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Carnival's Second Quarter: Is the Stock Still Complicated?
Written by Peter Frank. Published: 6/25/2026.
Key Points
- Carnival posted record adjusted net income, EBITDA, and customer deposits in its fiscal second quarter, with revenue rising 5.3% year-over-year to $6.66 billion.
- Shares fell roughly 5% after earnings as cautious forward guidance, Middle East tensions, and elevated fuel costs raised concerns about future net yields.
- Twenty-six analysts covering Carnival hold a consensus Moderate Buy rating with a 12-month average price target of $35.13, representing more than 20% upside.
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Carnival (NYSE: CCL) just reported its second fiscal quarter, and it’s clear from the numbers that the company is sailing in the right direction. Still, warning signs of rough waters ahead spooked investors.
Based on the latest figures, Carnival continues to execute one of the stronger post-pandemic recoveries in travel. For the three months ended May 31, Carnival posted record levels of revenue, adjusted net income, net yields, and customer deposits. Even with geopolitical tensions and significantly higher fuel costs, the company’s net income rose more than 20%.
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See the 5 stocks to avoidBut the company’s forward guidance did little to calm nerves, overshadowing an otherwise positive quarterly performance. The stock slid sharply after earnings were announced and closed the day down roughly 5%.
Most analysts still like the stock, but investors should recognize that with real strengths come risks.
Strong Quarterly Results Beat Expectations
Carnival’s second-quarter results were convincing. Net income came in at $537 million, 5% lower than a year earlier, though adjusted net income, which strips out one-time items, reached $569 million, up more than 21% year-over-year. Overall, revenue of $6.66 billion represented a 5.3% increase over the same period a year ago.
Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was a record $1.58 billion, up from $1.5 billion a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) were 39 cents, and adjusted EPS rose more than 15% to 41 cents, up from 35 cents in the prior-year period and above analysts’ expectations.
The company also said it repurchased more than $450 million of company stock and, with a dividend yield of 2%, distributed $207 million in dividends in the latest quarter.
Healthy Margins Despite Higher Fuel Costs
While the headline figures were impressive, the unit economics were also encouraging. Net yields in constant currency rose 2.2% for the quarter. Continued price discipline showed up as well, as adjusted daily cruise costs per bed, excluding fuel, held essentially flat year-over-year.
Predictably, fuel was the most visible cost challenge during the quarter. Carnival noted that the increase in earnings per share came despite fuel prices and currency movements, which lowered per-share earnings by 6 cents, equal to an overall hit of $73 million for the quarter.
Given 30% higher fuel costs, gross margin yields were down 3.9%. But with adjusted earnings still hitting records, the operating model appears to be holding.
An additional bright spot was a 5.6% improvement in fuel consumption per available lower berth day, suggesting that operational efficiency was at least partially offsetting price pressures.
Debt Reduction Continues to Strengthen the Balance Sheet
The latest numbers also showed Carnival’s recovery continuing after more than three years in the making. When the global cruise industry shut down during the pandemic, Carnival took on enormous debt to survive, suspended its dividend, and watched its stock collapse from the low $50s to nearly $7 in the space of a few months.
Its recovery has been methodical and convincing. As of May 31, long-term debt had dropped to $23.4 billion, continuing a steady decline from $32 billion near the end of 2022. The company’s net interest expense improved in the latest quarter to $285 million from $341 million a year earlier.
Strong Demand Faces External Risks
The rest of the year looks strong for the company, though concerns remain.
On the plus side, customer deposits, or the amount consumers have paid to book a cruise months in advance, hit a record $9 billion by the end of the quarter, up more than $450 million compared with the prior-year record. In all, Carnival has booked 93% of its capacity and expects record net yields for the rest of the year, the company’s CEO said.
That positive outlook, however, is paired with cautionary forward concerns. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East have significantly affected Carnival’s operations in the Mediterranean Sea, and concerns linger about demand and net yields going forward.
While earnings for the second quarter came in above analysts’ expectations, revenue missed analysts’ projections by a narrow margin. Further instability in high-tourist areas could continue to weigh on passenger bookings.
Energy costs remain a significant variable that can shift results quickly. Weather disruptions, macroeconomic slowdowns, or a shift in consumer spending priorities could each contribute to a slowdown that’s not easy to offset. The consumer discretionary sector is always subject to volatility, and competitors such as Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE: NCLH) are stepping up their offerings.
Wall Street Remains Optimistic
Overall, though, Wall Street analysts like what they see. Of the 26 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a Moderate Buy with a 12-month average target price of $35.13 per share, up more than 20% from current levels.
Finally recovering from its collapse five years ago, shares are up roughly 12% over the past three months. That upside got even more attractive after the pullback that followed Carnival’s second-quarter earnings—a reaction similar to what occurred after its first-quarter report.
In all, 21 analysts recommend Buy, while five rate the stock Hold. The highest price target is $45, while the lowest is $28.70 per share.
Carnival Appeals Most to Aggressive Investors
For investors, the choices seem clear. Carnival Corporation has just delivered its best-ever quarter by several key measures, and the record customer deposit balance suggests demand is not fading.
Aggressive investors who are willing to accept cyclicality and balance-sheet risk could likely find the stock interesting. For those who believe in the durability of consumer travel demand, Carnival offers a combination of strong fundamentals, forward momentum, and meaningful upside.
Conservative investors seeking a dividend yield above 2%, more predictable results, and greater balance-sheet strength might prefer other options.
3 ETFs Pairing Market-Beating Returns With High Dividend Yields
Written by Nathan Reiff. Published: 6/27/2026.
Key Points
- Three ETFs combining strong returns with attractive dividends may offer investors the best of both worlds.
- However, funds like WLDR, BOAT, and SEMY may also carry unusually high levels of risk.
- These funds capitalize on red-hot corners of the market including global maritime shipping and semiconductors.
- Special Report: Everyone wanted SpaceX. Smart money wants this.
Passive income is a major draw for investors, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with a dividend focus can be a great way to simplify the process. Many of these funds, however, sacrifice returns in the name of distribution stability. For investors seeking the best of both worlds—an attractive dividend yield alongside market-beating returns—some ETFs offer both.
Of course, there are usually trade-offs. In the case of the funds below and others like them, investors should pay close attention to fees and risk levels. Many of the highest-yielding funds also carry unusually high risk, making them suitable only for investors with a strong tolerance for volatility.
Strong All-Around Fund for Income and Returns, But Minimal Investor Attention
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Read the full briefing and see how to position yourself nowThe Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF (BATS: WLDR) tracks an index of U.S. and international companies with a strong global footprint, as measured by market capitalization. To be included in the index and the ETF, firms must also demonstrate earnings quality, improving fundamentals, share price momentum, and attractive valuations.
In all, the well over 100 stocks making up WLDR's basket represent some of the largest and most successful companies in the world. Tech names are found throughout, of course, including major players like Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE: DELL) and Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU). However, WLDR also holds companies across a host of other industries and sectors, ranging from consumer staples to communications to health care and more. The largest handful of positions represent 3% or more of the portfolio each, but most stocks account for no more than about 1%.
WLDR shines as a dividend payer, offering a dividend yield of 8.86%. The fund combines that strong passive income profile with a recent history of similarly compelling performance, having returned about 30% year-to-date (YTD). Although the expense ratio is moderately high at 0.67%, it may surprise investors that this combination of income and returns has not attracted broader interest: WLDR has assets under management (AUM) below $100 million and a low one-month average trading volume of under 12,000, so liquidity may be an issue in some cases.
A Unique Play on the Global Shipping Industry Stands Out
With a similar profile in terms of AUM, trading volume, and cost, the SonicShares Global Shipping ETF (NYSEARCA: BOAT) may also appeal to investors willing to accept a fair degree of risk. As the name suggests, BOAT targets an index of global maritime shipping companies. These firms continue to play a critically important role in transporting goods of many different kinds around the world—for any investors in doubt, the outsized impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in recent months should remove any remaining questions about the importance of global shipping.
As important as oil and gas shipping is, it is not the only part of global maritime transport. BOAT focuses on stocks of companies that transport a wide range of goods and raw materials, from consumer and industrial products to dry bulk, vehicles, and, yes, oil and gas as well. The fund holds more than 50 different positions, with about two-thirds of the portfolio made up of mid-cap names. Due to the international nature of this industry, the fund invests in companies from around the world.
BOAT pays a compelling dividend yield of about 6.40%, on top of YTD performance close to 30%. The low AUM and trading volume may reflect the niche nature of the industry, or perhaps this ETF's relatively high expense ratio of 0.69%. Still, with dividend payouts and returns this strong, investors may be willing to look past the fee.
Weekly Distributions on a Semiconductor Play, But With a Caveat
The GraniteShares YieldBOOST Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ: SEMY) stands out on this list as not only the only actively managed fund, but also the ETF with the highest expense ratio at 1.07%.
In exchange, investors can expect weekly distributions generated by an options strategy tied to leveraged funds tracking an index of semiconductor stocks.
Given the use of options and leverage, this fund is also likely the highest-risk of the funds here. Although it has market-beating performance YTD, this ETF is not designed for a long-term buy-and-hold strategy. Rather, the appeal lies in its sky-high distribution rate of approximately 95%. Still, investors should absolutely be aware of the risks associated with the strategies employed here before buying in.
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