Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Trading Down 7.6% – Here’s What Happened

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) shares fell 7.6% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $23.47 and last traded at $23.82. 12,515,803 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 41% from the average session volume of 21,107,791 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.79.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on CCL. Morgan Stanley set a $33.00 price target on shares of Carnival in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on shares of Carnival from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Argus reissued a “buy” rating and set a $35.00 target price on shares of Carnival in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. UBS Group increased their target price on Carnival from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Carnival from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $35.09.

Carnival Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $30.85 billion, a PE ratio of 12.45, a P/E/G ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 2.42. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $30.73 and its 200 day moving average is $29.50.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.09. Carnival had a net margin of 10.37% and a return on equity of 28.39%. The business 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. Carnival’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Carnival has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.170-0.170 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.480-2.48 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Carnival Corporation will post 1.77 earnings per share for the current year.

Carnival Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th were issued a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. Carnival’s payout ratio is currently 30.00%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carnival

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Carnival in the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. BOCHK Asset Management Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Carnival during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Carnival during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new position in shares of Carnival during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Carnival by 381.0% in the 4th quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 962 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 762 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.