Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) has received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-nine ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $34.4545.

CCL has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Carnival from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on shares of Carnival from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Carnival from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Carnival in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Carnival from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday.

Key Stores Impacting Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Dividend reinstated. Carnival declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 (first payout since 2020), signaling sustained free cash flow and confidence from management; yield is roughly 1.9%, and the move shifts the story from “survival” to capital returns. Carnival’s Dividend Return Marks the End of Survival Mode
• Positive Sentiment: Record operating results and stronger margins. Carnival reported a standout Q4 and record full‑year EBITDA ($7.2B), higher adjusted net income (~$3.1B), and revenue growth — results that beat expectations and underpin cash flow, deleveraging and the dividend decision. Carnival Quietly Puts Pricing Fears To Rest With Standout Quarter
• Positive Sentiment: Demand and pricing power. Bookings into 2026 are strong (two‑thirds of inventory already booked at higher prices) and limited near‑term supply (no new ship deliveries in 2026) support yields and onboard spend, helping margins and forward cash flow prospects. MarketBeat: Carnival Dividend/Results Deep Dive
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and media backing. Institutional coverage remains constructive — Mizuho reiterated an outperform, Goldman Sachs raised its forecast, and outlets/hosts like Argus and Jim Cramer have publicly praised the stock, which can attract flows and lift sentiment. Mizuho maintains Carnival Corporation (CCL) outperform recommendation
• Neutral Sentiment: Media endorsements (short‑term sentiment boost). High‑profile mentions (e.g., Jim Cramer saying CCL “offers a real bargain”) can drive retail interest and intraday volatility but are less predictive of long‑term fundamentals. Jim Cramer Says “Carnival Corp Offers a Real Bargain”
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate structure change proposed. Management is exploring unifying the DLC listing into a single NYSE entity and moving domicile — a change that could improve liquidity and index inclusion but requires approvals and will take time to realize. MarketBeat: Carnival Dividend/Results Deep Dive
• Negative Sentiment: Technical/valuation caution — near-term pullback risk. Some technical analysts warn the rally may be nearing resistance after rapid gains and a move toward 52‑week highs; profit‑taking or short‑term mean reversion is possible even if fundamentals remain strong. Stock Of The Day: Is The Carnival Rally About To End?

Carnival Trading Down 1.8%

Shares of CCL opened at $31.63 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96, a current ratio of 0.32 and a quick ratio of 0.28. Carnival has a 1-year low of $15.07 and a 1-year high of $32.89. The stock has a market cap of $36.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 2.53. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $27.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $28.48.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last posted its earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $6.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.38 billion. Carnival had a return on equity of 28.39% and a net margin of 10.37%.Carnival’s revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter 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. Equities analysts forecast that Carnival will post 1.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Carnival Announces Dividend

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of CCL. Raymond James Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Carnival by 9.9% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 956,064 shares of the company’s stock worth $18,672,000 after acquiring an additional 85,782 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in Carnival by 62.6% during the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 17,207 shares of the company’s stock worth $336,000 after purchasing an additional 6,625 shares during the last quarter. CW Advisors LLC raised its stake in Carnival by 171.7% during the first quarter. CW Advisors LLC now owns 30,778 shares of the company’s stock worth $602,000 after purchasing an additional 19,451 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Carnival by 46.2% in the 1st quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 3,060,848 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,773,000 after purchasing an additional 967,143 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in shares of Carnival by 199.1% during the 1st quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 77,153 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,507,000 after buying an additional 51,355 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.19% of the company’s stock.

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.