Carnival (NYSE:CCL – Free Report) had its price objective trimmed by Sanford C. Bernstein from $33.00 to $28.70 in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a market perform rating on the stock.
A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Carnival from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. UBS Group increased their target price on Carnival from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Susquehanna decreased their target price on Carnival from $40.00 to $30.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. HSBC raised Carnival from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $33.60 to $30.10 in a research note on Monday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Carnival in a research report on Friday, December 26th. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $34.17.
Read Our Latest Analysis on Carnival
Carnival Price Performance
Carnival (NYSE:CCL – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 27th. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.18 by $0.02. Carnival had a net margin of 11.48% and a return on equity of 26.92%. The business had revenue of $6.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.13 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.13 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Carnival will post 1.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in CCL. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Carnival by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 128,133,282 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,913,190,000 after purchasing an additional 368,445 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Carnival by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 48,074,173 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,468,185,000 after buying an additional 704,433 shares during the last quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC grew its holdings in Carnival by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC now owns 36,109,629 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,043,929,000 after buying an additional 291,864 shares in the last quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Carnival by 9.6% in the 3rd quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC now owns 31,912,001 shares of the company’s stock valued at $922,576,000 after buying an additional 2,783,927 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Carnival by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 29,450,412 shares of the company’s stock worth $896,104,000 after acquiring an additional 683,311 shares during the last quarter. 67.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
More Carnival News
Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and record bookings — Carnival reported a revenue and EPS beat for Q1, with management saying ~85% of 2026 bookings are already on the books and cumulative future-year bookings hit a first-quarter record; that underpins near-term demand and revenue visibility. Carnival delivers solid bookings and operational gains during Q1 amid rising fuel risks: analysts
- Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns & PROPEL roadmap — Management launched the PROPEL strategic plan with long-term targets, reinstated a dividend and authorized a $2.5B buyback, indicating commitment to returning cash and improving ROIC. Carnival delivers solid bookings and operational gains during Q1 amid rising fuel risks: analysts
- Positive Sentiment: BofA and other bullish calls — BofA continues to back CCL with a high $45 price target (citing ~86% upside) and several brokers have reiterated Buy/Overweight ratings despite some lower targets. Why This Top Analyst Expects Carnival Stock To Explode 86%
- Neutral Sentiment: Relative industry positioning — Analysts note Carnival looks better positioned versus Norwegian (NCLH) on demand, pricing and execution, which supports a preference for CCL among cruise names. CCL vs. NCLH: Which Cruise Stock Is Better Positioned for 2026?
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst price target moves — Several firms (Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Sanford Bernstein) trimmed price targets or adjusted ratings but largely maintained constructive stances — evidence of cautious optimism rather than panic. Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Price Target Raised to $39.00
- Negative Sentiment: Rising fuel costs — A recent oil-price spike is the main near-term risk: Carnival doesn’t hedge fuel fully, so higher bunker prices could meaningfully compress margins and was cited by multiple analysts as the reason for downward target adjustments. An Oil Price Shock Is Hurting Carnival Stock. But Is It a Buy Now in Hopes of a Quick Turnaround?
- Negative Sentiment: Technical/headline risk — The stock faces technical pressure (50-day vs 200-day moving averages) and could attract short-term selling from momentum players if oil-driven margin worries persist. Market commentary on technicals and sector trends
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.
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