The July 4 departure aboard Zuiderdam sails roundtrip from Boston and includes an overnight in New York and a visit to Norfolk, VirginiaSEATTLE, July 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of America's 250th birthday in 2026, Holland America Line is sailing a landmark cruise roundtrip from Boston — the epicenter of the American Revolution. The seven-day "America's 250th Celebration: Stars & Stripes Voyage" aboard Zuiderdam departs July 4, 2026, and includes a visit to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, an overnig ...

Core Insights - Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL) has reported a significant rebound in profitability, achieving its highest second-quarter EBITDA margins in nearly 20 years, with adjusted EBITDA reaching $1.51 billion, an increase from $1.2 billion in the same quarter last year [1][9] - The company attributes its margin improvement to strong pricing and operational leverage, with yields increasing by nearly 6.5% year over year, surpassing guidance by 200 basis points [2][9] - Carnival has exceeded two of its three 2026 SEA Change targets ahead of schedule, with EBITDA per available lower berth day rising 52% from 2023 levels and return on invested capital increasing by 12.5% [3] Financial Performance - The net debt-to-EBITDA ratio improved from 4.1 to 3.7 in the fiscal second quarter, alongside a decline in interest expenses, indicating a positive trend in bottom-line metrics [4] - Carnival has raised its full-year 2025 adjusted EBITDA outlook to approximately $6.9 billion, reflecting a 10% increase from 2024 levels and exceeding previous guidance of $6.7 billion [5][9] Competitive Landscape - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) reported EBITDA margins of 35% in the first quarter, a 360 basis point improvement year over year, driven by strong bookings and favorable pricing [6] - Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) posted adjusted EBITDA of $453 million in the first quarter of 2025, with a trailing 12-month EBITDA margin of 35.5%, up 280 basis points from the prior year, supported by a company-wide efficiency program [7] Market Performance - CCL shares have increased by 40.5% over the past three months, outperforming the industry growth of 16.8% [8] - CCL trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.29X, significantly below the industry average of 18.98X [10] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CCL's fiscal 2025 and 2026 earnings indicates a year-over-year increase of 38% and 13.4%, respectively, with EPS estimates having risen in the past 30 days [11]

The Consumer Discretionary group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.Lincoln Educational Services Corporation is one of 256 companies in the Consumer Discretionary grou ...

Core Insights - In times of market volatility, investors often prefer value investing, seizing opportunities to buy undervalued stocks as others sell at lower prices [1][2] Value Investment Strategy - Value investing can lead to "value traps" where stocks underperform due to persistent issues rather than temporary problems [3] - Key metrics for identifying value stocks include dividend yield, P/E ratio, and P/B ratio [3] Importance of PEG Ratio - The PEG ratio, defined as (Price/Earnings)/Earnings Growth Rate, is a crucial metric for assessing a stock's intrinsic value [4][5] - A low PEG ratio is favorable for value investors, but it has limitations, such as not accounting for changing growth rates [5] Screening Criteria for Value Stocks - Effective screening criteria for value stocks include a PEG ratio less than the industry median, a P/E ratio below the industry median, Zacks Rank 1 or 2, market capitalization over $1 billion, average 20-day volume greater than 50,000, and upward earnings estimate revisions greater than 5% [6] Selected Stocks - Carnival Corporation (CCL) has a five-year growth rate of 28.5% and a Zacks Rank 2 with a Value Score of A [7][9] - Harmony Gold Mining (HMY) shows a long-term historical growth rate of 73.4%, a Zacks Rank 1, and a Value Score of B [7][10][11] - Dollar Tree (DLTR) has a five-year expected growth rate of 6.7% and a Zacks Rank 2 with a Value Score of B [7][12][13] - Greif, Inc. (GEF) has a long-term expected earnings growth rate of 9.9%, a Value Score of A, and a Zacks Rank of 1 [7][14]

Key Takeaways Consumer sentiment surged 16.3% in June, its first rise in six months. FUBO, CCL, LOPE, and TILE are Zacks Rank #2 stocks with strong earnings growth and improving estimates. Markets are rallying on easing trade and geopolitical tensions, plus hopes for a Fed rate cut soon.Wall Street is on a rally, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hitting new all-time highs as trade worries and geopolitical tensions have eased. Also, optimism surrounding a rate cut by the Federal Reserve in the coming weeks ...

Core Insights - Carnival's shares have risen approximately 11% in the past month and nearly 40% over the last 12 months, driven by strong second-quarter results that exceeded expectations [2][3] - The company reported revenue of approximately $6.33 billion, a 9% increase year-over-year, and net income of $565 million, up from $92 million a year ago [2] - Carnival has raised its full-year forecast, projecting adjusted net income to be 40% greater compared to 2024, indicating strong demand for leisure cruising post-Covid-19 [2] Financial Performance - Carnival's revenues have shown significant growth, with a 12.7% increase from $23 billion to $25 billion in the last 12 months, compared to a 5.5% growth for the S&P 500 [6] - The company's quarterly revenues increased by 7.5% to $5.8 billion in the latest quarter from $5.4 billion the previous year, while the S&P 500 saw a 4.8% improvement [7] - Carnival's operating income over the past four quarters was $3.8 billion, reflecting a moderate operating margin of 15.1% [7] Valuation Metrics - Carnival's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is 1.3 compared to 3.1 for the S&P 500, indicating it may be slightly undervalued [4][6] - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for Carnival stands at 16.4, while the S&P 500's P/E is 26.9, suggesting a more attractive valuation [6] Financial Stability - Carnival's debt was $28 billion at the end of the most recent quarter, with a market capitalization of $34 billion, resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of 84.4% [8] - The company's cash (including cash equivalents) is $833 million out of total assets of $49 billion, leading to a cash-to-assets ratio of 1.7% [8] Resilience in Downturns - CCL stock has historically performed worse than the S&P 500 during downturns, with significant declines during the Covid pandemic and the inflation shock [9][10][11] - The stock has not yet recovered to its pre-crisis peak values, indicating potential vulnerabilities in economic downturns [10][11]

Core Viewpoint - Carnival is experiencing strong demand and financial recovery, making its stock an attractive investment opportunity despite high debt levels [1][10]. Group 1: Demand and Revenue Growth - Carnival is the largest cruise operator globally, with record demand for its cruises, surpassing pre-pandemic sales levels [2][4]. - In Q2 of fiscal 2025, revenue increased by 8.6% year over year, with total deposits reaching a record $8.5 billion [2][4]. - Operating income nearly doubled year over year to almost $1 billion, and adjusted net income more than tripled, with EPS of $0.35 exceeding expectations [5]. Group 2: Future Investments - Carnival is investing in new ships and upgrades to maintain strong demand, with one new ship scheduled for delivery this year and four more on order for 2027 to 2032 [6][7]. - The company is launching a new resort, Celebration Key, in the Bahamas, which can accommodate two million guests annually, enhancing its offerings [8]. - Additional experiences, RelaxAway and Isla Tropicale, are set to launch next year, along with a new membership program to drive repeat business [9]. Group 3: Debt Management and Financial Stability - Carnival's total debt stands at over $27 billion, down nearly $10 billion from its peak of $32 billion at the end of 2022, with efficient debt repayment strategies [10]. - The company received upgrades from Fitch and S&P Global, now just one notch away from an investment-grade rating, indicating improved financial health [11]. - Carnival's stock trades at a forward P/E ratio of 12 and a P/S ratio of just over 1, suggesting it is undervalued [11].

Group 1: Carnival - Carnival is experiencing strong demand and financial performance, with fiscal Q2 revenue reaching $6.3 billion, leading to a trailing-12-month revenue of $25.4 billion, surpassing pre-pandemic levels of $20.8 billion in fiscal 2019 [3][5] - The stock price has more than doubled in the past three years, and the current forward price-to-earnings multiple is 12.5, indicating potential for further shareholder returns through improved margins [4] - Adjusted net income for Carnival exceeded guidance at $470 million, with expectations to reach $2.7 billion for the full year, up from $1.9 billion last year [5] - The launch of Celebration Key as a new cruise destination is expected to drive profitable growth, with attractions designed to enhance guest experience and increase ticket prices and margins [6][7] - Wall Street is underestimating Carnival's transformation into a brand that offers exclusive destinations, which could lead to attractive returns for shareholders [8] Group 2: Nintendo - Nintendo's stock has seen significant appreciation, with a 338% increase since late 2016, outperforming the S&P 500's 172% return [9] - The video game industry is valued at $180 billion, with Nintendo owning valuable intellectual properties like Mario Bros and Zelda, and the Switch console achieving record sales of 152 million units [10] - The recent launch of Switch 2 has been successful, selling over 3.5 million units in the first four days, indicating strong market demand [10] - While hardware sales are low-margin, Nintendo expects to sell more games for Switch 2 than the original Switch sold in its first 10 months, setting the stage for strong earnings growth [11] - Analysts have a price target of $34.90 for Nintendo, suggesting a 52% upside from the current share price of $23, with sales expected to double this year [13]

Key Takeaways Carnival beat 2026 EBITDA and sustainability targets 18 months early, hitting record margin levels. Carnival is boosting appeal with new destinations, a revamped fleet, and a 2026 loyalty program rollout. RCL shows strong yield growth but faces rising costs associated with ports, dry docks, and new ships.As consumer appetite for experiential travel continues to rebound, cruise operators like Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL) and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) are vying for investor attent ...

Did you analyze how Carnival (CCL) fared in its international operations for the quarter ending May 2025? Given the widespread global presence of this cruise operator, scrutinizing the trends in international revenues becomes imperative to assess its financial strength and future growth possibilities.In the current era of a tightly interconnected global economy, the proficiency of a company to penetrate international markets significantly influences its financial health and trajectory of growth. For investo ...