Hyatt Hotels (H) and Marriott International (MAR) ended the session meaningfully higher on April 8 as a temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran prompted a relief rally across travel and leisure stocks.
The hospitality industry was among the hardest hit during the five-week war, and it staged one of the strongest rebounds on the ceasefire announcement that crashed oil prices to around $94 a barrel on Wednesday.
More Top Stocks Daily: Go behind Wall Street’s hottest headlines with Barchart’s Active Investor newsletter.
Year-to-date, Hyatt and Marriott stocks, while peers, have offered contrasting returns, with the former down about 9% at the time of writing, while the latter remains up more than 10%.
www.barchart.com / www.barchart.comWhat a U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Means for Hotel Stocks
Marriott and Hyatt shares extended gains on the ceasefire announcement, mostly because tourism thrives in times of peace and stability, as a senior Marriott executive acknowledged in a statement on April 8.
According to him, the war had a material impact on travel patterns, particularly in regions dependent on Middle Eastern crude (CBM26) and natural gas (NGK26) shipments.
The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as part of the ceasefire agreement and a potential path to longer-term peace raised expectations that international travel bookings may soon begin to recover.
Note that both Hyatt and Marriott rallied past their key moving averages (MAs) on Wednesday, signaling the upward momentum will likely continue in the near term.
Why Declining Oil Prices Are Bullish for Hyatt and Marriott
The broader macroeconomic backdrop also supported the surge in hotel stocks on Wednesday.
Falling oil prices eased inflation concerns and improved the outlook for consumer discretionary spending, which is critical for leisure travel.
Plus, as Treasury yields declined, with the 10-year slipping to 4.29%, the market started reassessing the probability of Fed rate cuts instead of hikes.
As lower interest rates reduce borrowing costs for capital-intensive hotel operators and support consumer spending on travel, Hyatt and Marriott shares delivered mid-single-digit gains on April 8
Note that these hotel stocks currently pay a dividend yield as well.
How Wall Street Recommends Playing These Hotel Stocks
For those interested in buying MAR and H stocks into strength, the good news is that Wall Street firms remain constructive on both for the remainder of 2026.
According to Barchart, the consensus rating on both is a “Moderate Buy,” with Street-high price targets signaling significant further upside in Hyatt and Marriott International.
www.barchart.com / barchart.comThis article was created with the support of automated content tools from our partners at Sigma.AI. Together, our financial data and AI solutions help us to deliver more informed market headline analysis to readers faster than ever.
On the date of publication, Wajeeh Khan did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
More news from Barchart
Should You Chase the Rally in Royal Caribbean Stock Today? Seaport Research Warns on AVGO Stock: Broadcom Is Confronting the ‘Limits of the Industry’ This S&P 500 Stock Is Up 814% in Just the Past Year Broadcom Is Making AI Chips with Google. Does That Make AVGO Stock a Buy Now?