Marriott Expands Luxury Footprint With Ritz-Carlton Bangkok Launch

Marriott International, Inc. MAR recently announced the opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok, in Thailand. This new property elevates Marriott’s position in the region’s competitive hospitality market.The hotel comprises 260 guestrooms and provides guests access to amenities including three dining venues, a ballroom, a spa, two swimming pools and an exclusive Club Lounge. Designed by Chicago-based SOM and Thailand's A49, the building features open-air terraces offering stunning skyline views. The interior, crafted by Thailand's premier interior design studio, reflects a fusion of classic Thai aesthetics and modern sophistication.By blending Thailand’s cultural heritage with The Ritz-Carlton’s global reputation for elegance, the company aims to attract affluent travelers and strengthen its position in the Southeast Asian hospitality sector.Increased Focus on Expansion Bodes WellMarriott is looking for ways to grow its footprint globally and take advantage of the demand for hotels in other markets. The business intends to grow its collection of luxury and lifestyle brands on a worldwide scale in the future.During the third quarter of 2024, Marriott's development pipeline reached a record 585,000 rooms, reflecting 5% sequential growth. The company added 16,000 net rooms in the third quarter, bringing its global total to over 1.67 million rooms. Conversion activity was particularly strong, representing over 30% of new room additions and more than 50% of signings. Recently, the company announced signing an agreement with Xiamen Green Development Investment Group to introduce The Ritz-Carlton to Xiamen Island in Fujian Province.The company expects positive development trends to continue on the back of new development and multiunit conversion opportunities.MAR Stock Price PerformanceImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchComing to price performance, shares of Marriott have gained 20.6% in the past year compared with the industry’s 14.4% growth. The company is benefiting from robust global travel demand, driving growth in international markets and steady performance in the United States and Canada, along with solid global booking trends. Also, increased business transient demand and leisure transient RevPAR added to the upside.In the third quarter of 2024, the company stated that group revenues for 2025 were pacing 7% higher. Given its property locations, we believe that the company is well-poised to benefit from the increasing market demand on the back of stepped-up business and leisure traveling in major North American and international locations. Earnings estimates for 2025 have increased in the past 30 days, depicting analysts’ optimism regarding the stock’s growth potential.Marriot’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksMarriott currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Some better-ranked stocks in the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector are:Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. NCLH currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). NCLH delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.2%, on average. The stock has surged 47.4% in the past year. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NCLH’s 2025 sales and earnings per share (EPS) indicates growth of 8.4% and 25.2%, respectively, from the year-ago levels.Carnival Corporation & plc CCL currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). CCL has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 326.4%, on average. The stock has surged 36% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CCL’s 2025 sales and EPS indicates growth of 4.3% and 23.2%, respectively, from the year-ago levels.Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. RCL currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. RCL delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 16.2%, on average. The stock has surged 83.9% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL’s 2025 sales and EPS indicates growth of 9.5% and 23.8%, respectively, from the year-ago levels.Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Carnival Corporation (CCL): Free Stock Analysis Report Marriott International, Inc. (MAR): Free Stock Analysis Report Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL): Free Stock Analysis Report Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks