These Industry Leaders Stand Out After Q4 Earnings: MAR, MCD, TMUS

Core Insights - The earnings season has shifted focus from AI-related tech stocks to traditional industry leaders, which have been rewarded by the market for their favorable Q4 reports, reasonable valuations, and respectable dividends [1] Group 1: McDonald's (MCD) - McDonald's stock reached a 52-week high of $333 after exceeding Q4 expectations, driven by loyalty and digital engagement improvements [2] - Global comparable sales increased by 6% year-over-year in Q4, with U.S. comparable sales rising by 7%, indicating strong demand [3] - Systemwide sales to loyalty members grew by 20% year-over-year, with active users up by 19%, reflecting recurring demand [3] - MCD is close to becoming a Dividend King, having increased its dividend for 49 consecutive years [3] Group 2: T-Mobile US (TMUS) - T-Mobile's shares surged by 9% after surpassing Q4 expectations, with an additional 2% increase the following day [5] - The company reported industry-leading net customer additions of 2.4 million, including 962,000 postpaid phone net adds, marking an industry best [6] - TMUS has a forward P/E valuation of 18X, which is attractive compared to the industry average of 13X [7] Group 3: Marriott International (MAR) - Marriott's stock increased by 7% following mixed Q4 results, which included a slight EPS miss but a revenue beat and strong forward guidance [8] - Worldwide RevPAR increased by 2% in Q4, driven by 6% growth in international markets, with a 2026 RevPAR growth outlook of 1.5%-2.5% [9] - MAR trades at a forward P/E of 30X, slightly above the broader market but near its decade-long median of 24X [10] - The company has raised its dividend by 25.67% over the last five years, maintaining a low payout ratio of 27% [11]