-friendly buybacks.
Capital One's annual earnings are now expected to leap 41% in fiscal 2025 to $19.77 per share compared to EPS of $13.96 last year. Plus, FY26 EPS is projected at over $20.00, and COF trades at a very attractive 12X forward earnings multiple.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL
ZACKS RANK #3 (HOLD)
$311 a share set a record for the renowned hotel operator's stock on Wednesday, but the price performance here has been less captivating. Marriott International's stock is up +10% year to date, and its steady EPS growth is accompanied by a modest 0.86% annual dividend yield that's currently at $2.80. It's also intriguing that Marriott has increased its dividend by 28% in the last five years, and its 27% payout ratio indicates there is plenty of room for more hikes in the future as one of the most established and well-managed hospitality companies. Although a sound long-term investment, Marriott's somewhat stagnant stock performance may continue, as FY25 EPS estimates have barely increased in the last 90 days and FY26 revisions are slightly down.
TESLA
ZACKS RANK #3 (HOLD)
Fresh all-time highs of $495 a share come as investors have been more excited about Tesla's robotaxi program, AI integration, androbotics ambitions, even as EV sales have slowed. Notably, Tesla has been testing driverless robotaxis without safety
monitors, a major milestone that investors see as proof of progress toward autonomous mobility. Elon Musk has also announced that Tesla's in-car systems will integrate Grok, an AI chatbot, boosting confidence in Tesla's ability to monetize AI. Regarding robotics, Tesla's humanoid robot project, Optimus, is seen as a long-term growth driver, adding to the narrative that Tesla is more than just an EV company. While these are exciting developments, EPS revisions are modestly lower in the last 60 days for FY25 and FY26. Considering such, the recent momentum in TSLA could be short-lived, with most of the +20% YTD gains coming in the last month. Still, Tesla has been able to avoid a sell rating as a sharp rebound is expected on its top and bottom lines next year.
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Zacks' Research Chief Picks Stock Most Likely to "At Least Double"
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Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights CAPITAL ONE, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL and Tesla's

An easing in inflation pressures helped stabilize markets in Thursday’s trading session, although a few notable stocks had already printed fresh highs ahead of November's favorable CPI report.
Being leaders in their respective industries, investors are surely wondering if higher highs are in store for three of these popular stocks in particular.
This makes it an ideal time to take a look at the trend of earnings estimate revisions, the primary influencer to the Zacks Rank.
Capital One – COF
Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy)
With its stock hitting a new all-time high of $244 a share, Capital One COF is in more wallets following the successful acquisition of Discover Financial earlier in the year.
Acquiring Discover has transformed Capital One into a market leader by giving it both size and infrastructure, combining one of the largest credit card issuers with a major payments network. Becoming a vertically integrated powerhouse in consumer finance, Capital One stock is up +35% in 2025, and EPS revisions have continued to soar thanks to strong financial results and shareholder-friendly buybacks.
Capital One’s annual earnings are now expected to leap 41% in fiscal 2025 to $19.77 per share compared to EPS of $13.96 last year. Plus, FY26 EPS is projected at over $20.00, and COF trades at a very attractive 12X forward earnings multiple.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Marriott International – MAR
Zacks Rank #3 (Hold)
$311 a share set a record for the renowned hotel operator's stock on Wednesday, but the price performance here has been less captivating. Marriott International's MAR stock is up +10% year to date, and its steady EPS growth is accompanied by a modest 0.86% annual dividend yield that’s currently at $2.80.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
It’s also intriguing that Marriott has increased its dividend by 28% in the last five years, and its 27% payout ratio indicates there is plenty of room for more hikes in the future as one of the most established and well-managed hospitality companies.
Although a sound long-term investment, Marriott’s somewhat stagnant stock performance may continue, as FY25 EPS estimates have barely increased in the last 90 days and FY26 revisions are slightly down.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Tesla – TSLA
Zacks Rank #3 (Hold)
Fresh all-time highs of $495 a share come as investors have been more excited about Tesla’s TSLA robotaxi program, AI integration, and robotics ambitions, even as EV sales have slowed.
Notably, Tesla has been testing driverless robotaxis without safety monitors, a major milestone that investors see as proof of progress toward autonomous mobility. Elon Musk has also announced that Tesla’s in-car systems will integrate Grok, an AI chatbot, boosting confidence in Tesla’s ability to monetize AI. Regarding robotics, Tesla’s humanoid robot project, Optimus, is seen as a long-term growth driver, adding to the narrative that Tesla is more than just an EV company.
While these are exciting developments, EPS revisions are modestly lower in the last 60 days for FY25 and FY26. Considering such, the recent momentum in TSLA could be short-lived, with most of the +20% YTD gains coming in the last month. Still, Tesla has been able to avoid a sell rating as a sharp rebound is expected on its top and bottom lines next year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

3 Stocks to Watch Near All-Time Highs: COF, MAR, TSLA

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.
The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores?
The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value Score
Value investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth Score
Growth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.
Momentum Score
Momentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.
VGM Score
If you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank
The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.81% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Marriott International (MAR)
Marriott International Inc. is a leading worldwide hospitality company focused on lodging management and franchising after the spin-off of its timeshare business into a publicly traded company in November 2011.
MAR is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Consumer Discretionary stock. MAR has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 3.1% over the past four weeks.
Five analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2025, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.03 to $10.05 per share. MAR also boasts an average earnings surprise of +2%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, MAR should be on investors' short list.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Why Marriott International (MAR) is a Top Momentum Stock for the Long-Term

Key Points
Marriott recently flagged some weakness in U.S. travel.
Despite a challenging macroeconomic backdrop, there's a lot to like about the hotel specialist.
Shares aren't cheap. But they aren't expensive either.
Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) shares slipped after management told investors at a Barclays conference last week that fourth-quarter revenue per available room (RevPAR) will likely land at the low end of its guidance range. And the stock's downtrend since then has largely persisted, with shares down about 8% over the last week. Management's update highlighted a softer backdrop in the U.S. as 2025 winds down, even while business elsewhere looks more resilient.
The hotel operator, whose portfolio stretches from midscale brands to high-end luxury resorts, had already been dealing with slower RevPAR growth in recent quarters. Global RevPAR was barely positive in the third quarter of 2025, and U.S. and Canada RevPAR actually declined. International markets, however, continued to post modest growth.
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But there are positives, too. Investors now have to weigh near-term softness in U.S. travel against a still-healthy development pipeline and impressive cash generation.
All of this leads to the main question likely on many investors' minds: Is this a buying opportunity? Or is this a sign to stay away?
Softness in the U.S.
Management's remarks at Barclays fit with a pattern that has been emerging all year. Marriott's third-quarter global RevPAR increased just 0.5% year over year, with U.S. and Canada RevPAR down 0.4% and international RevPAR up 2.6%. That was a sharp slowdown from the 4.1% worldwide RevPAR growth the company delivered in Q1 and even the 1.5% growth it reported in Q2.
Management has been clear that the pressure is concentrated in the lower-priced chains in the U.S., where reduced government travel has weighed on demand. On the flipside, luxury has been consistently strong. In the third-quarter earnings release, Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano noted that global luxury RevPAR rose 4% in the quarter.
Management's update at Barclays' investor conference reinforced recent demand themes, but with one slight negative shift in tone: There has been a further deterioration in its U.S. market, including sub-luxury chains.
Marriott chief financial officer Leeny Oberg told investors last week that the company now expects its fourth-quarter global RevPAR growth is likely to come in at the low end of its guidance for 1% to 2% growth, "and that's really overwhelmingly because of the U.S.," she explained. Getting more specific, Oberg said that U.S. RevPAR actually declined 20 basis points year over year for the month of October, suggesting a rough start to the period. She suggested that the government shutdown is partly to blame.
Key growth drivers
Zooming out, however, the recent demand woes need to be viewed alongside Marriott's broader growth drivers.
Third-quarter 2025 revenue rose 4% year over year to $6.49 billion, while adjusted net income increased from $638 million to $674 million, and adjusted earnings per share climbed 9.2% to $2.47. Room growth, higher co-branded credit card fees, and strong performance in higher-end hotels did much of the heavy lifting.
Room growth remains a central part of the story. In Q3, Marriott added roughly 17,900 net rooms, lifting net rooms 4.7% from the end of the third quarter of 2024. At quarter-end, the company's global system topped 9,700 properties with about 1.75 million rooms. Management still expects net rooms growth to approach 5% for the full year 2025 and to stay in the mid-single-digit range over the next few years.
The development pipeline helps support that outlook. At the end of the third quarter, Marriott's worldwide development pipeline reached a new record of roughly 3,900 properties with more than 596,000 rooms.
Additionally, the company's lucrative business model means that cash generation remains robust -- and it's enabling meaningful dividends and share repurchases. Management plans to return roughly $4 billion to shareholders through dividends and repurchases this year -- not bad for a company with a market capitalization of $77 billion.
With these positives in mind, I don't believe that recent weakness in the U.S. is a thesis-breaker for the stock. Travel is a cyclical business, and there appears to be some weakness in the U.S. currently with Marriott's more affordable chains. But continued strength in international markets and luxury remains encouraging.
Still, shares aren't cheap. The stock currently has a forward price-to-earnings multiple of 24 -- a fair valuation multiple for a stock with Marriott's brand power and growth drivers.
So, is the stock a buy today? I think starting a small position may make sense. But investors should watch U.S. demand closely. Without a recovery in the U.S. market, the stock could underperform over the long haul. However, I believe it's unlikely the U.S. market won't pick up speed at some point.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Marriott Stock Dips. Time to Buy?

For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – November 25, 2025 – Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Marriott International, Inc. MAR, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. HLT and Choice Hotels International, Inc. CHH.
Industry: Hotels & Motels
Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/2794630/3-hotel-stocks-worth-watching-despite-industry-pressure
The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry is hurt by economic uncertainty, labor shortages and rising wages, as well as dismal occupancy and RevPAR. However, industry participants are focusing on growth strategies, including expanding their portfolios, converting properties, forming partnerships and enhancing loyalty programs. Industry players, such as Marriott International, Inc., Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and Choice Hotels International, Inc. are likely to benefit from the factors mentioned above.
Industry Description
The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry comprises companies that own, lease, manage, develop and franchise hotels. Some vacation ownership and exchange firms are also part of the industry. Several participants own, construct and operate resorts.
Some companies develop lodges and mobile accommodations, including modular, skid-mounted ones and central amenities that provide long-term and temporary workforce accommodations. Some industry players develop, market, sell and manage vacation ownership and associated products. A few hoteliers also offer studios, one-bedroom suites and accommodations to mid-market business and personal travelers.
4 Trends Shaping the Future of the Hotels & Motels Industry
Economic Uncertainty & Slowing Growth: The broader U.S. economy remains a headwind for hotels, with inflation, high interest rates and softening consumer confidence curbing discretionary spending. Leisure demand has cooled from its post-pandemic highs, while corporate travel budgets remain cautious. Many companies are trimming travel-related expenses, leading to weaker bookings in both urban and convention-heavy markets.
Labor Shortages & Rising Wages: Staffing continues to be one of the most significant challenges for hoteliers. Despite wage hikes and added incentives, hotels struggle to recruit and retain enough workers across housekeeping, food service and front-desk operations. Elevated labor costs directly erode profitability, while understaffed properties often compromise service quality, hurting guest satisfaction and repeat business.
RevPAR & Occupancy Declines: Recent data from CoStar shows that U.S. hotel performance softened in mid-November, with all key metrics posting year-over-year declines. For the week ending Nov 15, occupancy slipped to 60.9%, down 4.1%, as a shift in the Veteran’s Day calendar triggered a sharp drop in group travel and weakened overall demand.
Average daily rate also edged slightly lower to $154.41, reflecting reduced pricing power in a more competitive environment. With both occupancy and room rates under pressure, revenue per available room fell 4.6% to $93.97, signaling a challenging week for hotel operators.
Digitalization to Drive Growth: Hotel owners are focused on maintaining the balance between maximizing hotel profitability and driving guest satisfaction. To this end, hoteliers have leveraged mobile and web check-in and mobile key technologies. These hoteliers also increased the use of digital tools to strengthen infrastructure, grow online package sales, enable self-service bookings, make real-time offerings and enhance the overall customer experience. This, along with the emphasis on pricing optimization and merchandising capabilities, will likely help hoteliers capture additional market share.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Dull Prospects
The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry is grouped within the broader sector.
The group's Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates dull near-term prospects. The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #182, which places it in the bottom 25% of the 243 Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.
The industry's position in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries results from a negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, analysts are gradually losing confidence in this group's earnings growth potential.
Before we present a few stocks that you may want to keep an eye on, let us look at the industry's recent stock-market performance and valuation picture.
Industry Underperforms the S&P 500
In the past year, the Zacks Hotels and Motels industry has underperformed the S&P 500 and the sector. Over this period, the industry has declined 9.4% compared with the sector's decrease of 17.3%. Meanwhile, the Zacks S&P 500 composite has rallied 12.3%.
Hotels & Motels Industry's Valuation
Based on the trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA, which is a commonly used multiple for valuing Hotels and Motels stocks, the industry is currently trading at 15.59X compared with the S&P 500's 17.94X. The sector's trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA ratio stands at 10.55X.
Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 89.02X and as low as 13.17X, the median being 16.86X.
3 Hotels & Motels Stocks to Watch
Marriott: The company is benefiting from solid rooms growth, profit gains and continued development momentum. Global revenue per available room improved slightly, led by strength in international markets. Management is advancing digital transformation and expanding the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program to deepen guest engagement and drive incremental fee revenues.
MAR currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Marriott’s 2025 bottom line indicates a surge of 7.6% from the year-ago period’s actual. MAR’s shares have risen 2.7% in the past year.
Hilton: The company is benefiting from strong net unit growth, hotel conversions and recovery across international markets. Hilton’s focus on expanding its luxury portfolio, along with digital advancements, remains a key positive. Also, its focus on a capital-light model and disciplined capital return strategy bodes well.
HLT presently has a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hilton’s 2025 EPS implies growth of 12.6% from the year-ago period’s actual. HLT’s shares have gained 8.3% in the past year.
Choice Hotels International: The company is benefiting from unit expansion, franchising efforts and the integration of the Radisson Americas brands. Also, the focus on strategic partnerships and loyalty programs bodes well. Going forward, the company emphasizes strategic investments in AI-driven technology, loyalty enhancements and franchisee productivity tools to drive growth.
CHH currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. The company’s 2025 bottom line is likely to witness year-over-year growth of 1.6%. CHH’s shares have lost 40.5% in the past year.
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Marriott, Hilton Worldwide and Choice Hotels

The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry is hurt by economic uncertainty, labor shortages and rising wages, as well as dismal occupancy and RevPAR. However, industry participants are focusing on growth strategies, including expanding their portfolios, converting properties, forming partnerships and enhancing loyalty programs. Industry players, such as Marriott International, Inc. MAR, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. HLT and Choice Hotels International, Inc. CHH are likely to benefit from the factors mentioned above.
Industry Description
The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry comprises companies that own, lease, manage, develop and franchise hotels. Some vacation ownership and exchange firms are also part of the industry. Several participants own, construct and operate resorts. Some companies develop lodges and mobile accommodations, including modular, skid-mounted ones and central amenities that provide long-term and temporary workforce accommodations. Some industry players develop, market, sell and manage vacation ownership and associated products. A few hoteliers also offer studios, one-bedroom suites and accommodations to mid-market business and personal travelers.
4 Trends Shaping the Future of the Hotels & Motels Industry
Economic Uncertainty & Slowing Growth: The broader U.S. economy remains a headwind for hotels, with inflation, high interest rates and softening consumer confidence curbing discretionary spending. Leisure demand has cooled from its post-pandemic highs, while corporate travel budgets remain cautious. Many companies are trimming travel-related expenses, leading to weaker bookings in both urban and convention-heavy markets.
Labor Shortages & Rising Wages: Staffing continues to be one of the most significant challenges for hoteliers. Despite wage hikes and added incentives, hotels struggle to recruit and retain enough workers across housekeeping, food service and front-desk operations. Elevated labor costs directly erode profitability, while understaffed properties often compromise service quality, hurting guest satisfaction and repeat business.
RevPAR & Occupancy Declines: Recent data from CoStar shows that U.S. hotel performance softened in mid-November, with all key metrics posting year-over-year declines. For the week ending Nov 15, occupancy slipped to 60.9%, down 4.1%, as a shift in the Veteran’s Day calendar triggered a sharp drop in group travel and weakened overall demand. Average daily rate also edged slightly lower to $154.41, reflecting reduced pricing power in a more competitive environment. With both occupancy and room rates under pressure, revenue per available room fell 4.6% to $93.97, signaling a challenging week for hotel operators.
Digitalization to Drive Growth: Hotel owners are focused on maintaining the balance between maximizing hotel profitability and driving guest satisfaction. To this end, hoteliers have leveraged mobile and web check-in and mobile key technologies. These hoteliers also increased the use of digital tools to strengthen infrastructure, grow online package sales, enable self-service bookings, make real-time offerings and enhance the overall customer experience. This, along with the emphasis on pricing optimization and merchandising capabilities, will likely help hoteliers capture additional market share.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Dull Prospects
The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry is grouped within the broader sector.
The group's Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates dull near-term prospects. The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #182, which places it in the bottom 25% of the 243 Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.
The industry's position in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries results from a negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, analysts are gradually losing confidence in this group's earnings growth potential.
Before we present a few stocks that you may want to keep an eye on, let us look at the industry's recent stock-market performance and valuation picture.
Industry Underperforms the S&P 500
In the past year, the Zacks Hotels and Motels industry has underperformed the S&P 500 and the sector. Over this period, the industry has declined 9.4% compared with the sector's decrease of 17.3%. Meanwhile, the Zacks S&P 500 composite has rallied 12.3%.
Price Performance
Hotels & Motels Industry's Valuation
Based on the trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA, which is a commonly used multiple for valuing Hotels and Motels stocks, the industry is currently trading at 15.59X compared with the S&P 500's 17.94X. The sector's trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA ratio stands at 10.55X.
Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 89.02X and as low as 13.17X, the median being 16.86X, as the chart shows.
3 Hotels & Motels Stocks to Watch
Marriott: The company is benefiting from solid rooms growth, profit gains and continued development momentum. Global revenue per available room improved slightly, led by strength in international markets. Management is advancing digital transformation and expanding the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program to deepen guest engagement and drive incremental fee revenues.
MAR currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Marriott’s 2025 bottom line indicates a surge of 7.6% from the year-ago period’s actual. MAR’s shares have risen 2.7% in the past year.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Price & Consensus: MAR
Hilton: The company is benefiting from strong net unit growth, hotel conversions and recovery across international markets. Hilton’s focus on expanding its luxury portfolio, along with digital advancements, remains a key positive. Also, its focus on a capital-light model and disciplined capital return strategy bodes well.
HLT presently has a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hilton’s 2025 EPS implies growth of 12.6% from the year-ago period’s actual. HLT’s shares have gained 8.3% in the past year.
Price & Consensus: HLT
Choice Hotels International: The company is benefiting from unit expansion, franchising efforts and the integration of the Radisson Americas brands. Also, the focus on strategic partnerships and loyalty programs bodes well. Going forward, the company emphasizes strategic investments in AI-driven technology, loyalty enhancements and franchisee productivity tools to drive growth.
CHH currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. The company’s 2025 bottom line is likely to witness year-over-year growth of 1.6%. CHH’s shares have lost 40.5% in the past year.
Price & Consensus: CHH
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Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

3 Hotel Stocks Worth Watching Despite Industry Pressure

Fintel reports that on November 18, 2025, Wells Fargo initiated coverage of Marriott International (NasdaqGS:MAR) with a Overweight recommendation.
Analyst Price Forecast Suggests 4.27% Upside
As of November 16, 2025, the average one-year price target for Marriott International is $294.97/share. The forecasts range from a low of $217.15 to a high of $348.60. The average price target represents an increase of 4.27% from its latest reported closing price of $282.89 / share.
See our leaderboard of companies with the largest price target upside.
The projected annual revenue for Marriott International is 24,449MM, an increase of 255.67%. The projected annual non-GAAP EPS is 9.92.
What is the Fund Sentiment?
There are 2,285 funds or institutions reporting positions in Marriott International. This is an decrease of 16 owner(s) or 0.70% in the last quarter. Average portfolio weight of all funds dedicated to MAR is 0.26%, an increase of 4.61%. Total shares owned by institutions decreased in the last three months by 1.16% to 192,323K shares. The put/call ratio of MAR is 0.62, indicating a bullish outlook.
What are Other Shareholders Doing?
Wellington Management Group Llp holds 9,175K shares representing 3.42% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 7,538K shares , representing an increase of 17.84%. The firm decreased its portfolio allocation in MAR by 84.16% over the last quarter.
VTSMX - Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares holds 7,043K shares representing 2.62% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 6,964K shares , representing an increase of 1.13%. The firm increased its portfolio allocation in MAR by 3.51% over the last quarter.
Jpmorgan Chase holds 6,655K shares representing 2.48% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 9,468K shares , representing a decrease of 42.28%. The firm decreased its portfolio allocation in MAR by 93.52% over the last quarter.
VFINX - Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares holds 6,452K shares representing 2.40% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 6,358K shares , representing an increase of 1.46%. The firm increased its portfolio allocation in MAR by 3.41% over the last quarter.
Invesco Qqq Trust, Series 1 holds 5,651K shares representing 2.11% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 5,678K shares , representing a decrease of 0.47%. The firm decreased its portfolio allocation in MAR by 3.79% over the last quarter.
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This story originally appeared on Fintel.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.