Carnival (US:CCL) The Motley Fool·2025-12-19 22:58Core Insights - Carnival Corp. reported record profits for the full year 2025, reinstated its dividend, and provided a positive outlook for 2026, which has led to a significant increase in its stock price [3][6]. Company Performance - Carnival's stock closed at $31.12, up 9.81%, with a market capitalization of $37 billion. The trading volume reached 84 million shares, approximately 250% above its three-month average [2]. - The company has grown 690% since its IPO in 1987, indicating strong long-term performance [2]. Financial Highlights - Carnival's record full-year revenue and adjusted earnings per share were reported, although sales slightly missed Wall Street's estimates. However, the stock surged due to a positive outlook for the next two years, driven by record bookings for 2026 and 2027 [6]. - The reinstated quarterly dividend is set at $0.15 per share, resulting in a 1.9% dividend yield at the current share price. This follows a $10 billion debt reduction since 2023 [7]. - The company is guiding for an adjusted EBITDA of $7.63 billion in 2026, trading at a valuation of 8.3 times next year's EBITDA guidance, suggesting it could be an attractive investment opportunity [7]. Industry Context - Other cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, also saw stock price increases, reflecting overall sector strength and positive investor sentiment following Norwegian's $1 billion EBITDA milestone [5].