Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CUK) Short Interest Update

Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CUK) was the target of a significant drop in short interest in the month of February. As of February 13th, there was short interest totaling 978,267 shares, a drop of 51.5% from the January 29th total of 2,015,016 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 3,251,140 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.3 days. Currently, 0.5% of the shares of the company are sold short. Currently, 0.5% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 3,251,140 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.3 days.

Carnival Trading Up 3.3%

Shares of Carnival stock opened at $32.60 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.32. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $30.87 and a 200-day moving average of $27.85. Carnival has a 52-week low of $13.65 and a 52-week high of $33.72. The stock has a market cap of $6.14 billion, a PE ratio of 16.30 and a beta of 2.52.

Carnival (NYSE:CUK) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The company reported $0.19 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of $6.33 billion during the quarter. Carnival had a net margin of 10.37% and a return on equity of 28.39%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Carnival will post 1.7 EPS for the current year.

Carnival Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Carnival’s payout ratio is 7.50%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CUK has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Zacks Research raised Carnival to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Carnival in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold”.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carnival

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC raised its holdings in Carnival by 376.5% in the 3rd quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 953 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 753 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Carnival during the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its position in shares of Carnival by 188.9% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,115 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 729 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Carnival by 120.7% in the fourth quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 980 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 536 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Carnival during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Institutional investors own 23.80% of the company’s stock.

About Carnival

Carnival plc (NYSE: CUK) is one of the world’s leading cruise operators, offering leisure travel services to millions of passengers each year. Through its portfolio of brands, the company provides passenger cruises that combine accommodations, entertainment, dining, shore excursions and onboard amenities. Carnival’s vessels range from contemporary “fun ships” to premium and luxury experiences, catering to a broad spectrum of travelers from families and couples to solo adventurers.

Founded in 1972 by Ted Arison, the company has grown through organic fleet expansion and strategic acquisitions.