Carnival Stock Sinks As Analysts Stay Cautiously Bullish

Carnival ( (CCL) ) has fallen by -8.51%. Read on to learn why.

Carnival shares slipped 8.51% over the past week despite a steady stream of upbeat analyst commentary and solid recent earnings. The world’s largest cruise operator has just reported another quarter of improving fundamentals, with revenue rising to $8.15 billion and net profit climbing to $1.85 billion, both slightly ahead of last year. Yet the stock has come under pressure as investors reassess how much of this recovery is already priced in after a strong run earlier in the year.

On Wall Street, the tone remains broadly constructive but far from unanimous. Citi’s James Hardiman reiterated a Buy rating on Carnival and lifted his price target to $39, while TD Cowen and other brokers such as BofA, UBS, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank and Bernstein have all nudged their targets higher in recent weeks. Still, several influential analysts, including those at Morgan Stanley, Bernstein and Deutsche Bank, are sticking with Hold ratings, signalling that valuation and macro uncertainty may limit near-term upside even as the business continues to recover.

Options trading in Carnival also reflects this mixed mood. Recent data show options volumes roughly in line with normal levels, with calls only slightly outweighing puts and implied volatility sitting near the lower end of its one-year range. That suggests traders expect modest day‑to‑day moves rather than a big breakout. For now, the combination of strong operating momentum, divided analyst opinions and cautious options positioning appears to have translated into profit‑taking in the stock, driving the 8.51% weekly decline.