Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-seven analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-one have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $34.1727.

Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on shares of Carnival from $33.00 to $28.70 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday. HSBC upgraded shares of Carnival from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and cut their target price for the company from $33.60 to $30.10 in a research note on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Carnival from $40.00 to $37.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Zacks Research cut Carnival from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on Carnival from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 22nd.

Carnival Stock Down 3.5%

Shares of NYSE CCL opened at $25.65 on Friday. Carnival has a 52-week low of $15.07 and a 52-week high of $34.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a current ratio of 0.30. The business has a fifty day moving average of $28.72 and a two-hundred day moving average of $28.68. The stock has a market cap of $31.78 billion, a PE ratio of 11.40, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 2.48.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last posted its earnings results on Friday, March 27th. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 analyst estimates of $6.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.13 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Carnival will post 1.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Trending Headlines about Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Carnival reported Q1 results that topped estimates (non-GAAP EPS $0.20 vs. $0.18 consensus; revenue $6.17B, +6.1% YoY) and reiterated strong booking momentum — fundamental demand remains intact. CCL Q1 Deep Dive
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s PROPEL strategy targets >50% EPS growth by 2029, signaling meaningful upside if yield/pricing trends and cost actions execute as planned. Zacks PROPEL Analysis
• Neutral Sentiment: Some brokers remain constructive (Barclays recent Buy, HSBC upgrade) but other shop views/targets vary, leaving consensus mixed despite the beat. Barclays Buy HSBC Upgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/energy: oil has bounced above $100/bbl amid Middle East tensions, renewing investor concerns over Carnival’s fuel exposure and limited hedging — this is the main near-term driver of the sell-off. 24/7 Wall St. Fuel Costs Story QuiverQuant Oil Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Insider activity: director Sir Jonathon Band sold ~12,000 shares (early April filings), which can weigh on sentiment when combined with broader sector weakness. TipRanks Insider Sale
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst moves include some downward revisions and cautious notes (Bernstein hold/target cut, Wells Fargo trimmed/issued a lower target, Citigroup issued a pessimistic outlook) — these updates add pressure despite some buy ratings. Citigroup / Analyst Notes Wells Fargo PT

Insider Buying and Selling at Carnival

In related news, Director Sir Jonathon Band sold 11,988 shares of Carnival stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.19, for a total value of $313,965.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 52,601 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,377,620.19. The trade was a 18.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 7.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Carnival

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its position in shares of Carnival by 70.2% during the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 696,693 shares of the company’s stock worth $21,277,000 after purchasing an additional 287,413 shares in the last quarter. World Investment Advisors increased its holdings in shares of Carnival by 65.1% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 24,451 shares of the company’s stock valued at $747,000 after purchasing an additional 9,644 shares in the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC raised its position in Carnival by 23.8% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 276,752 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,452,000 after purchasing an additional 53,275 shares during the last quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co raised its position in Carnival by 2,954.0% in the 4th quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 19,851,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $60,625,000 after purchasing an additional 19,201,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its holdings in Carnival by 26.7% during the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 1,806,036 shares of the company’s stock worth $55,245,000 after buying an additional 380,391 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.19% of the company’s stock.

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.