Morgan Stanley Upgrades Carnival (NYSE:CCL) to Overweight

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) was upgraded by equities researchers at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has a $31.00 price objective on the stock, down from their prior price objective of $33.00. Morgan Stanley’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 28.64% from the company’s current price.

Several other equities analysts also recently commented on CCL. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Carnival in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on Carnival from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Citigroup upped their price target on Carnival from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. William Blair reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Carnival in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Bank of America raised their price objective on Carnival from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Twenty investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $34.61.

Carnival Price Performance

NYSE CCL opened at $24.10 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.86 billion, a PE ratio of 12.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 2.42. Carnival has a 12-month low of $15.07 and a 12-month high of $34.03. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $29.45 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $29.07.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $0.09. Carnival had a net margin of 10.37% and a return on equity of 28.39%. The company had revenue of $6.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.38 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.14 EPS. Carnival’s quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Carnival will post 1.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Carnival

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in Carnival in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. BOCHK Asset Management Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Carnival during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Carnival in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new position in shares of Carnival in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of 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. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.19% of the company’s stock.

Carnival News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley upgraded Carnival to Overweight and set a $31 price target, citing an improved risk/reward after the stock’s sharp YTD decline — a direct catalyst that can attract buyers. Morgan Stanley upgrades Carnival Corporation (CCL)
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst notes and coverage (Zacks) point to stronger onboard spending and pricing gains that are boosting yields and helping Carnival beat guidance — fundamentals that support earnings and valuation. Carnival Gains From Strong Onboard Spending: A Yield Driver?
• Neutral Sentiment: Carnival announced plans to voluntarily delist certain debt (1.000% Senior Notes due 2029 from the NYSE and 7.875% Debentures due 2027 from the LSE) and relist those securities on The International Stock Exchange (TISE) as part of a corporate unification step — a structural/legal move that may reduce liquidity for those specific bond listings but is more administrative than operational. Carnival Corporation & plc Announces Its Intention to Voluntarily Delist…
• Neutral Sentiment: Product/marketing items (Princess Cruises’ new Alaska experiences; Seabourn speaker lineup) are supportive for demand and brand positioning but are incremental and unlikely to move the stock materially by themselves. Princess Cruises Brings Alaska to Life with New North to Alaska Experiences for 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Macro and sentiment headwinds — coverage noting travel softness tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict, higher oil prices and inflationary pressure on discretionary spending — are pressuring cruise demand expectations and investor risk appetite. Media pieces flag these themes as reasons for recent share weakness. Cruise Stock Flashing Can’t-Miss ‘Buy The Dip’ Signal
• Negative Sentiment: Market-performance stories and commentary about CCL underperforming the Dow amplify negative sentiment and can trigger additional selling from momentum or ETF flows. Is Carnival Stock Underperforming the Dow?

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.