Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 2.210-2.21 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 2.380. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Carnival also updated its Q2 2026 guidance to 0.340-0.340 EPS.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Carnival from $40.00 to $37.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 30th. Susquehanna lowered their target price on shares of Carnival from $40.00 to $30.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. William Blair reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Carnival in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Carnival from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on shares of Carnival from $34.00 to $30.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $34.17.

Carnival Stock Down 0.0%

Shares of CCL stock traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $28.03. 16,435,492 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 24,687,762. The business has a 50 day moving average of $28.52 and a two-hundred day moving average of $28.52. The company has a current ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82. Carnival has a 52 week low of $17.05 and a 52 week high of $34.03. The company has a market capitalization of $34.72 billion, a PE ratio of 12.45, a PEG ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 2.48.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 27th. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.18 by $0.02. Carnival had a net margin of 11.48% and a return on equity of 26.92%. The company had revenue of $6.17 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.13 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Carnival will post 1.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Sir Jonathon Band sold 11,988 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.19, for a total value of $313,965.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 52,601 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,377,620.19. This trade represents a 18.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 7.90% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Geopolitical relief and oil drop triggered a broad travel rally, boosting Carnival as fuel-cost concerns eased and demand optimism returned. Why Is Carnival (CCL) Stock Soaring Today
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage and sector commentary (Barron’s, Motley Fool, etc.) highlighted operational strengths and the potential for durable demand if fuel costs remain lower, supporting investor sentiment. Carnival Is Today’s Top S&P 500 Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Some analysts remain constructive: Citi cut its price target to $35 but maintained a Buy rating after Q1 results, reflecting mixed views (record adjusted EBITDA vs. trimmed guidance). Why Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line Stocks Surged Today
• Negative Sentiment: Carnival cut its Q2 2026 EPS outlook to 0.340 (vs. ~0.41 consensus), signaling weaker near‑term profit expectations and raising downside risk to the stock from lower-than-expected earnings.
• Negative Sentiment: The company also trimmed FY‑2026 EPS guidance to 2.21 (vs. ~2.38 consensus), which could weigh on investor earnings revisions and valuation multiples until the gap narrows.
• Negative Sentiment: Carnival is exposed to volatile fuel prices and does not hedge fuel to the same degree as some peers; persistent energy price spikes can quickly compress margins and offset the recent rally. Carnival Fuel Costs Test Profit Gains And 2026 Cruise Demand Strength

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CCL. Viking Global Investors LP bought a new position in Carnival in the fourth quarter valued at $429,448,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in Carnival by 99.6% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 12,159,619 shares of the company’s stock valued at $351,535,000 after purchasing an additional 6,066,336 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its position in Carnival by 1,619.1% in the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,132,270 shares of the company’s stock valued at $156,740,000 after purchasing an additional 4,833,723 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in Carnival by 27.5% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 13,922,516 shares of the company’s stock valued at $425,194,000 after purchasing an additional 3,005,752 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Carnival in the fourth quarter valued at $77,733,000. Institutional investors own 67.19% of the company’s stock.

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.