Should You Invest in Marriott International Inc (MAR)?

Now, key money managers have jumped into Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ:MAR) headfirst. D. E. Shaw created the most outsized position in Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ:MAR). The fund had $111.2 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Eric W. Mandelblatt’s Soroban Capital Partners also made a $87.7 million investment in the stock during the quarter. The other funds with brand new MAR positions are Andreas Halvorsen’s Viking Global, Jacob Doft’s Highline Capital Management, and Anand Parekh’s Alyeska Investment Group.

Let’s now review hedge fund activity in other stocks – not necessarily in the same industry as Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ:MAR) but similarly valued. We will take a look at ORIX Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:IX), Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:SWK), HCP, Inc. (NYSE:HCP), and Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE:TAP). This group of stocks’ market caps are closest to MAR’s market cap.

As you can see these stocks had an average of 27 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $1.08 billion. That figure was $2.55 billion in MAR’s case. Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE:TAP) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand ORIX Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:IX) is the least popular one with only six bullish hedge fund positions. Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ:MAR) is not the most popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still above average. This is a slightly positive signal but we’d rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. In this regard Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE:TAP) might be a better candidate to consider a long position.