Stock Traders Purchase Large Volume of Carnival Call Options (NYSE:CCL)

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Friday. Stock traders purchased 83,275 call options on the company. This represents an increase of 59% compared to the average daily volume of 52,391 call options.

Carnival Stock Performance

NYSE:CCL traded up $2.38 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $30.72. 39,906,263 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 22,880,762. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 2.53. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $27.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $28.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.10, a current ratio of 0.34 and a quick ratio of 0.30. Carnival has a twelve month low of $15.07 and a twelve month high of $32.80.

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 company had revenue of $6.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.38 billion. Carnival had a return on equity of 27.86% and a net margin of 10.07%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.14 earnings per share. 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, analysts expect that Carnival will post 1.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Key Headlines Impacting Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Carnival restored its dividend and highlighted strong pricing and bookings trends — key signals that free cash flow and capital allocation are improving. Carnival’s stock will pay a dividend again — and other earnings highlights
• Positive Sentiment: Carnival proposed unifying its dual-listed structure into a single NYSE‑listed entity (solo listing) — a governance move investors typically reward for reducing complexity and widening the shareholder base. Carnival makes splash with dividend return and single NYSE-listed share plan
• Positive Sentiment: Company raised FY‑2026 EPS guidance to $2.48 (vs. consensus ~$2.41) — an upward revision that underpins better-than-expected profitability and supports valuation. Carnival Corp forecasts annual profit above estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Carnival reported record 2025 net income and said bookings, pricing and credit profile improved — fundamentals that justify the dividend and a higher multiple. Carnival Posts Record 2025 Profits, Restores Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Several sell‑side firms reiterated Buy ratings and bullish commentary, reinforcing investor confidence after the print. William Blair reiterates Buy on Carnival
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 EPS came in at $0.23, missing consensus by $0.01 and revenue was slightly under estimates — a mixed quarter that tempered the upside but didn’t derail the positive narrative. Carnival press release (Q4 results)
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 FY‑2026 guidance was trimmed to $0.17 vs. consensus $0.18 — a small near‑term miss that investors appear willing to overlook given the stronger full‑year guide. CCL earnings commentary
• Negative Sentiment: Management flagged rising costs and ongoing macro/consumer risks; cost pressure could limit margin upside if sustained. This is the main caution investors are weighing with the upbeat headlines. Carnival to report Q4 results amid strong demand and rising costs

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carnival

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. REAP Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Carnival by 10.5% during the 2nd quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 3,678 shares of the company’s stock valued at $103,000 after acquiring an additional 349 shares in the last quarter. Eagle Wealth Strategies LLC lifted its stake in shares of Carnival by 1.4% in the second quarter. Eagle Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 25,967 shares of the company’s stock valued at $730,000 after buying an additional 369 shares during the period. 1834 Investment Advisors Co. lifted its position in Carnival by 1.6% in the second quarter. 1834 Investment Advisors Co. now owns 23,964 shares of the company’s stock worth $674,000 after purchasing an additional 372 shares during the period. Commonwealth Financial Services LLC raised its position in Carnival by 3.6% in the third quarter. Commonwealth Financial Services LLC now owns 10,957 shares of the company’s stock worth $317,000 after purchasing an additional 379 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group lifted its stake in Carnival by 1.9% during the third quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 21,363 shares of the company’s stock worth $618,000 after purchasing an additional 396 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.19% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

CCL has been the topic of several research reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Carnival from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Carnival from $38.00 to $36.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Carnival in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Carnival in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Tigress Financial increased their price target on shares of Carnival from $38.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Carnival has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $34.00.

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.