tiprankstipranks
Trending News
More News >
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH)
NYSE:NCLH
Advertisement

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) AI Stock Analysis

Compare
6,284 Followers

Top Page

NCLH

Norwegian Cruise Line

(NYSE:NCLH)

Select Model
Select Model
Select Model
Neutral 64 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:64Neutral
Price Target:
$20.00
▲(7.47% Upside)
Norwegian Cruise Line's overall score reflects strong earnings performance and positive sentiment from the latest earnings call, offset by high leverage and negative cash flow. Technical analysis indicates current bearish momentum, but valuation remains reasonable.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth
The significant revenue growth demonstrates the company's successful recovery and market demand, supporting long-term business sustainability.
Strong Demand and Booking Trends
Record bookings indicate strong consumer demand and effective marketing strategies, which are crucial for future revenue stability and growth.
Sustainability Initiatives
The focus on sustainability initiatives positions the company as a forward-thinking leader, potentially attracting eco-conscious customers and partners.
Negative Factors
High Leverage
High leverage poses risks to financial stability, potentially limiting the company's ability to invest in growth or weather economic downturns.
Negative Free Cash Flow
Negative free cash flow indicates ongoing challenges in cash generation, which could impact the company's ability to fund operations and growth initiatives.
Pricing Dynamics with Family Demographics
The pricing strategy may impact profitability, as diluted pricing could reduce revenue per passenger, affecting long-term financial performance.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Norwegian Cruise Line Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionNorwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) is a global cruise line operator headquartered in Miami, Florida. The company operates a fleet of modern cruise ships under three distinct brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. NCLH offers a diverse range of cruise experiences, catering to various customer segments with itineraries spanning across the world's most popular travel destinations. The company is known for its innovative approach to cruising, featuring customizable vacation experiences, onboard entertainment, dining options, and shore excursions.
How the Company Makes MoneyNorwegian Cruise Line generates revenue primarily through ticket sales from cruise bookings and ancillary services provided to passengers. The main revenue streams include cruise ticket sales, which contribute the largest portion of income, alongside onboard spending such as dining, beverage packages, shore excursions, and spa services. Additionally, NCLH earns revenue from its vacation packages and land-based offerings, which can include pre- and post-cruise hotel stays, ground transportation, and tours. The company also benefits from partnerships with travel agencies and online travel platforms that help promote and sell its cruise packages. Seasonal promotions and marketing campaigns further enhance bookings and onboard spending, contributing to overall revenue growth.

Norwegian Cruise Line Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Passengers Carried
Passengers Carried
Indicates the total number of passengers who traveled, reflecting demand for cruises and the company’s ability to attract and retain customers.
Chart InsightsNorwegian Cruise Line has seen a strong recovery in passenger numbers post-pandemic, surpassing pre-COVID levels in recent quarters. The introduction of the new Prima Plus class ship and enhancements at Great Stirrup Cay are expected to sustain this momentum. However, challenges with European bookings could introduce volatility in the near term. Despite this, the company remains optimistic, supported by strategic cost-saving initiatives and robust booking trends for 2026, indicating a positive long-term outlook.
Data provided by:Main Street Data

Norwegian Cruise Line Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 04, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 03, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call reflects a strong performance with record-breaking revenue, EBITDA, and bookings, driven by robust demand and effective cost control measures. However, there are challenges with pricing dynamics due to a focus on family demographics, requiring increased marketing spend. Overall, the positive aspects significantly outweigh the challenges.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record-Breaking Revenue and Growth
The company delivered the highest quarterly revenue in its history, with adjusted EBITDA reaching approximately $1 billion, a milestone achieved for the first time. Adjusted EPS came in at $1.20, exceeding guidance by $0.06.
Strong Demand and Booking Trends
Bookings in the third quarter marked the strongest in company history, up over 20% from last year, with this trend continuing into October. This was driven by strong demand for short Caribbean sailings and luxury brands.
Successful Cost Control Initiatives
Adjusted net cruise cost ex fuel was essentially flat year-over-year, resulting in a 220 basis point improvement in adjusted operational EBITDA margin from the previous year.
Sustainability Initiatives
The company announced a landmark agreement with Spain's Repsol for supplying renewable marine fuels at the Port of Barcelona, underscoring its commitment to sustainability.
Negative Updates
Pricing Dynamics with Family Demographics
Focus on the family demographic has led to more third and fourth guests in cabins, which naturally dilutes blended pricing despite strong core pricing for the first and second guests.
Increased Marketing Spend
The company had to increase marketing spend to support brand visibility and demand generation, despite achieving flat costs year-over-year.
Company Guidance
During the third quarter 2025 earnings call for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, CEO Harry Sommer reported a record quarter with results that met or exceeded guidance across all metrics. The company reiterated its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance and raised its adjusted EPS guidance, with adjusted EPS coming in at $1.20, exceeding guidance by $0.06. Load Factor was higher than expected at 106.4%, driven by strong family demand, which also contributed to a net yield growth of 1.5%. Adjusted EBITDA reached approximately $1 billion for the first time in company history, with a trailing 12-month adjusted operational EBITDA margin of 36.7%, an improvement of 220 basis points from the previous year. The company also highlighted a 20% increase in bookings year-over-year for the third quarter, the strongest in its history, with this trend continuing into October. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings completed a capital market transaction that reduced its shares outstanding by more than 7% and improved adjusted EPS. The company remains focused on its "charting the course" strategy to enhance guest experiences, drive sustainable financial performance, and strengthen its balance sheet.

Norwegian Cruise Line Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Norwegian Cruise Line has shown strong revenue growth and profitability improvements post-pandemic, with a robust gross profit margin and positive net profit margin. However, high leverage and negative free cash flow remain significant concerns.
Income Statement
72
Positive
Norwegian Cruise Line has shown significant improvement in its income statement metrics over the years. The TTM data indicates a strong gross profit margin of 41.98% and a positive net profit margin of 6.85%, reflecting improved profitability. Revenue growth is robust at 137.6% TTM, indicating a strong recovery post-pandemic. However, the EBIT and EBITDA margins have decreased compared to the previous year, suggesting some operational challenges.
Balance Sheet
55
Neutral
The balance sheet shows a high debt-to-equity ratio of 6.62 TTM, which is a concern for financial stability. Although there has been an improvement from previous years, the company remains highly leveraged. The return on equity is strong at 40.19% TTM, indicating effective use of equity to generate profits. However, the equity ratio remains low, reflecting potential risks in financial structure.
Cash Flow
60
Neutral
Cash flow analysis shows mixed results. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is 0.38 TTM, indicating moderate cash generation relative to net income. Free cash flow has improved significantly, but remains negative, highlighting ongoing cash flow challenges. The free cash flow to net income ratio is negative, suggesting that the company is not yet generating sufficient free cash flow relative to its net income.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue9.69B9.48B8.55B4.84B647.99M1.28B
Gross Profit4.07B3.79B3.08B576.67M-960.05M-413.15M
EBITDA2.41B2.49B1.77B-665.14M-1.67B-2.78B
Net Income663.53M910.26M166.18M-2.27B-4.51B-4.01B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets22.21B19.97B19.49B18.56B18.73B18.40B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments166.80M190.76M402.42M946.99M1.75B3.30B
Total Debt15.35B13.92B14.06B13.62B12.45B11.81B
Total Liabilities20.02B18.54B19.19B18.49B16.30B14.05B
Stockholders Equity2.19B1.43B300.81M68.59M2.43B4.35B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-1.04B838.87M-744.65M-1.57B-3.22B-3.50B
Operating Cash Flow2.03B2.05B2.01B210.02M-2.47B-2.56B
Investing Cash Flow-3.08B-1.23B-2.90B-1.76B-1.00B-975.36M
Financing Cash Flow879.65M-1.03B346.86M986.22M1.68B6.58B

Norwegian Cruise Line Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price18.61
Price Trends
50DMA
24.11
Negative
100DMA
23.42
Negative
200DMA
21.97
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-1.04
Positive
RSI
19.39
Positive
STOCH
7.47
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For NCLH, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 18.61 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 22.60, below the 50-day MA of 24.11, and below the 200-day MA of 21.97, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -1.04 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 19.39 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 7.47 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for NCLH.

Norwegian Cruise Line Risk Analysis

Norwegian Cruise Line disclosed 33 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Norwegian Cruise Line reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Norwegian Cruise Line Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
79
Outperform
$76.03B29.5233.26%10.23%-44.56%
73
Outperform
$46.51B19.3712.94%0.40%17.73%27.95%
72
Outperform
$26.24B25.96129.04%0.56%5.69%47.33%
68
Neutral
$70.19B17.3847.46%1.19%8.61%49.58%
65
Neutral
$10.21B118.5416.66%14.55%-68.46%
64
Neutral
$8.49B13.4539.87%3.59%19.09%
61
Neutral
$18.38B12.79-2.54%3.03%1.52%-15.83%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
NCLH
Norwegian Cruise Line
18.61
-9.15
-32.96%
TCOM
Trip.com Group Sponsored ADR
70.49
3.73
5.59%
EXPE
Expedia
213.81
43.05
25.21%
MMYT
Makemytrip
79.96
-33.49
-29.52%
RCL
Royal Caribbean
256.63
32.62
14.56%
ABNB
Airbnb
122.50
-18.41
-13.07%

Norwegian Cruise Line Corporate Events

Norwegian Cruise Line Reports Record Revenue in Q3 2025
Nov 5, 2025

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. is a leading global cruise company operating Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, with a fleet of 34 ships offering itineraries to approximately 700 destinations worldwide.

Norwegian Cruise Line Reports Record Earnings and Growth
Nov 5, 2025

The latest earnings call from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings painted a picture of robust performance, marked by record-breaking achievements in revenue, EBITDA, and bookings. The sentiment throughout the call was overwhelmingly positive, with the company showcasing strong demand and effective cost management strategies. Despite some challenges related to pricing dynamics and increased marketing expenses, the positive aspects of the company’s performance significantly outweighed these hurdles.

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Norwegian Cruise Line Completes $2 Billion Note Offering
Positive
Sep 18, 2025

On September 17, 2025, NCL Corporation Ltd., a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., completed a private offering of $1,200 million in 5.875% senior notes due 2031 and $850 million in 6.250% senior notes due 2033, raising approximately $2,031.1 million. The proceeds were used to fund a cash tender offer and redeem outstanding notes, improving NCLC’s financial structure by addressing existing debt obligations. This strategic move is expected to maintain NCLC’s leverage position while offering flexibility in managing its financial commitments.

The most recent analyst rating on (NCLH) stock is a Hold with a $27.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Norwegian Cruise Line stock, see the NCLH Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Norwegian Cruise Line Completes $1.4 Billion Note Offering
Positive
Sep 11, 2025

On September 11, 2025, NCL Corporation Ltd., a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, completed a private offering of $1,407.0 million in exchangeable senior notes due 2030. The proceeds from this offering, along with funds from an equity offering and cash on hand, were used to repurchase existing notes due in 2027. This strategic financial maneuver is aimed at optimizing the company’s debt profile and enhancing its financial flexibility, potentially impacting its market positioning and stakeholder interests.

The most recent analyst rating on (NCLH) stock is a Buy with a $37.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Norwegian Cruise Line stock, see the NCLH Stock Forecast page.

Stock BuybackPrivate Placements and Financing
Norwegian Cruise Line Announces Cash Tender Offer
Neutral
Sep 8, 2025

On September 8, 2025, NCL Corporation Ltd., a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., announced a cash tender offer to repurchase its outstanding senior secured notes due 2027 and senior notes due 2026. Concurrently, the company commenced a registered direct offering of its ordinary shares and proposed private offerings of senior notes due 2031 and 2033, and exchangeable senior notes due 2030. The proceeds from these offerings will be used to fund the tender offer, redeem existing notes, and pay related expenses, positioning the company to manage its debt effectively.

The most recent analyst rating on (NCLH) stock is a Buy with a $38.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Norwegian Cruise Line stock, see the NCLH Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Norwegian Cruise Line Announces Leadership Change
Neutral
Aug 20, 2025

On August 20, 2025, David Herrera, the President of Norwegian Cruise Line, departed the company as part of a strategic leadership change. Harry Sommer, the President and CEO, will temporarily take over Herrera’s responsibilities while a search for a successor is conducted. Despite this leadership change, the company remains committed to its 2026 financial targets, with its 2025 guidance unchanged from the second quarter earnings release.

The most recent analyst rating on (NCLH) stock is a Hold with a $26.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Norwegian Cruise Line stock, see the NCLH Stock Forecast page.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Financial Struggles: Navigating Debt Amid Global Challenges
Aug 5, 2025

Norwegian Cruise Line faces significant business risks that could impact its financial outcomes, as highlighted in its Annual Report on Form 10-K. The company acknowledges that macroeconomic conditions and global conflicts have intensified existing risks, particularly those related to generating sufficient cash flows to manage its debt obligations. It is crucial for stakeholders to understand that these risks may have already materialized, and any forward-looking statements could differ materially from actual results. There have been no substantial changes in the risk factors since the last report, emphasizing the ongoing challenges the company faces.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Nov 05, 2025