Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Price Target Lowered to $35.00 at Citigroup

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) had its price objective decreased by Citigroup from $39.00 to $35.00 in a research report issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Citigroup’s price target suggests a potential upside of 46.17% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other brokerages also recently issued reports on CCL. William Blair reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Carnival in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Barclays reduced their target price on Carnival from $37.00 to $36.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target on Carnival from $40.00 to $35.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 11th. Truist Financial decreased their target price on Carnival from $34.00 to $30.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. Finally, HSBC raised shares of Carnival from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $33.60 to $30.10 in a report on Monday. Twenty research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $34.17.

Carnival Trading Down 1.0%

Carnival stock traded down $0.25 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $23.95. 16,669,292 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 23,959,773. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82, a current ratio of 0.30 and a quick ratio of 0.26. Carnival has a 52-week low of $15.07 and a 52-week high of $34.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $29.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 2.42. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $28.95 and its 200 day moving average price is $28.82.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last announced its earnings results on Friday, March 27th. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $6.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.13 billion. Carnival had a net margin of 11.48% and a return on equity of 26.92%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.13 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Carnival will post 1.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. CVA Family Office LLC lifted its stake in shares of Carnival by 15.6% during the 4th quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 2,597 shares of the company’s stock worth $79,000 after acquiring an additional 350 shares during the last quarter. Net Worth Advisory Group boosted its holdings in shares of Carnival by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. Net Worth Advisory Group now owns 12,383 shares of the company’s stock valued at $378,000 after buying an additional 354 shares in the last quarter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Carnival by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC now owns 17,464 shares of the company’s stock worth $533,000 after buying an additional 358 shares during the last quarter. Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft FI raised its stake in shares of Carnival by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft FI now owns 10,540 shares of the company’s stock worth $322,000 after acquiring an additional 358 shares in the last quarter. Finally, StoneX Group Inc. lifted its position in Carnival by 4.9% during the fourth quarter. StoneX Group Inc. now owns 7,935 shares of the company’s stock valued at $242,000 after acquiring an additional 368 shares during the last quarter. 67.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Carnival reported better-than-expected Q1 results, returned to profit (net income improvement) and showed solid bookings and operational progress; management announced a $2.5 billion share repurchase and updated long-term targets under its Propel plan. This supports upside to earnings per share and capital return expectations. Carnival delivers solid bookings and operational gains during Q1 amid rising fuel risks
• Positive Sentiment: Several sell‑side firms remain constructive: Bank of America (and others cited by Proactive) kept bullish views and HSBC upgraded Carnival from Hold to Buy — signaling resilient demand and room for multiple expansion if fuel costs normalize. Carnival delivers solid bookings and operational gains during Q1 amid rising fuel risks: analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Independent analyst pieces argue Carnival is better positioned vs. peers (e.g., NCLH) entering 2026 due to stronger demand, pricing and execution — a relative-strength story for investors focused on the sector. CCL vs. NCLH: Which Cruise Stock Is Better Positioned for 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo cut its price target from $40 to $37 but left an Overweight rating — suggesting confidence in Carnival’s medium-term story even as near-term assumptions (notably fuel) were adjusted. Wells Fargo lowers price target
• Positive Sentiment: Some firms raised targets or reiterated upside (one note moved its target to $39 and others retained bullish stances), which provides counterbalancing buy-side support. Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Price Target Raised to $39.00
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel-price risk remains the clearest short-term earnings headwind: multiple articles and analysts warn that sharply higher fuel costs could materially pressure full‑year margins and cash flow, which likely explains some downward pressure on the share price. How Carnival’s Profit Rebound, Buyback and Fuel Cost Concerns Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Negative Sentiment: Sanford C. Bernstein trimmed its price target and moved to Market Perform, reflecting more cautious near-term expectations — a tangible negative signal from a prominent research shop. Sanford Bernstein lowers target

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.