Wells Fargo & Company Issues Positive Forecast for Carnival (NYSE:CCL) Stock Price

Key Points

• Wells Fargo raised its price target on Carnival to $40 from $38 and kept an "overweight" rating, a target that implies roughly a 46.36% upside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive—MarketBeat shows a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with a $35.09 average price target, while several firms (including Bank of America and Citigroup) recently raised targets or ratings.
• Carnival beat quarterly EPS estimates ($0.34 vs. $0.25) and set FY2026 guidance at 2.48 EPS, yet shares traded down to $27.33 (−2.4%) amid a PE of 13.67 and a market cap of about $33.9 billion.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL - Get Free Report) had its price target upped by Wells Fargo & Company from $38.00 to $40.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an "overweight" rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company's price target indicates a potential upside of 46.36% from the company's previous close.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Carnival from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, January 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on Carnival from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Bank of America lifted their target price on Carnival from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Carnival from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Carnival in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Carnival currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $35.09.

Carnival Stock Down 2.4%

Shares of NYSE CCL traded down $0.68 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $27.33. 10,546,621 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 20,558,668. The stock has a market capitalization of $33.86 billion, a PE ratio of 13.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 2.42. The business's fifty day moving average price is $30.91 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $29.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.32. Carnival has a 52-week low of $15.07 and a 52-week high of $34.03.

Carnival (NYSE:CCL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $6.33 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.38 billion. Carnival had a return on equity of 28.39% and a net margin of 10.37%.The business's quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.14 EPS. Carnival has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.170-0.170 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.480-2.48 EPS. Analysts forecast that Carnival will post 1.77 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Carnival

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Carnival during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,291,000. National Pension Service raised its holdings in shares of Carnival by 10.8% during the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 2,795,560 shares of the company's stock valued at $80,820,000 after buying an additional 272,452 shares in the last quarter. Aviva PLC boosted its position in Carnival by 1,921.4% during the second quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 785,724 shares of the company's stock valued at $22,095,000 after buying an additional 746,854 shares during the period. Mane Global Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Carnival in the second quarter valued at about $55,952,000. Finally, Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new stake in Carnival in the third quarter worth $1,422,000. 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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.