← Back to All US Stocks

CCL Stock Analysis - CARNIVAL CORP AI Rating

CCL NYSE Water Transportation R1 CIK: 0000815097
Recently Updated • Analysis: Mar 22, 2026 • SEC Data: 2025-11-30
AI Rating
HOLD
62% Confidence

📊 CCL Key Takeaways

Revenue: $26.6B
Net Margin: 10.4%
Free Cash Flow: $2.6B
Current Ratio: 0.32x
Debt/Equity: 2.23x
EPS: $2.02
AI Rating: HOLD with 62% confidence

Investment Thesis

Carnival demonstrates strong operational recovery with 44.1% YoY net income growth and healthy 16.8% operating margins, supported by 6.4% revenue expansion. However, severe balance sheet deterioration—including a 2.23x debt-to-equity ratio, dangerous 0.32x current ratio, and $27.4B long-term debt against only $1.9B cash—creates significant financial risk despite adequate interest coverage of 9.5x.

CCL Strengths

  • + Strong profitability recovery: net income +44.1% YoY, net margin of 10.4%
  • + Solid operating performance: 16.8% operating margin with 6.4% revenue growth to $26.6B
  • + Robust free cash flow generation: $2.6B FCF with 9.8% FCF margin and adequate operating cash flow of $6.2B
  • + Healthy interest coverage ratio of 9.5x demonstrates ability to service debt obligations

CCL Risks

  • ! Critically weak liquidity position: 0.32x current ratio and 0.28x quick ratio indicate severe short-term solvency stress
  • ! Excessive leverage: 2.23x debt-to-equity ratio with $27.4B long-term debt creates significant refinancing and economic downturn risk
  • ! Capital-intensive business model: $3.6B annual capex reduces financial flexibility and limits debt paydown capability
  • ! Cyclical industry exposure: cruise/travel demand vulnerable to economic recession, fuel prices, and operational disruptions

Key Metrics to Watch

CCL Financial Metrics

Revenue
$26.6B
Net Income
$2.8B
EPS (Diluted)
$2.02
Free Cash Flow
$2.6B
Total Assets
$51.7B
Cash Position
$1.9B

💡 AI Analyst Insight

The current ratio below 1.0x warrants monitoring of short-term liquidity.

CCL Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin N/A
Operating Margin 16.8%
Net Margin 10.4%
ROE 22.5%
ROA 5.3%
FCF Margin 9.8%

CCL vs Default Sector

How CARNIVAL CORP compares to Default sector averages

Net Margin
CCL 10.4%
vs
Sector Avg 12.0%
CCL Sector
ROE
CCL 22.5%
vs
Sector Avg 15.0%
CCL Sector
Current Ratio
CCL 0.3x
vs
Sector Avg 1.8x
CCL Sector
Debt/Equity
CCL 2.2x
vs
Sector Avg 0.7x
CCL Sector

Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.

CCL Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
0.32x
Quick Ratio
0.28x
Debt/Equity
2.23x
Debt/Assets
0.0%
Interest Coverage
9.52x
Long-term Debt
$27.4B

CCL 5-Year Financial Trend

CCL 5-year financial data: Year 2021: Revenue $20.8B, Net Income $3.0B, EPS $4.32. Year 2022: Revenue $12.2B, Net Income -$10.2B, EPS $-13.20. Year 2023: Revenue $21.6B, Net Income -$9.5B, EPS $-8.46. Year 2024: Revenue $25.0B, Net Income -$6.1B, EPS $-5.16. Year 2025: Revenue $26.6B, Net Income -$74.0M, EPS $-0.06.
Revenue
Net Income
EPS (right axis)

5-Year Trend Summary: CARNIVAL CORP's revenue has grown significantly by 28% over the 5-year period, indicating strong business expansion. The most recent EPS of $-0.06 indicates the company is currently unprofitable.

CCL Growth Metrics (YoY)

Revenue Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
Net Income Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
EPS Growth
N/A
Earnings per share
FCF Margin
9.8%
Free cash flow / Revenue

CCL Quarterly Performance

Quarterly financial performance data for CARNIVAL CORP including revenue, net income, and earnings per share.
Quarter Revenue Net Income EPS
Q3 2025 $7.9B $1.6B $1.21
Q2 2025 $5.8B $92.0M $0.07
Q1 2025 $5.4B -$78.0M $-0.06
Q3 2024 $6.9B -$26.0M $-0.02
Q2 2024 $4.9B $92.0M $0.07
Q1 2024 $4.4B -$214.0M $-0.17
Q3 2023 $4.3B -$26.0M $-0.02
Q2 2023 $2.4B -$407.0M $-0.32

Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.

CCL Capital Allocation

Operating Cash Flow
$6.2B
Cash generated from operations
Capital Expenditures
$3.6B
Investment in assets
Dividends
None
No dividend program

CCL SEC Filings

Access official SEC EDGAR filings for CARNIVAL CORP (CIK: 0000815097)

📋 Recent SEC Filings

Date Form Document Action
Feb 27, 2026 DEF 14A tm2529359-1_def14a.htm View →
Feb 20, 2026 8-K eh260740928_8k.htm View →
Feb 12, 2026 8-K eh260737149_8k.htm View →
Feb 12, 2026 4 xslF345X05/form4.xml View →
Feb 12, 2026 4 xslF345X05/form4.xml View →

Frequently Asked Questions about CCL

What is the AI rating for CCL?

CARNIVAL CORP (CCL) has an AI rating of HOLD with 62% confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.

What are CCL's key strengths?

Strong profitability recovery: net income +44.1% YoY, net margin of 10.4%. Solid operating performance: 16.8% operating margin with 6.4% revenue growth to $26.6B.

What are the risks of investing in CCL?

Critically weak liquidity position: 0.32x current ratio and 0.28x quick ratio indicate severe short-term solvency stress. Excessive leverage: 2.23x debt-to-equity ratio with $27.4B long-term debt creates significant refinancing and economic downturn risk.

What is CCL's revenue and growth?

CARNIVAL CORP reported revenue of $26.6B.

Does CCL pay dividends?

CARNIVAL CORP does not currently pay dividends.

Where can I find CCL SEC filings?

Official SEC filings for CARNIVAL CORP (CIK: 0000815097) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.

What is CCL's EPS?

CARNIVAL CORP has a diluted EPS of $2.02.

How is the AI analysis conducted?

Our AI (Claude) analyzes publicly available SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports to evaluate financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics.

Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by Claude AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: Mar 22, 2026 | Data as of: 2025-11-30 | Powered by Claude AI