Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Upgraded to Overweight at Morgan Stanley

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) was upgraded by analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a $31.00 target price on the stock, down from their previous target price of $33.00. Morgan Stanley’s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 27.90% from the company’s previous close.

CCL has been the topic of several other research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on Carnival from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Wolfe Research restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Carnival in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Carnival from $38.00 to $40.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Susquehanna boosted their target price on shares of Carnival from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Carnival from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Carnival has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $34.61.

Carnival Stock Down 3.4%

Shares of NYSE:CCL opened at $24.24 on Thursday. Carnival has a 1 year low of $15.07 and a 1 year high of $34.03. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $29.75 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $29.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $30.03 billion, a PE ratio of 12.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 2.42. 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 (NYSE:CCL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $0.09. Carnival had a return on equity of 28.39% and a net margin of 10.37%.The firm had revenue of $6.33 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.38 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.14 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. Carnival has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.170-0.170 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.480-2.48 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Carnival will post 1.77 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Carnival

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Carnival by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 128,133,282 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,913,190,000 after buying an additional 368,445 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Carnival by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 48,074,173 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,468,185,000 after acquiring an additional 704,433 shares during the period. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC increased its position in shares of Carnival by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC now owns 36,109,629 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,043,929,000 after acquiring an additional 291,864 shares during the period. Causeway Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Carnival by 9.6% in the 3rd quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC now owns 31,912,001 shares of the company’s stock worth $922,576,000 after acquiring an additional 2,783,927 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in 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 acquiring an additional 683,311 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: Passenger demand and a narrative of a “comeback” support the recovery thesis; several pieces argue Carnival may be back on course as bookings and demand trends improve. CCL Stock Comeback , Is Carnival Finally Back on Course?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive overall: Stifel trimmed its price target but kept a Buy rating, signaling continued bullish conviction on Carnival’s long‑term outlook. Stifel Lowers PT on Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL), Keeps a Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Carnival has scheduled its Q1 earnings release and analyst call for March 27 — a likely near‑term catalyst that could swing the stock depending on guidance and fuel‑cost commentary. CARNIVAL CORPORATION & PLC TO HOLD CONFERENCE CALL ON FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary frames Carnival as a high‑beta, long‑term recovery play (some outlets call it a potential “millionaire‑maker” for long‑term investors), but stress that macro variables will drive near‑term outcomes. Is Carnival a Millionaire-Maker Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Rising oil and fuel-price worries are pressuring margins and share performance; multiple articles flag fuel costs as the primary near‑term risk to profitability and guidance. Shifting Story For Carnival Corporation (CCL) As Demand Strength Meets Fuel And Risk Concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical and war‑related risks, highlighted ahead of earnings, add uncertainty to fuel and itinerary costs — a downside catalyst if management reports higher-than-expected fuel expense. Carnival: War And Fuel Costs Ahead Of Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentators note Carnival’s recent underperformance versus the broader market, reflecting investor caution despite optimistic analyst commentary. Is Carnival Stock Underperforming the Dow?

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.