September 14, 2024
Carnival Corporation ( CCL ) shares sailed higher in intraday trading Tuesday when the cruise operator posted a surprising quarterly profit and boosted its guidance as customers spent more to sail.
The company reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS ) of $0.11, while analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha expected a per-share loss of $0.02. Revenue was up 17.7% to $5.78 billion, also above estimates.
Revenue, along with operating income of $560 million, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $1.2 billion, and booking levels all set second-quarter records. Total customer deposits of $8.3 billion were an all-time high.
Carnival said the results were driven by higher ticket prices, increased onboard spending by passengers, and the timing of expenses between quarters.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO ) Josh Weinstein added that the company sees “continued acceleration of demand for 2025 and beyond.” Carnival now anticipates full-year adjusted EBITDA of $5.83 billion, up about $200 million from the previous outlook.
Carnival stock surged nearly 8% to $17.68 as of 11:36 a.m. ET Tuesday, lifting shares of other cruise companies, including Norwegian Cruise Line ( NCLH ) and Royal Caribbean Group ( RCL ). However, even with today’s advance, Carnival shares are down nearly 5% year-to-date.