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CCLCarnival Corporation Ltd.Sell5.2·$27.89-2.21%
SellHigh Confidence
Investment thesis

Four consecutive quarterly earnings beats averaging roughly 32% above estimates and a forward multiple of 11.5x at a PEG below 1.0 demonstrate credible operational momentum at an undemanding price, but a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.0, an unfavorable risk/reward of 0.5-to-1, and an earnings report in 7 days argue for patience rather than a new position.

Thesis pillars

  • Consistent Earnings Beat StreakStable
  • Forward Valuation At A DiscountStable
  • Leverage And Cash Quality BurdenStable
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Carnival Corporation Ltd. (CCL) Stock Analysis

Range Bound setup

SellVALUE-TRAP 1/5High Confidence

Consumer Cyclical · Travel Services

Sell if holding. Momentum 2.0/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $27.89 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Leverage penalty (D/E 2.0): -1.5; Weak growth.

Carnival Corporation & plc operates eight cruise line brands—Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, AIDA, Costa, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, and Seabourn—with 94 ships and 272,460 passenger berths as of November 30, 2025. The company carried 13.6 million... Read more

$27.89+15.7% A.UpsideScore 5.2/10#13 of 15 Travel Services
QualityF-score6 / 9FCF yield4.97%
IncomeYield1.07%(5y avg 4.21%)Payout13.51%sustainable
Stop $25.96Target $32.28(analyst − 10%)A.R:R 1.5:1
Analyst target$35.86+28.6%24 analysts
$32.28our TP
$27.89price
$35.86mean
$45

Sell if holding. Momentum 2.0/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $27.89 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Leverage penalty (D/E 2.0): -1.5; Weak growth. Chart setup: RSI 49 mid-range, Bollinger mid-band. Score 5.2/10, high confidence.

Passes 6/9 gates (favorable risk/reward ratio, clean insider activity, news events none recent, earnings proximity 87d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on weak momentum and death cross (50MA < 200MA). Suitability: aggressive.

10-K grounded · weekly refresh

About Carnival Corporation Ltd.

About Carnival Corporation

Carnival Corporation & plc, the largest global cruise company, operated 94 ships with 272,460 passenger berths as of November 30, 2025, carrying 13.6 million passengers across eight brands during fiscal 2025. The North America Segment—anchored by Carnival Cruise Line (35% of total capacity) and Princess Cruises (20%)—held 64% of the fleet. Caribbean itineraries accounted for 35% of total passenger capacity in 2026, making it the single largest deployment area by a wide margin.

Carnival earns ticket revenue from bookings taken months in advance, actively managed through pricing and capacity yield tools, with pricing varying across contemporary, premium, and luxury tiers. In 2025, onboard and other revenue—spanning casino gaming, beverage sales, shore excursions, specialty restaurants, and retail—generated 34% of cruise revenues. The company also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, generating substantially all its revenue between May and September. Seven newbuilds are contracted for delivery through 2033, with Fincantieri in Italy and Meyer Werft in Germany as shipbuilders. No single travel agency group accounted for 10% or more of revenues in 2025. Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and MSC Cruises are named competitors; together with Carnival, the four largest cruise companies represented approximately 80% of global cruise industry capacity as of December 31, 2025.

Show full overview

The most significant structural change of the period was completed on May 7, 2026: Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc unified their dual listed company structure under a single entity, Carnival Corporation Ltd., with Carnival plc becoming a UK subsidiary and the company migrating its domicile from Panama to Bermuda. EU regulations and the IMO Strategy on greenhouse gas emissions may require capital investments in new equipment or technologies, emission allowance purchases, or carbon offset credits — with the 10-K describing the magnitude and timing of those requirements as uncertain given ongoing regulatory evolution.

See also: Consumer Cyclical · Travel Services

From Carnival Corporation's most recent 10-K filing, extracted June 9, 2026.

TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Mon, Sep 28, 202687d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (4/4)
Attractive valuation
Risks
Leverage penalty (D/E 2.0): -1.5
Weak growth
Negative momentum

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)12.6
P/E (Fwd)10.6
Mkt Cap$38.2B
EV/EBITDA8.5
Profit Mgn11.2%
ROE26.7%
Rev Growth5.3%
Beta2.33
Dividend1.07%
Rating analysts30

Quality Signals

Piotroski F6/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C0.56bullish
IV58%elevated

Concentration Risks(10-K Item 1A)

  • MEDIUMGeographicCaribbean35%
    10-K Item 1: 'Caribbean| 35 | %'

Material Events(8-K, last 90d)

  • 2026-05-07Item 5.01HIGH
    Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc completed the unification of their dual listed company structure under Carnival Corporation Ltd., with Carnival plc as a UK subsidiary. Carnival Corporation simultaneously migrated its incorporation from Panama to Bermuda, effective May 7, 2026.
    SEC filing →
  • 2026-05-07Item 1.02MEDIUM
    Termination of material definitive agreements governing the dual listed company structure between Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc, effective May 7, 2026 upon completion of the DLC Unification and Redomiciliation to Bermuda.
    SEC filing →

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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About TrendMatrix. TrendMatrix is a publisher of general securities research and market commentary. We publish on a regular schedule. All content is the same for every subscriber in a tier — we do not provide personalized investment advice and we do not take into account any individual subscriber's financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, tax situation, or holdings.

Not investment advice. TrendMatrix is not a registered investment adviser. Our content is for informational and educational purposes only. Consult your own licensed investment adviser, broker, or tax professional before making any investment decision.

Conflicts and positions. The TrendMatrix editorial team frequently holds personal long-term positions in securities discussed. We disclose positions held at the time of publication on each piece. We maintain a trading-window policy: we do not initiate or close positions in the same direction as a TrendMatrix publication within 24 hours before or 72 hours after publication.

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Performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance figures reflect the published model only and do not reflect any individual subscriber's actual results.

Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

2 floor-breakers

Price action weak — below key moving averages, no momentum carry. Needs a base before trend-continuation setups apply.static

Macd
0.0
Obv
1.0
Volume
1.6
Ma Position
3.0
Rsi
4.5
Volume distribution (falling OBV)Below 200-MA, MA slope -1.1%/30d — confirmed downtrend

Growth below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Earnings Growth
0.7
Revenue Growth
3.8
GatesMomentum 2.0<4.5Death cross (50MA < 200MA)8K FLAG 5.01,1.02A.R:R 1.5 ≥ 1.5Insider activity: OKNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 87d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARRange BoundSuitability: Aggressive
RSI
49 · Neutral
20D MA 50D MA 200D MADEATH CROSSSupport $25.65Resistance $31.59

Price Targets

$26
$32
A.Upside+15.7%
A.R:R1.5:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! momentum at 2.0 (below the engine's 4.5 threshold)
! Death cross — 50-day MA below 200-day MA

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-09-28 (87d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CCL stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. Momentum 2.0/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $27.89 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Leverage penalty (D/E 2.0): -1.5; Weak growth. Chart setup: RSI 49 mid-range, Bollinger mid-band. Prior stop was $25.96. Score 5.2/10, high confidence.

What is the CCL stock price target?

Take-profit target: $32.28 (+15.7% upside). Prior stop was $25.96. Stop-loss: $25.96.

What are the risks of investing in CCL?

Leverage penalty (D/E 2.0): -1.5; Weak growth; Negative momentum.

Is CCL overvalued or undervalued?

Carnival Corporation Ltd. trades at a P/E of 12.6 (forward 10.6). TrendMatrix value score: 7.9/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about CCL?

30 analysts cover CCL with a consensus score of 4.1/5. Average price target: $36.

What does Carnival Corporation Ltd. do?Carnival Corporation & plc operates eight cruise line brands—Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, AIDA, Costa,...

Carnival Corporation & plc operates eight cruise line brands—Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, AIDA, Costa, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, and Seabourn—with 94 ships and 272,460 passenger berths as of November 30, 2025. The company carried 13.6 million passengers in 2025 and earned 34% of cruise revenues from onboard sales. In May 2026, it completed unification of its dual-listed structure and redomiciled from Panama to Bermuda.

Related stocks: BKNG (Booking Holdings Inc. Common St) · TCOM (Trip.com Group Limited) · EXPE (Expedia Group, Inc.) · VIK (Viking Holdings Ltd) · CUK (Carnival Plc)
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