Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Releases Q2 2026 Earnings Guidance
by Mitch Edgeman · The Markets DailyCarnival (NYSE:CCL – Get Free Report) issued an update on its second quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 0.340-0.340 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 0.410. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Carnival also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 2.210-2.21 EPS.
Carnival Trading Down 0.6%
Shares of NYSE CCL traded down $0.16 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $27.88. The stock had a trading volume of 25,550,032 shares, compared to its average volume of 24,831,035. The company has a current ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82. The firm has a market cap of $34.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 2.48. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $28.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.52. Carnival has a 52-week low of $17.05 and a 52-week high of $34.03.
Carnival (NYSE:CCL – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, March 27th. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $6.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.13 billion. Carnival had a return on equity of 26.92% and a net margin of 11.48%.Carnival’s quarterly revenue was up 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.13 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Carnival will post 1.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
CCL has been the subject of a number of research reports. Citigroup lowered their price target on Carnival from $39.00 to $35.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 30th. William Blair reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Carnival in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Weiss Ratings upgraded Carnival from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Monday, March 30th. Zacks Research lowered Carnival from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their target price on Carnival from $33.00 to $28.70 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 30th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $34.17.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Carnival
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Carnival news, Director Sir Jonathon Band sold 11,988 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.19, for a total transaction of $313,965.72. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 52,601 shares in the company, valued at $1,377,620.19. This represents a 18.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 7.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Key Stories Impacting Carnival
Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Geopolitical relief and plunging oil prices sparked a strong sector rally — Carnival jumped double digits Wednesday as markets priced in a two‑week ceasefire and a sharp WTI drop, reducing near‑term fuel cost pressure. Why Is Carnival (CCL) Stock Soaring Today
- Positive Sentiment: Major brokers remain constructive: Citi kept a Buy rating (while trimming its PT) and some analysts argue Carnival is attractively valued after recent gains, supporting upside if fuel and demand trends stay favorable. Is Carnival Corporation the Cheapest Strong Buy Stock to Buy Right Now?
- Neutral Sentiment: Technical picture is mixed — the stock has hit a prior support-turned-resistance level and faces possible short‑term selling/price consolidation even after the rally. Stock Of The Day: Is The Carnival Corp. Rally Over?
- Neutral Sentiment: High recent volume on the rally indicates strong investor attention but also raises the risk of profit‑taking or volatility in the next sessions. Stock Market Today, April 8: Carnival Jumps After Iran Ceasefire Hopes
- Negative Sentiment: Carnival cut guidance: Q2 EPS guided to 0.340 vs. consensus ~0.410, and FY‑2026 EPS guided to 2.21 vs. consensus ~2.38 — the downward revision is the most direct reason for today’s pullback as it reduces near‑term profit expectations.
- Negative Sentiment: Fuel‑cost exposure remains a material risk — Carnival does not fully hedge fuel and analysts warn surging oil could pressure margins or lead to customer surcharges, making the stock sensitive to crude volatility. Carnival Fuel Costs Test Profit Gains And 2026 Cruise Demand Strength
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carnival
A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in CCL. Viking Global Investors LP acquired a new position in shares of Carnival during the fourth quarter worth $429,448,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in shares of Carnival by 99.6% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 12,159,619 shares of the company’s stock worth $351,535,000 after purchasing an additional 6,066,336 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Carnival by 1,619.1% during the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,132,270 shares of the company’s stock worth $156,740,000 after purchasing an additional 4,833,723 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its position in shares of Carnival by 27.5% during the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 13,922,516 shares of the company’s stock worth $425,194,000 after purchasing an additional 3,005,752 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Carnival during the fourth quarter worth $77,733,000. 67.19% of the stock is 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.