RISK FACTORS
You should consider carefully the following risks and all of the information set forth or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, before investing in the notes offered by this prospectus supplement.
Risks Relating to the Notes
We depend on cash flow of our subsidiaries to make payments on our securities.
Marriott International, Inc. is in part a holding company. Our subsidiaries conduct a significant percentage of our consolidated operations and own a significant percentage of our consolidated assets. Consequently, our cash flow and our ability to meet our debt service obligations depend in large part upon the cash flow of our subsidiaries and the payment of funds by the subsidiaries to us in the form of loans, dividends or otherwise. Our subsidiaries are not obligated to make funds available to us for payment of our debt securities or preferred stock dividends or otherwise. In addition, their ability to make any payments will depend on their earnings, the terms of their indebtedness, business and tax considerations and legal restrictions. The notes effectively rank junior to all liabilities of our subsidiaries. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution of a subsidiary and following payment of its liabilities, the subsidiary may not have sufficient assets remaining to make payments to us as a shareholder or otherwise. The Indenture does not limit the amount of unsecured debt which our subsidiaries may incur. In addition, we and our subsidiaries may incur secured debt and enter into sale and leaseback transactions, subject to certain limitations. See “Description of the Notes—Certain Covenants.”
A liquid trading market for the notes may not develop.
There may be no trading market for the notes. We have been advised by the underwriters for this offering that they presently intend to make a market in the notes after the consummation of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement, although they are under no obligation to do so and may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without any notice. The liquidity of any market for the notes will depend upon the number of holders of those notes, our performance, the market for similar securities, the interest of securities dealers in making a market in those notes and other factors. A liquid trading market may not develop for the notes. As a result, the market price of the notes could be adversely affected.
Ratings of the notes may not reflect all risks of an investment in the notes and negative changes in our credit ratings may adversely affect your investment in the notes.
We expect the major debt rating agencies to rate and routinely evaluate our debt. The ratings of the notes will primarily reflect our financial strength and will change in accordance with the rating of our financial strength. As a result of general economic uncertainty and the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, in March 2020, Moody’s lowered our senior unsecured rating from Baa2 to Baa3, and in April 2020, S&P lowered our rating from BBB to BBB-. In May 2022, S&P increased our rating to BBB, and in November 2022, Moody’s increased our rating to Baa2. We cannot predict whether these rating agencies may take further actions with respect to our credit ratings as a result of future events, our future performance or otherwise.
Any rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold any particular security, including the notes. These ratings do not comment as to market prices or suitability for a particular investor. In addition, ratings at any time may be lowered, placed on negative outlook or watch or withdrawn in their entirety. Any further actual or anticipated negative changes or downgrades in our credit ratings or ratings outlook or watch, including any announcement that our ratings are under further review for a downgrade, could increase our corporate borrowing costs and affect the market value of the notes. Furthermore, the ratings of the notes may not reflect the potential impact of all risks related to structure and other factors on any trading market for, or market prices of, the notes. Among other factors, the condition of the financial markets and prevailing interest rates have fluctuated in the past and are likely to fluctuate in the future, which could have an adverse effect on the market prices of the notes.
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