Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) Stock Rated “Moderate Buy” by Sell-Side Analysts

25 Sep 2026, 06:45 by Amy Steele · The Cerbat Gem

Shares of Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL – Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-six ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, nineteen have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $34.45.

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on Carnival in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $30.00 price objective on the stock. TD Cowen reduced their target price on Carnival from $34.00 to $32.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Argus set a $35.00 target price on Carnival in a research note on Friday, June 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on Carnival from $35.00 to $30.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 17th. Finally, Melius Research set a $36.00 price target on Carnival in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on CCL

Carnival Stock Performance

Carnival stock opened at $21.80 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $25.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $26.38. The company has a current ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $29.86 billion, a PE ratio of 9.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 2.31. Carnival has a 1-year low of $21.45 and a 1-year high of $34.03.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, June 23rd. The company reported $0.41 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $6.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.69 billion. Carnival had a net margin of 11.24% and a return on equity of 26.11%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.35 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Carnival will post 2.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Carnival Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Investors of record on Friday, August 7th were paid a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 7th. Carnival’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.03%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carnival

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Auto Owners Insurance Co increased its holdings in shares of Carnival by 2,954.0% in the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 19,851,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $60,625,000 after buying an additional 19,201,000 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in Carnival by 2,432.8% during the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 6,689,954 shares of the company’s stock valued at $204,311,000 after acquiring an additional 6,425,822 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in Carnival during the 4th quarter worth approximately $124,201,000. Milford Funds Ltd. bought a new position in Carnival during the 4th quarter worth approximately $100,741,000. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in Carnival by 330.7% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,827,261 shares of the company’s stock worth $109,345,000 after purchasing an additional 2,938,650 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.19% of the company’s stock.

Carnival News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan maintained an “overweight” rating while lowering its price target from $43 to $39. Bank of America also retained a “buy” rating with a revised $38 target, versus a broader Street target near $34. Carnival hit by rising oil costs as BofA cuts price target
Positive Sentiment: Value-oriented investors may view Carnival’s low valuation and substantial free-cash-flow generation as attractive ahead of earnings. Analysts generally remain optimistic about the company’s long-term recovery despite its recent underperformance. Carnival Corp Stock Looks Cheap to Value Investors Ahead of Earnings Next Week
Neutral Sentiment: Carnival’s Seabourn and Princess brands are promoting new 2026–2029 sailings and holiday cruises. These initiatives could support bookings, although discounts and shipboard credits may pressure near-term yields. Seabourn Explore Beyond Event
Negative Sentiment: Carnival is described as the only major cruise operator without fuel hedges, leaving it especially exposed to surging oil prices. Bank of America expects the impact to be more significant in the fourth quarter than in the upcoming third quarter. Carnival hit by rising oil costs as BofA cuts price target
Negative Sentiment: Jefferies reduced its 2026 revenue estimate by 1% and cut its 2026 and 2027 EPS forecasts by 3%, citing higher fuel expenses and softer pricing. Carnival also lowered its 2026 yield outlook after Middle East-related disruption affected European sailings, although some of the reduction reflected a decision to protect pricing rather than fill cabins. Carnival faces fuel and pricing headwinds
Negative Sentiment: Carnival’s high debt burden means much of its strong free cash flow is committed to lenders, limiting financial flexibility. A selloff in Royal Caribbean following its proposed Sandals investment also dragged down cruise-line peers, adding sector-wide pressure. Is Carnival Stock Cheap, or Is the Cash Already Spoken For?

Carnival Company Profile

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Carnival Corporation & plc is a global leisure travel company that operates cruise lines and related vacation businesses. Its cruise brands serve travelers in North America, Europe, Australia, and other international markets, offering ocean voyages to destinations throughout the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Asia, Australia, and other regions.