Carnival Q4 Earnings & Revenues Top Estimates, Increase Y/Y

Carnival Corporation & plc CCL reported impressive fourth-quarter fiscal 2024 results, with earnings and revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The top and the bottom lines increased on a year-over-year basis. The upside was primarily backed by sustained demand strength and increased booking volumes.Stay up-to-date with all quarterly releases: See Zacks Earnings Calendar.Carnival continues to enhance shareholder value through improved operational efficiency across its fleet. The company has reached over 80% of its 2026 SEA Change EBITDA and adjusted ROIC targets, demonstrating significant progress toward its long-term goals.Looking ahead, CCL is focused on maintaining its growth trajectory by implementing an enhanced destination strategy designed to offer exclusive and unique experiences for guests.In 2025, Carnival anticipates yield growth to far exceed historical trends and outpace unit cost increases, driven by the operational improvements achieved in 2024. With a committed team and strong momentum, the company is well-positioned for another successful year, building on its legacy of delivering exceptional experiences to more than 13.5 million guests annually.CCL’s Q4 Earnings & RevenuesIn the quarter under review, the company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 14 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 8 cents. In the year-ago quarter, CCL posted an adjusted loss of 7 cents per share.Carnival Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Carnival Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Carnival Corporation QuoteRevenues in the quarter totaled $5.94 billion, beating the consensus mark of $5.93 billion. In the prior-year quarter, CCL registered revenues of $5.4 billion.In fourth-quarter fiscal 2024, passenger ticket revenues amounted to $3.85 billion, up from $3.5 billion reported in the prior-year quarter. Our estimate for passenger ticket revenues was $3.8 billion.Onboard and other revenues increased to $2.1 billion from $1.9 billion reported in the year-ago quarter. Our estimate for Onboard and other revenues was pegged at $1.9 billion.CCL’s Q4 FinancialsDuring the fiscal fourth quarter, the company’s GAAP net income came in at $303 million against a loss of $48 million reported in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted net income in the quarter amounted to $186 million against a loss of $90 million reported in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted EBITDA totaled $1.22 billion compared with $946 million reported in the prior-year quarter.CCL’s Balance SheetAs of Nov. 30, 2024, cash and cash equivalents were $1.2 billion compared with $2.4 billion. Carnival ended the quarter with liquidity of $4.2 billion. Total debt (current and long-term) as of Nov. 30, 2024, was $27.5 billion compared with $30.6 billion as of Nov. 30, 2023.Bookings UpdateDuring the quarter, the company reported strong booking momentum for 2025, with volumes remaining robust at higher prices compared to the prior year. With nearly two-thirds of 2025 already booked, management anticipates another year of strong yield improvement, surpassing historical growth rates and building on two consecutive years of mid-to-high single-digit per diem growth. These results validate the effectiveness of the company’s demand-generation strategies and optimized portfolio.For the full-year 2025, the cumulative advanced booked position has reached an all-time high in both price (in constant currency) and occupancy. Price and occupancy are higher than 2024 levels across all four quarters, reflecting a strong trajectory heading into the year. Bookings for 2026 have also started strong, with record volumes.Total customer deposits as of Nov. 30 were $6.8 billion compared with $6.4 billion reported in the prior year quarter.CCL’s 2024 HighlightsTotal revenues in fiscal 2024 came in at $25 billion compared with $21.6 billion reported in fiscal 2023.Adjusted EBITDA in fiscal 2024 came in at $6.1 billion compared with $4.2 billion reported in fiscal 2023.In fiscal 2024, adjusted EPS came in at $1.42 compared with the breakeven reported in the previous year.CCL’s 2025 OutlookFor first-quarter fiscal 2025, the company expects adjusted EBITDA to be approximately $1.04 billion. It expects fiscal first-quarter adjusted net income to be nearly $1 million. The company expects fiscal first-quarter adjusted EPS to remain breakeven.For fiscal 2025, the company anticipates adjusted EBITDA to be approximately $6.6 billion. Adjusted net income during the year is anticipated to be nearly $2.3 billion. In fiscal 2025, the company expects adjusted EPS to be $1.70.CCL’s Zacks Rank and Other Stocks to ConsiderCurrently, Carnival carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Some other top-ranked stocks in the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector are as follows:Cinemark Holdings, Inc. CNK currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.CNK has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 164.8%, on average. The stock has surged 121.8% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNK’s 2025 sales indicates growth of 11% from the year-ago levels.Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. NCLH currently has a Zacks Rank #2. NCLH has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.2%, on average. The stock has gained 27.9% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NCLH’s 2025 sales and EPS indicates growth of 8.4% and 25.4%, respectively, from the year-ago levels.Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. RCL currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. RCL has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 16.2%, on average. The stock has surged 91.1% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL’s 2025 sales and EPS indicates growth of 9.5% and 23.8%, respectively, from the year-ago levels.Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor StockIt's only 1/9,000th the size of NVIDIA which skyrocketed more than +800% since we recommended it. NVIDIA is still strong, but our new top chip stock has much more room to boom.With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Carnival Corporation (CCL): Free Stock Analysis Report Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL): Free Stock Analysis Report Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH): Free Stock Analysis Report Cinemark Holdings Inc (CNK): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks