Zacks Research Has Pessimistic View of Carnival Q2 Earnings

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) – Zacks Research decreased their Q2 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Carnival in a report released on Thursday, April 9th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the company will post earnings per share of $0.34 for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $0.49. Zacks Research has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Carnival’s current full-year earnings is $1.77 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Carnival’s Q1 2027 earnings at $0.11 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $2.58 EPS.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, March 27th. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.18 by $0.02. Carnival had a return on equity of 26.92% and a net margin of 11.48%.The firm had revenue of $6.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.13 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.13 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year.

CCL has been the topic of several other research reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on Carnival from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Susquehanna lowered their price target on Carnival from $40.00 to $30.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Barclays lowered their price target on Carnival from $37.00 to $36.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Mizuho raised their price target on Carnival from $38.00 to $39.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Carnival from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, March 28th. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $34.17.

Carnival Stock Performance

NYSE:CCL opened at $28.00 on Monday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $28.42 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.47. Carnival has a twelve month low of $17.05 and a twelve month high of $34.03. The stock has a market cap of $34.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.44, a PEG ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 2.48. The company has a quick ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 0.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82.

Insider Transactions at Carnival

In related news, Director Sir Jonathon Band sold 11,988 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.19, for a total transaction of $313,965.72. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 52,601 shares in the company, valued at $1,377,620.19. This trade represents a 18.56% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 7.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carnival

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BOCHK Asset Management Ltd bought a new position in Carnival during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in Carnival during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new position in Carnival during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in Carnival during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. grew its position in Carnival by 381.0% during the 4th quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 962 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 762 shares during the last quarter. 67.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Carnival News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Geo‑political easing and oil-price slide boosted travel/cruise stocks, supporting CCL as investors priced in lower fuel costs and firmer demand. Why Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line Stocks Surged Today
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised a couple of near-term quarter estimates (Q2 2027 and Q4 2027), a modest constructive datapoint for those specific periods (Q2 0.57 from 0.48; Q4 0.58 from 0.50).
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation/technical commentary is mixed — analysts and sites are debating whether the recent recovery offers sustainable value and noting a technical stall at prior support levels. Is Carnival (CCL) Offering Value After Recent Share Price Recovery?
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical note: some traders flagged profit‑taking after yesterday’s sharp move, suggesting short‑term volatility even if fundamentals improve. Stock Of The Day: Is The Carnival Corp. Rally Over?
• Negative Sentiment: Carnival trimmed its own guidance: Q2 2026 EPS guidance was lowered to $0.34 (vs. consensus ~$0.41) and FY2026 guidance to $2.21 (vs. consensus ~$2.38). That directly weakens near‑term expectations and is downward pressure on the stock.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research issued multiple downward revisions — cuts to FY2026 (from $2.48 to $2.21), FY2028 (from $3.09 to $2.92) and several quarter estimates (Q1 2028, Q3 2026, Q3 2027) — while keeping a “Hold” stance. The aggregate effect is a softer analyst outlook.

Carnival Company Profile

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.