Zacks Research Has Bullish Forecast for NCLH Q1 Earnings

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research increased their Q1 2026 earnings per share estimates for Norwegian Cruise Line in a research note issued to investors on Friday, April 10th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the company will post earnings per share of $0.11 for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.10. Zacks Research currently has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Norwegian Cruise Line’s current full-year earnings is $1.48 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Norwegian Cruise Line’s Q3 2026 earnings at $1.23 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $0.27 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.15 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $0.15 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $2.18 EPS.

A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on NCLH. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Norwegian Cruise Line from $24.00 to $23.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on Norwegian Cruise Line from $30.00 to $28.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 19th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Norwegian Cruise Line from $33.00 to $32.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on Norwegian Cruise Line from $22.00 to $21.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $25.26.

Norwegian Cruise Line Price Performance

Shares of Norwegian Cruise Line stock opened at $21.09 on Tuesday. Norwegian Cruise Line has a twelve month low of $15.31 and a twelve month high of $27.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.24, a PEG ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 2.11. The company has a current ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 0.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.21. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $21.11 and its 200 day moving average price is $21.39.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, March 2nd. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.27 by $0.01. Norwegian Cruise Line had a return on equity of 50.05% and a net margin of 4.31%.The business had revenue of $2.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.26 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. Norwegian Cruise Line has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.160-0.160 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.380-2.380 EPS.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NCLH. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC raised its position in Norwegian Cruise Line by 26.7% in the first quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 23,133 shares of the company’s stock valued at $439,000 after purchasing an additional 4,872 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its position in Norwegian Cruise Line by 4.3% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 48,346 shares of the company’s stock valued at $917,000 after purchasing an additional 2,002 shares during the period. Woodline Partners LP raised its position in Norwegian Cruise Line by 40.7% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 37,149 shares of the company’s stock valued at $704,000 after purchasing an additional 10,743 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC raised its position in Norwegian Cruise Line by 133.0% in the second quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 38,904 shares of the company’s stock valued at $789,000 after purchasing an additional 22,204 shares during the period. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System raised its position in Norwegian Cruise Line by 5.1% in the second quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 766,825 shares of the company’s stock valued at $15,551,000 after purchasing an additional 37,071 shares during the period. 69.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Norwegian Cruise Line

Here are the key news stories impacting Norwegian Cruise Line this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New CEO John Chidsey publicly outlined a turnaround plan and timeline at SeaTrade; his interview emphasizes active operational changes and a focused strategy that could restore investor confidence if execution follows through. New Norwegian Cruise Line CEO John Chidsey on taking the helm
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research nudged several near‑term and full‑year EPS estimates slightly higher (Q1 2026/Q1 2027/Q3–Q4 2026, FY2026–FY2027), signalling incremental improvement in analysts’ views on profitability — though Zacks still rates the stock a “Hold.” Upgrades are small but supportive to the stock narrative. Zacks Research note and estimate revisions
• Neutral Sentiment: Market coverage pieces note NCLH outpaced broader market gains recently, reflecting short‑term relative strength but not a fundamental shift; this may attract momentum traders but changes little on long‑term valuation. Norwegian Cruise Line Outpaces Stock Market Gains
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry update on Carnival highlights strong bookings and onboard spend (demand tailwind) but also material fuel and regional risks — a mixed read for NCLH: demand supports pricing, while fuel and macro/geopolitical issues could pressure margins. Carnival industry trends
• Negative Sentiment: UBS lowered its price target from $27 to $22 and maintained a “neutral” rating, reducing implied upside and signaling more cautious near‑term expectations from a major sell‑side shop. That pressure can cap rallies until visibility improves. UBS price target cut
• Negative Sentiment: Investor commentary and writeups point to a recent slide driven by weak guidance and geopolitical instability concerns; those factors remain potential catalysts for downside if booking trends or regional disruptions worsen. Weak guidance & geopolitical concerns coverage

About Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) is a global cruise operator offering a portfolio of premium brands that includes Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The company provides sea voyages and related onboard services such as dining, entertainment, shore excursions and destination experiences. Its fleet of modern vessels sails to more than 400 destinations across all seven continents, serving leisure travelers with itineraries ranging from short Caribbean getaways to extended world voyages.

Founded in 1966 by Knut Kloster and Ted Arison, the company pioneered the concept of “Freestyle Cruising,” which allows passengers greater flexibility in dining schedules, entertainment choices and onboard activities.