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Marriott International Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 raised, 1 lowered, 7 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EPS rose 17 percent: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.72 against $2.32 a year earlier. Reported diluted EPS was $2.43 against $2.39, and reported net income fell 3 percent to $648 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 15 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $1,398 million against $1,217 million a year earlier, a 15 percent increase. Source
  • Franchise and base fees rose 13 percent: Franchise and base management fees rose 13 percent to $1,211 million from $1,071 million, mainly on co-branded credit card fees, rooms growth and higher RevPAR. Source
  • US and Canada and international RevPAR grew: US and Canada RevPAR rose 4.0 percent, and international RevPAR rose 4.6 percent, both in constant dollars against the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Conversions drove signings and openings: Conversions, including multi-unit deals, were over 35 percent of signings and over 40 percent of openings in the quarter. Source
  • Shareholder returns passed $1.2 billion: Year-to-date returns through April 29 were over $1.2 billion, paid through dividends and share repurchases. Source
  • First-quarter buyback of 2.1 million shares: The company bought back 2.1 million shares in the first quarter for $0.7 billion. Source

“We delivered excellent first quarter results, reflecting the strength of our brands, our unmatched global footprint, and the resilience of demand for travel.”

Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Worldwide comparable systemwide RevPAR growth Sourcesecond quarter 20261.5% to 2.5%New
Worldwide comparable systemwide RevPAR growth Sourcefull year 20262.0% to 3.0%Raised from 1.5% to 2.5%
Net rooms growth Sourceyear-end 20264.5% to 5%Kept
Gross fee revenues Sourcesecond quarter 2026$1,538 to $1,553 millionNew
Gross fee revenues Sourcefull year 2026$5,925 to $5,985 millionRaised from $5,895 to $5,955 million
Owned, leased, and other revenue, net of related expense Sourcesecond quarter 2026Approx. $60 millionNew
Owned, leased, and other revenue, net of related expense Sourcefull year 2026$215 to $225 millionLowered from $230 to $240 million
General and administrative expenses Sourcesecond quarter 2026$230 to $220 millionNew
General and administrative expenses Sourcefull year 2026$895 to $875 millionKept
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcesecond quarter 2026$1,525 to $1,550 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull year 2026$5,880 to $5,970 millionRaised from $5,840 to $5,930 million
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcesecond quarter 2026$2.99 to $3.06New
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$11.38 to $11.63Raised from $11.32 to $11.57
Adjusted effective tax rate Sourcesecond quarter 2026Approx. 26.5%New
Adjusted effective tax rate Sourcefull year 202626.0% to 26.5%Kept
Investment spending Sourcefull year 2026$1,050 to $1,150 millionRaised from $1,000 to $1,100 million
Capital return to shareholders Sourcefull year 2026Over $4,400 millionRaised from Over $4,300 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 worldwide RevPAR growth range moved up to 2.0% to 3.0% from 1.5% to 2.5%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 gross fee revenues range raised to $5,925 to $5,985 million from $5,895 to $5,955 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 owned, leased and other revenue net of related expense lowered to $215 to $225 million from $230 to $240 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA range raised to $5,880 to $5,970 million from $5,840 to $5,930 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 Adjusted diluted EPS range raised to $11.38 to $11.63 from $11.32 to $11.57. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 investment spending range raised to $1,050 to $1,150 million from $1,000 to $1,100 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 capital return to shareholders raised to over $4,400 million from over $4,300 million. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 ranges now appear alongside the full-year figures for gross fees, owned net revenue, G&A, Adjusted EBITDA, EPS and tax rate. Source
  • Guidance kept: Year-end 2026 net rooms growth range stayed at 4.5 to 5 percent. Source

Earnings and profit measures

  • Adjusted EPS rose 17 percent: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.72 against $2.32 a year earlier. Reported diluted EPS was $2.43 against $2.39, and reported net income fell 3 percent to $648 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 15 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $1,398 million against $1,217 million a year earlier, a 15 percent increase. Source
  • Operating income rose on higher fees: Reported operating income was $1,064 million against $948 million. Adjusted operating income was $1,158 million against $1,016 million, a 14 percent rise. Source

Fee revenue and owned hotels

  • Franchise and base fees rose 13 percent: Franchise and base management fees rose 13 percent to $1,211 million from $1,071 million, mainly on co-branded credit card fees, rooms growth and higher RevPAR. Source
  • Incentive fees led by international managed hotels: Incentive management fees were $222 million against $204 million, with growth in U.S. & Canada, APEC, Greater China and CALA. Source
  • Owned hotel line rose to $35 million: Owned, leased and other revenue net of related expense was $35 million, against $29 million a year earlier. Source

“Global RevPAR increased over 4 percent, exceeding the high end of our expectations, driven by gains in both average daily rate and occupancy.”

Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer

RevPAR by region

  • US and Canada and international RevPAR grew: US and Canada RevPAR rose 4.0 percent, and international RevPAR rose 4.6 percent, both in constant dollars against the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • APEC led international growth: APEC RevPAR rose more than 7 percent, which management linked to sustained leisure travel demand. Source
  • EMEA growth offset by Middle East: EMEA RevPAR rose over 3 percent, with Europe and Africa up and the Middle East down. Source
  • Greater China RevPAR up almost 6 percent: Greater China RevPAR rose almost 6 percent, driven by leisure travel in Hong Kong and Hainan. Source

Development signings and conversions

  • Conversions drove signings and openings: Conversions, including multi-unit deals, were over 35 percent of signings and over 40 percent of openings in the quarter. Source
  • Pipeline reached a record size: The development pipeline is at a new record, with 43 percent of its rooms under construction, including hotels pending conversion. Source
  • Approved rooms without signed contracts: 230 properties with nearly 34,000 rooms were approved for development but had no signed contracts at quarter-end. Source

“Our development momentum continued, and we had record first quarter signings.”

Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer

Costs, tax and adjustments

  • G&A rose on compensation timing: General and administrative expenses were $219 million against $209 million, reflecting higher compensation partly due to timing, offset by lower litigation expenses. Source
  • Interest expense rose on debt: Interest expense, net, was $204 million against $183 million a year earlier, as debt balances were higher. Source
  • Prior-year tax benefit from reserve release: The 2026 tax provision was $210 million. The 2025 provision of $99 million benefited from an $86 million release of certain tax reserves. Source
  • Sonder and gain items excluded from adjusted: Adjusted results excluded restructuring and merger-related charges, the Sonder termination adjustment and an adjustment to a gain on an asset disposition. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Shareholder returns passed $1.2 billion: Year-to-date returns through April 29 were over $1.2 billion, paid through dividends and share repurchases. Source
  • First-quarter buyback of 2.1 million shares: The company bought back 2.1 million shares in the first quarter for $0.7 billion. Source
  • Debt rose to $16.5 billion: Total debt was $16.5 billion and cash and equivalents $0.5 billion at quarter-end, against $16.2 billion of debt and $0.4 billion of cash at year-end 2025. Source
  • New senior notes issued: In the quarter the company issued $600 million of Series WW notes due 2033 at a 4.5 percent coupon and $850 million of Series XX notes due 2038 at 5.1 percent. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 May 2026

  • Planned U.S. & Canada hotel sale: The forecast includes the planned sale, assumed to close later in the second quarter, with an expected impairment of about $65 million to $70 million. Source
  • Lefay investment planned for later this year: The planned investment in Lefay is assumed to occur later this year and is included in the forecast. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Properties and rooms in global system Sourceover 9,900 properties; nearly 1,796,000 rooms
Net rooms added in quarter Sourceroughly 15,900, including about 7,500 international
Net rooms growth from first quarter 2025 Source4.5 percent
Worldwide development pipeline Source4,107 properties; nearly 618,000 rooms
Pipeline rooms under construction Source1,699 properties; over 268,000 rooms
Marriott Bonvoy members Sourcenearly 283 million

Risks management discussed

  • External: The Middle East conflict weighed on March results, with International RevPAR still up 4.6 percent in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said first-quarter worldwide RevPAR growth exceeded the high end of its expectations. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.