Carnival Corporation Ltd. (CCL)
Carnival Corporation is the world's largest cruise company, operating a massive fleet of ships under famous brands like P&O Cruises and Cunard.
Is Carnival Corporation Ltd. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Carnival Corporation is the world's largest cruise company, operating a massive fleet of ships under famous brands like P&O Cruises and Cunard.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Consistent growth in the cruise market and full financial recovery.
Structural changes in travel habits or persistent high interest rates.
What does Carnival Corporation Ltd. do?
Carnival makes its money by selling cruise holidays, including tickets, onboard dining, drinks, and excursions. As a travel business, it is highly sensitive to the health of the global economy and how much spare cash people have for vacations. A lot rides on how they manage their sizeable debt while keeping ships full and profitable.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on value and income, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.6% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 5% over the year
- !Carries a lot of debt - roughly 2.0x its equity
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 27%)
- Value screens high (76/100)
- Income screens high (76/100)
- Dominant market position as the world's largest cruise operator
- Strong gross margins indicating healthy core business profitability
- High return on equity showing efficient use of shareholder capital
- Growth screens low (26/100)
- High beta suggests the share price can be quite a bumpy ride
- Vulnerability to external shocks like health crises or geopolitical tension
- Rising operational costs, particularly fuel, can quickly erode profits
What do Carnival Corporation Ltd.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Carnival Corporation Ltd. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Carnival Corporation Ltd. pay a dividend?
Yes - Carnival Corporation Ltd. currently pays a dividend of about 1.6% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Carnival Corporation Ltd. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Carnival Corporation Ltd. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-09-28 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | $0.34 | $0.41 | Beat +21% |
| 2026-03-27 | $0.18 | $0.20 | Beat +9% |
| 2025-12-19 | $0.25 | $0.34 | Beat +39% |
| 2025-09-29 | $1.32 | $1.43 | Beat +9% |
| 2025-06-24 | $0.24 | $0.35 | Beat +45% |
| 2025-03-21 | $0.02 | $0.13 | Beat +485% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Carnival Corporation Ltd. came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Casey's General Stores, Inc.What are the scenarios for Carnival Corporation Ltd.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Carnival Corporation Ltd.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Dominant market position as the world's largest cruise operator
- Strong gross margins indicating healthy core business profitability
- High return on equity showing efficient use of shareholder capital
- High sensitivity to economic downturns which can hit travel spending
- Significant debt levels carried over from previous years
- Earnings growth has been negative recently
- High beta suggests the share price can be quite a bumpy ride
- Vulnerability to external shocks like health crises or geopolitical tension
- Rising operational costs, particularly fuel, can quickly erode profits
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained period of falling global travel demand
- A major change in the company's ability to manage its debt obligations
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.