Carnival Corporation trades near yearly lows despite strong profits and robust long-term growth forecasts. The cruise line faces short-term fuel cost spikes, driven by geopolitical tensions, but normalized fuel prices underpin the bullish thesis. CCL's new PROPEL plan targets 50% EPS growth by 2029 and $14 billion in capital returns, including a current $2.5 billion share buyback.
Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
CCL posts Q1 earnings and revenue beats, driven by strong demand, record bookings and higher onboard spending.
Although the revenue and EPS for Carnival (CCL) give a sense of how its business performed in the quarter ended February 2026, it might be worth considering how some key metrics compare with Wall Street estimates and the year-ago numbers.
Stock falls as cruise operator sees fuel costs in the current quarter surging more than 40% from the prior one.
Carnival (CCL) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.2 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.18 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.13 per share a year ago.
Carnival (NYSE:CCL) shares are down approximately 4% in Friday morning trading, falling from an opening price near $25 to around $24.
Carnival cut its full-year profit outlook as higher oil prices drive up fuel costs, though strong demand and onboard spending are helping to offset the pressure.
Carnival Corp (NYSE:CCL) reported a strong start to 2026 with record first-quarter revenue and raised its full-year outlook, as demand and higher pricing helped offset rising fuel costs. The cruise operator posted diluted earnings per share of $0.19 and adjusted EPS of $0.20 for the quarter, up 50% from a year earlier.
The cruise operator's earnings laid bare the market's concerns over fuel prices.
Carnival faces higher dry dock and regulatory costs in FY26, but mitigation efforts and steady yield growth are expected to support continued earnings expansion.
Carnival Corp (NYSE:CCL) is set to report its first quarter earnings on March 27, with focus expected to be on fuel costs, near-term demand, and regional pricing trends, according to Bank of America analysts. Carnival will be the first unhedged, commodity-exposed travel company to report earnings in the current environment, making its guidance particularly noteworthy, the bank's analysts highlighted.