Shares of this leading cruise line operator have more than doubled in the past 12 months.
Carnival (CCL -2.27%) continues sailing in the right direction, something its shareholders have become extremely optimistic about. That’s not a surprise, given that the cruise line business was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the company is on much better footing these days as it serves robust demand from consumers.
In the past 12 months, shares have soared 104% (as of Aug. 6), showcasing heightened bullishness. Despite this monster performance, here are three reasons why investors should still consider buying this travel stock like there’s no tomorrow.
Image source: Carnival.
Durable demand
Carnival’s business has benefited from tremendous momentum. During the fiscal 2025 second quarter (ended May 31), the company reported record revenue of $6.3 billion. This figure was up 9.5% year over year and 164% higher than the same period of fiscal 2022. There’s clearly strong demand from travelers. Carnival had a whopping $8.5 billion in customer deposits in Q2, a record.
Net yields, a measure of a cruise line’s pricing power, came in at a record $200.07, after increasing by 7.2% during the second quarter. This was “driven by close-in strength in ticket prices and continued strong onboard spending,” CFO David Bernstein said on the Q2 2025 earnings call.
The demand for Carnival has been impressive in the years following the pandemic’s disruption. Investors might think that the good times will come to an end soon. While the rapid growth the business has registered won’t continue indefinitely, there’s still reason to remain optimistic over the long term.
The cruise industry faces some favorable tailwinds. For instance, younger travelers are more interested in these vacations. There are also more first-time passengers coming aboard.
As it pushes to capture the opportunity ahead, Carnival is investing in building new cruise ships. It just opened a new private destination, called the Celebration Key, in July. What’s more, Carnival is upgrading its rewards program, which will launch in 2026. This can boost customer loyalty and drive repeat cruise trips.
Financial improvements
During the pandemic, Carnival was forced to pause its operations. To survive the revenue hit, management had to take on more debt to fund the business. It’s understandable if, at the time, investors were worried that Carnival would never get out of its predicament.
With each passing quarter these days, the company is making substantial progress when it comes to its financial situation. During Q2, Carnival’s operating income increased 66.8% year over year to $934 million. This was another record. To its credit, the business is starting to benefit from being able to better leverage its costs as revenue rises. Cruise and tour operating expenses were up just 2.3% year over year during the second quarter.
With profitability showing major improvements, Carnival has been able to clean up its balance sheet as well. It ended Q2 with $27.3 billion of long-term debt, a balance that has been reduced by 20% in the past three years. The company’s credit rating was also upgraded by two major agencies, which is a vote of confidence.
Carnival’s upside
Carnival’s stock has been a huge winner. However, the valuation is still compelling for new investors, even though the company is operating at a very high level these days. The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 15.8 is no doubt cheap, representing a 36% discount to the overall S&P 500 index. Should the P/E multiple get closer to the benchmark’s level, there is sizable upside for patient investors.
Carnival’s strong demand, improving financials, and attractive valuation are three reasons to buy the stock like there’s no tomorrow.
Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Carnival Corp. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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