Barclays Raises Price Target for Marriott Vacations Worldwide

Recent research by Barclays has resulted in a significant increase in the price target for Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE: VAC - Get Free Report) shares. The investment analysts revised their target from $74.00 to $97.00, as noted in a report made available to clients and investors on Friday. Barclays maintained an "equal weight" rating on the stock, indicating that they expect the stock to perform in line with the broader market.

The new price target suggests that there is a potential upside of approximately 1.73% based on the stock's closing price prior to the announcement.

Analyst Sentiment

Marriott Vacations Worldwide has recently garnered attention from several financial analysts. Notably, JMP Securities adjusted their price target from $115.00 to $90.00 and assigned a "market outperform" rating. Additionally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft revised their price target from $121.00 to $95.00, while setting a "buy" rating.

In contrast, Goldman Sachs initiated coverage on Marriott Vacations Worldwide with a "sell" rating and a price target of $62.00. StockNews.com also changed their rating from "hold" to "sell" in a report published in July. Furthermore, Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective from $108.00 to $96.50, with a "buy" rating.

Currently, three analysts have labeled the stock as a sell, three maintain a hold rating, and five have given it a buy rating. Analysis from MarketBeat shows that the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $98.95.

Current Stock Performance

In trading on Friday, shares of NYSE: VAC experienced a slight decline of $0.63 and traded at $95.35, with a volume of 407,398 shares exchanged, close to its average trading volume of 464,035. Over the past year, the stock has reached a low of $67.28 and a high of $108.57.

Financial ratios reveal that the company possesses a current ratio of 3.28, a quick ratio of 2.72, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.21. The stock currently boasts a market capitalization of approximately $3.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.11, a PEG ratio of 0.73, and a beta of 1.79.

Recent Earnings Report

Marriott Vacations Worldwide last announced its earnings on November 6, revealing earnings per share (EPS) of $1.80 for the quarter, surpassing analysts' estimates of $1.53 by $0.27. The company's revenue for the quarter was reported at $1.31 billion, exceeding predictions of $1.27 billion, and showcased a net margin of 3.41% and a return on equity of 9.89%. Analysts anticipate that the company will report an EPS of 6.08 for the current year.

Insider Activity

In terms of insider trading, Jason P. Marino, a company insider, purchased 700 shares at an average price of $69.00 per share, amounting to a total investment of $48,300. Following this purchase, he now holds 15,851 shares valued at approximately $1,093,719. Currently, insiders own about 1.70% of Marriott Vacations Worldwide's stock.

Institutional Holdings

Institutional investors remain heavily vested in Marriott Vacations Worldwide, with 89.52% of the company's stock owned by various institutional shareholders. Recently, Verity Asset Management Inc. increased its stake by 3.1% in the third quarter, while other institutions like Covestor Ltd and Commonwealth Equity Services LLC have also adjusted their holdings in the company.

Company Overview

Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation is a vacation ownership company engaged in the development, marketing, selling, and management of vacation ownership and related products and services both domestically and internationally. It operates through two main segments: Vacation Ownership and Exchange & Third-Party Management.

Barclays, Marriott, Stock