FY2027 EPS Estimates for Carnival Reduced by Zacks Research

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research decreased their FY2027 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Carnival in a report released on Friday, April 17th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the company will post earnings of $2.57 per share for the year, down from their previous estimate of $2.58. Zacks Research currently has a “Strong Sell” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Carnival’s current full-year earnings is $2.23 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Carnival’s FY2028 earnings at $2.91 EPS.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last released its earnings results on Friday, March 27th. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.18 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $6.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.13 billion. Carnival had a return on equity of 26.92% and a net margin of 11.48%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.13 EPS.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Carnival from $40.00 to $35.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their target price on Carnival from $33.00 to $28.70 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 30th. UBS Group cut their price objective on Carnival from $38.00 to $35.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 13th. Citigroup cut their price objective on Carnival from $39.00 to $35.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 30th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their price objective on Carnival from $34.00 to $30.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $33.99.

Carnival Stock Performance

NYSE CCL opened at $27.38 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $33.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 2.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a current ratio of 0.30. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $27.82 and its 200-day moving average price is $28.42. Carnival has a fifty-two week low of $17.33 and a fifty-two week high of $34.03.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Carnival

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Carnival by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 128,133,282 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,913,190,000 after purchasing an additional 368,445 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Carnival by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 48,074,173 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,468,185,000 after purchasing an additional 704,433 shares during the last quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC lifted its stake in shares of Carnival by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC now owns 36,109,629 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,043,929,000 after purchasing an additional 291,864 shares during the last quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Carnival by 9.6% during the 3rd quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC now owns 31,912,001 shares of the company’s stock worth $922,576,000 after purchasing an additional 2,783,927 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Carnival by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 29,450,412 shares of the company’s stock worth $896,104,000 after purchasing an additional 683,311 shares during the last quarter. 67.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Carnival

In other news, Director Sir Jonathon Band sold 11,988 shares of the firm’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 transaction, the director owned 52,601 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,377,620.19. This trade represents a 18.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 7.90% of the company’s stock.

Key Carnival News

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Shareholders approved Carnival’s corporate unification and redomiciliation plans, simplifying the dual‑listed structure and governance — a strategic move that can reduce complexity and appeal to investors over time. Carnival Shareholders Approve Unification and Redomiciliation Plans
• Positive Sentiment: Carnival reports demand holding strong: record deposits, steady cancellations and healthy onboard spending — factors that support revenue and help offset cost pressure if volumes remain resilient. CCL’s Demand Holds Strong Amid Geopolitical Shifts
• Positive Sentiment: Brand/fleet momentum: Princess Cruises’ new Star Princess completed its first Panama Canal transit — a marketing and itinerary milestone that supports premium pricing and fleet utilization for Carnival’s Princess brand. Princess Cruises’ Newest Ship, Star Princess, Makes Historic First Transit of the Panama Canal
• Neutral Sentiment: Carnival participated in bridge simulator S‑100 navigational data tests — a technical/operational initiative that improves safety and long‑term operating efficiency but has limited near‑term financial impact. Carnival Corporation and Global Maritime Partners Complete Simulator Tests Shaping the Future of Navigation
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparison pieces highlight upside for cruise stocks vs peers, but rank companies differently based on fuel exposure and execution — useful context for relative valuation but not an immediate catalyst. Comparing 3 Cruise Stocks: Which Has the Most Upside in 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: Renewed crude‑oil and bunker‑fuel price spikes are pressuring Carnival shares today because fuel is a large operating cost and spot moves can invalidate current guidance/assumptions — traders reacted quickly to the energy move. The market note links the drop to higher oil amid Middle East shipping/geopolitical concerns. Carnival shares slide as renewed fuel-cost anxiety pressures cruise stocks
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research lowered FY2027 EPS estimates for Carnival, reflecting analyst concern that cost pressure (notably fuel) could compress margins — a direct negative for near‑term earnings expectations. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Carnival Cut by Zacks Research

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.