Based in Miami, Florida, Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL) is one of the world’s largest cruise operators, shaping leisure travel across key global markets. With a market cap of nearly $31.5 billion, the company orchestrates a portfolio of cruise brands while extending its reach into private destinations, tours, hotels, and transport.
The company is now moving towards its fiscal 2026 first-quarter earnings release on Friday, March 27, before markets open. Analysts expect diluted EPS of $0.18, marking a 38.5% rise from $0.13 a year ago. Carnival has topped EPS estimates in all of the four trailing quarters, signaling steady execution.
Looking beyond the near term, the Street sees a steady drumbeat of earnings growth. Analysts project fiscal year 2026 diluted EPS at $2.42, reflecting 7.6% year-over-year growth. The momentum appears set to carry forward, with fiscal year 2027 EPS estimated at $2.67, implying a further 10.3% increase.
Coming to share performance, CCL stock has delivered a respectable 18.8% gain over the past 52 weeks, comfortably ahead of the S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which rose 13.7% over the same stretch. However, the script flipped in 2026, with CCL stock sliding 16.6% year-to-date (YTD) while the broader index is down a milder 4.2%.
The gap widens when placed against sector peers. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) has risen a modest 7.4% over the past year, trailing Carnival's longer-term gain, but its 8.2% YTD drop appears far more contained.
On March 23, CCL stock rose 5.5% as Seabourn, Carnival’s ultra-luxury cruise line, partnered with The Atlantic, a magazine of politics, arts, and letters. The exclusive three-year partnership results in a full itinerary takeover in 2028, Seabourn’s 40th anniversary year, with a 12-day Montreal-to-Boston cruise, where The Atlantic was founded in 1857.
Programming will span culture and books, business and science, health and tech, led by its writers, with additional voyages planned for 2026 and 2027. The same day, the company also announced that Cunard, Carnival’s luxury brand with over 185 years of heritage, has partnered with celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger, blending modern glamour with travel to elevate onboard experiences and reinforce premium positioning.
Analyst sentiment continues to lean firmly bullish. CCL stock holds an overall “Strong Buy” rating, unchanged over the past three months. Of 25 analysts, 19 have assigned CCL stock a “Strong Buy” rating, one suggests “Moderate Buy,” and five recommend “Hold.”
Analysts place the average price target at $37.75, implying potential upside of 46.6%. Meanwhile, the Street-high target of $46 points to a gain of 80.6% from current levels.
On the date of publication, Aanchal Sugandh did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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