Zacks Research Brokers Lower Earnings Estimates for Carnival

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) – Research analysts at Zacks Research dropped their Q3 2026 EPS estimates for Carnival in a research report issued on Monday, July 6th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the company will post earnings per share of $1.35 for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $1.39. Zacks Research currently has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Carnival’s current full-year earnings is $2.22 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Carnival’s Q4 2026 earnings at $0.26 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.22 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $1.45 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $0.52 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $0.56 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $2.93 EPS.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, June 23rd. The company reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.34 by $0.07. Carnival had a return on equity of 26.11% and a net margin of 11.24%.The business had revenue of $6.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.69 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.35 earnings per share. Carnival’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. Carnival has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.220-2.220 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 1.350-1.350 EPS.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on CCL. UBS Group cut their price objective on Carnival from $38.00 to $35.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein downgraded shares of Carnival from a “market perform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Susquehanna upped their price target on shares of Carnival from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Carnival from $36.00 to $38.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of Carnival from $38.00 to $39.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Carnival presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $34.99.

Carnival Stock Down 3.0%

CCL stock opened at $26.68 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $36.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.02, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 2.32. Carnival has a twelve month low of $23.45 and a twelve month high of $34.03. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $27.42 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $28.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80.

Carnival Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 29th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 18th were paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 18th. Carnival’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.03%.

Insider Activity at Carnival

In related news, insider Bettina Alejandra Deynes sold 43,058 shares of Carnival stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.10, for a total transaction of $1,209,929.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 69,238 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,945,587.80. The trade was a 38.34% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 7.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Carnival

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in CCL. BOCHK Asset Management Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Carnival in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new position in Carnival in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in Carnival in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Basecamp Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Carnival by 107.8% during the 1st quarter. Basecamp Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,045 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 542 shares during the period. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Carnival by 381.0% during the fourth quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 962 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 762 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 67.19% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ZZacks Research raised its FY2026 EPS estimate to $2.22, matching the consensus, and slightly increased its FY2028 estimate to $2.93, signaling confidence in Carnival’s longer-term earnings power.
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage highlighted that Carnival’s FY27 bookings remain at historical highs, with strong pricing and occupancy, suggesting demand remains healthy and Europe-related yield pressure may be temporary. Article: Carnival’s FY27 Bookings Stay Strong: Is Europe Pressure Transitory?
• Positive Sentiment: Holland America Line, a Carnival brand, announced expanded 2027 Norway itineraries and a broader 2027-2028 Caribbean season, adding to future booking opportunities and product variety. Article: Holland America Line Adds More Access to Norway’s Most Iconic Fjords in 2027
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks Research maintained a Hold rating on CCL, implying the analysts are not turning outright bearish even as some near-term estimates were trimmed.
• Negative Sentiment: Lower EPS forecasts for Q3 2026, Q4 2026, Q4 2027, and Q2 2028 point to softer profit expectations in the near and medium term, which can pressure the shares.

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.