5 Largest Hotel Chains in the US in 2022

2. Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 46

Number of Properties in the U.S.: 5,673

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is a Bethesda, Maryland-based company that is a renowned operator, franchisor, and licensor of hotels globally. The company has over 30 brands under its umbrella. These brands have more than 8,000 properties spread across 139 countries.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is aggressively working on enhancing shareholder returns as it increased quarterly dividends by 33% to 40 cents following Q3 2022 results. Meanwhile, the board also increased the authorization of share buyback by 25 million shares. The majority of the hotel portfolio under the banner of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is franchised, and the company only receives the base and franchise fees. Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) has a pipeline of 485,000 rooms under development.

Aristotle Capital Management shared its stance on Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) in its Q1 2022 investor letter. Here’s what the firm said:

“Marriott International outperformed in the first quarter following a better-than-expected earnings report for the company’s fourth quarter of 2021. During the pandemic, the company reduced expenses which improved operating leverage as revenue recovers. Expectations for travel in 2022 have improved as COVID cases have declined. The company has a strong pipeline of new hotels coming into the Marriott system. There are some indications that business-related travel is starting to recover.”