Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) Receives $35.08 Consensus Target Price from Analysts

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-seven research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, twenty have issued a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $35.0818.

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Tigress Financial boosted their target price on shares of Carnival from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Carnival from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Carnival in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $30.00 price objective for the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective 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, Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Carnival from $29.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd.

Carnival Trading Down 0.3%

Shares of Carnival stock opened at $27.64 on Thursday. Carnival has a 1 year low of $23.45 and a 1 year high of $34.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80, a current ratio of 0.33 and a quick ratio of 0.29. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $27.95 and a 200 day moving average price of $27.86. The company has a market capitalization of $37.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.45, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 2.35.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, June 23rd. The company reported $0.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.07. Carnival had a return on equity of 26.11% and a net margin of 11.24%.The company had revenue of $6.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.69 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.35 earnings per share. Carnival’s revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Carnival has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.220-2.220 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 1.350-1.350 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Carnival will post 2.23 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Carnival Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be 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 of this dividend is Friday, August 7th. Carnival’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.03%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Bettina Alejandra Deynes sold 43,058 shares of Carnival stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.10, for a total value of $1,209,929.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 69,238 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,945,587.80. The trade was a 38.34% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 7.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carnival

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Carnival by 5.1% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 112,167 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,191,000 after acquiring an additional 5,435 shares during the last quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Carnival in the first quarter worth approximately $228,000. Empowered Funds LLC grew its holdings in Carnival by 61.6% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 30,437 shares of the company’s stock valued at $594,000 after purchasing an additional 11,601 shares during the period. Woodline Partners LP grew its holdings in Carnival by 41.9% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 88,522 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,729,000 after purchasing an additional 26,141 shares during the period. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its position in Carnival by 57.0% during the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 64,720 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,820,000 after purchasing an additional 23,484 shares during the last quarter. 67.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Brokerages maintain a generally favorable view of Carnival, with the company receiving “Buy” and “Moderate Buy” consensus ratings. However, the articles caution that optimistic analyst recommendations may already be reflected in the stock and should not be treated as a standalone buy signal. Is Carnival CCL a Buy as Wall Street Analysts Look Optimistic?
• Positive Sentiment: Princess Cruises opened bookings for its expansive 2028 Alaska season, with 185 departures, 14 itineraries and eight ships. The breadth of the program supports Carnival’s long-term demand, pricing and revenue outlook, although bookings are well beyond the current reporting period. Princess Cruises Opens 2028 Alaska Season
• Positive Sentiment: Carnival’s luxury Seabourn brand opened bookings for its 2028–2029 Caribbean season, offering 10 itineraries across 21 ports and 20 countries or territories. The announcement reinforces the company’s ability to target premium travelers and expand future cruise inventory. Seabourn Unveils 2028–2029 Caribbean Voyages
• Neutral Sentiment: Princess Cruises will return as an official participant in the 2027 Rose Parade with a destination-inspired float. The event may provide brand visibility, but it is unlikely to materially affect Carnival’s near-term financial results. Princess Cruises Returns to the 2027 Rose Parade
• Negative Sentiment: Carnival’s CFO discussed restoring the company’s balance sheet after the pandemic, keeping leverage and financial flexibility in focus. Carnival recently reported a quarterly EPS beat, but its quick ratio was only 0.29 and debt-to-equity stood at 1.80, leaving balance-sheet improvement an important consideration for investors. Carnival CFO on Restoring the Balance Sheet

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.