TD Cowen Upgrades Carnival (NYSE:CCL) to Strong-Buy

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) was upgraded by equities research analysts at TD Cowen to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday, Zacks reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Melius Research set a $36.00 target price on Carnival in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Carnival from $36.00 to $35.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Carnival from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Carnival from $29.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Argus set a $35.00 target price on shares of Carnival in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $35.08.

Carnival Stock Down 1.2%

CCL opened at $22.44 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.11, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 2.31. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $26.36 and a 200-day moving average price of $26.91. Carnival has a twelve month low of $22.28 and a twelve month high of $34.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, June 23rd. The company reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $6.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.69 billion. Carnival had a net margin of 11.24% and a return on equity of 26.11%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.35 earnings per share. Carnival has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.220-2.220 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 1.350-1.350 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Carnival will post 2.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CCL. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Carnival during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Carnival in the third quarter worth $25,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new position in shares of Carnival during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Basecamp Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Carnival by 107.8% during the first quarter. Basecamp Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,045 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 542 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Carnival during the second quarter valued at $29,000. 67.19% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Carnival

Here are the key news stories impacting Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Demand indicators remain encouraging: Strong guest demand prompted Holland America Line to complete the Oosterdam’s Evolution renovation five weeks early, adding cruises aboard the reimagined ship. Reservations also opened for the new Carnival Tropicale, scheduled to sail from Galveston in 2028. Holland America renovation article Carnival Tropicale reservations article
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support and bookings provide a counterweight: Citi maintained its Buy rating, while strong 2027 bookings and expected cost savings were cited as reasons for a constructive long-term outlook despite recent weakness. Citi Carnival rating article Zacks Carnival outlook article
• Neutral Sentiment: Options activity signals uncertainty rather than a clear direction: A reported $2.2 million long straddle on Carnival suggests an institutional investor is positioning for a sizable move in either direction, likely reflecting elevated volatility. Carnival unusual options activity article
• Negative Sentiment: Crude oil is the main near-term pressure: Surging global oil prices are undermining expectations for fuel-cost relief and could compress Carnival’s margins. The broader cruise group, including Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, has also faced selling pressure from the same concern. Benzinga Carnival stock article
• Negative Sentiment: Interest rates and demand concerns are weighing on sentiment: Elevated rate expectations increase financing pressure for a highly leveraged company, while concerns about European demand add to the market’s caution. The stock has declined roughly 20% over the past month, leaving investors focused on whether the pullback reflects a buying opportunity or worsening fundamentals. Carnival monthly decline article

Carnival Company Profile

Carnival Corporation & plc is a global leisure travel company that operates cruise lines and related vacation businesses. Its cruise brands serve travelers in North America, Europe, Australia, and other international markets, offering ocean voyages to destinations throughout the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Asia, Australia, and other regions.

The company’s brand portfolio includes Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, Cunard, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises, and P&O Cruises Australia.