Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Receives Buy Rating from Argus

Argus reaffirmed their buy rating on shares of Carnival (NYSE:CCL) in a report released on Monday,Benzinga reports. Argus currently has a $35.00 target price on the stock.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Carnival from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 1st. Tigress Financial upped their price objective on Carnival from $38.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. UBS Group increased their price objective on Carnival from $35.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $33.00 target price on Carnival in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Susquehanna upped their price target on Carnival from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $34.45.

Carnival Stock Up 3.4%

Shares of CCL opened at $32.19 on Monday. Carnival has a 52-week low of $15.07 and a 52-week high of $32.80. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $27.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $28.42. The company has a market capitalization of $37.58 billion, a PE ratio of 16.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 2.53.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $0.09. Carnival had a net margin of 10.37% and a return on equity of 28.39%. The firm had revenue of $6.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.38 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.14 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Carnival has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.170-0.170 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.480-2.48 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Carnival will post 1.77 EPS for the current year.

Carnival Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in CCL. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in Carnival in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Carnival in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group purchased a new position in Carnival in the second quarter valued at $28,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Carnival by 182.0% in the third quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 659 shares during the period. Finally, LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in Carnival during the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.19% of the company’s stock.

Key Stores Impacting Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Record quarter — Carnival reported record fourth-quarter profit and cash flow and beat expectations, which is the primary driver behind the rally. Carnival Quietly Puts Pricing Fears To Rest With Standout Quarter
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend reinstated — Carnival declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 (annualized yield ~1.9%), marking the first dividend after a multi‑year suspension; this signals confidence in cash flow and supports income-focused buyers. As Carnival Resumes Dividends, Should You Buy CCL Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Bank analysts have reacted positively: Goldman Sachs (Lizzie Dove) raised estimates/price forecasts and Argus reaffirmed a buy with a $35 target, lending credibility to upside expectations. Carnival Quietly Puts Pricing Fears To Rest With Standout Quarter
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish flow — Unusually large call-option buying and heavy intraday volume indicate speculative and institutional bullish demand following the results. Stock Traders Buy Large Volume of Call Options on Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Trading Up 7.4% Following Better-Than-Expected Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Market narrative — Coverage pieces and roundups note Carnival finishing 2025 on a strong note, which helps sentiment but is mostly recap rather than new catalyst. Carnival Stock Ends 2025 on a High Seas Note
• Negative Sentiment: Technical/valuation caution — Some analysts and chart-watchers warn the rally may hit resistance and pull back; traders should watch momentum and whether earnings-driven gains are already priced in. Stock Of The Day: Is The Carnival Rally About To End?

About Carnival

Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL) is a global cruise operator that provides leisure travel services through a portfolio of passenger cruise brands. The company’s core business is operating cruise ships that offer multi-night voyages and associated vacation services, including onboard accommodations, dining, entertainment, spa and wellness offerings, casinos, youth programs, and organized shore excursions. Carnival markets cruise vacations to a broad range of consumers, from value-focused travelers to premium and luxury segments, through differentiated brand positioning and onboard experiences.

Its operating structure comprises multiple well-known cruise brands that target distinct geographic and demographic markets.