Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Trading Up 6% – Time to Buy?

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) shares shot up 6% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $31.13 and last traded at $30.4450. 15,223,629 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 14% from the average session volume of 17,653,307 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.72.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Carnival in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Argus reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of Carnival in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Susquehanna upped their target price on Carnival from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Morgan Stanley set a $33.00 price objective on Carnival in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of Carnival from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, October 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have assigned a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $35.00.

Carnival Price Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average of $28.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $29.18. The firm has a market cap of $36.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.68, a PEG ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 2.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $6.33 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.38 billion. Carnival had a net margin of 10.37% and a return on equity of 28.39%. Carnival’s revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.14 EPS. Carnival has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.170-0.170 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.480-2.48 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Carnival Corporation will post 1.77 EPS for the current year.

Carnival Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. BOCHK Asset Management Ltd purchased a new position in Carnival during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Carnival during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in Carnival during the second quarter valued at $25,000. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in Carnival by 381.0% in the 4th quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 962 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 762 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in Carnival by 182.0% during the 3rd quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 659 shares during the period. 67.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.