Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH) Stock Rating Lowered by Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research downgraded Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) from "hold" to "strong sell", and the stock opened down roughly 4.7% at $19.50.
• Analyst coverage is mixed—2 Strong Buy, 10 Buy, 11 Hold, 1 Sell—yet MarketBeat's consensus remains a Moderate Buy with a $25.55 target price.
• NCLH reported $0.28 EPS (beating by $0.01) but missed revenue ($2.24B vs. $2.34B), provided Q1 FY2026 EPS guidance of 0.16 and FY2026 of 2.38, and shows high leverage with a debt-to-equity of 6.21.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH - Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

NCLH has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Susquehanna reduced their price objective on Norwegian Cruise Line from $21.00 to $20.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a $20.00 price target on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $23.00 to $22.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Mizuho cut their price objective on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line from $32.00 to $28.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $25.55.

Norwegian Cruise Line Trading Down 4.7%

NYSE:NCLH opened at $19.50 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.41, a PEG ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 2.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.21, a current ratio of 0.21 and a quick ratio of 0.18. Norwegian Cruise Line has a one year low of $14.21 and a one year high of $27.18. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $22.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $22.38.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, March 2nd. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.27 by $0.01. Norwegian Cruise Line had a net margin of 4.31% and a return on equity of 50.05%. The business had revenue of $2.24 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.26 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. Norwegian Cruise Line has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.160-0.160 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.380-2.380 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Norwegian Cruise Line will post 1.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Norwegian Cruise Line

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in Norwegian Cruise Line by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 18,110 shares of the company's stock worth $404,000 after buying an additional 428 shares in the last quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama lifted its stake in Norwegian Cruise Line by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 96,848 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,162,000 after acquiring an additional 443 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 2.3% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 21,908 shares of the company's stock valued at $444,000 after acquiring an additional 493 shares during the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 16.6% during the 3rd quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 3,507 shares of the company's stock valued at $82,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund grew its stake in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 52,142 shares of the company's stock worth $1,164,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the period. 69.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Norwegian Cruise Line Company Profile

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. NYSE: NCLH is a global cruise operator offering a portfolio of premium brands that includes Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The company provides sea voyages and related onboard services such as dining, entertainment, shore excursions and destination experiences. Its fleet of modern vessels sails to more than 400 destinations across all seven continents, serving leisure travelers with itineraries ranging from short Caribbean getaways to extended world voyages.

Founded in 1966 by Knut Kloster and Ted Arison, the company pioneered the concept of “Freestyle Cruising,” which allows passengers greater flexibility in dining schedules, entertainment choices and onboard activities.

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