Carnival Stock Gains as Company Posts Record Revenue, Cheery 2024 Outlook

Key Takeaways

• Carnival shares sailed higher on Thursday as the cruise operator posted record revenue and issued upbeat predictions for 2024.
• The company reported full-year adjusted net income of $1 million, making 2023 its first profitable year since the start of the pandemic.
• Shares of fellow cruise companies Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean also advanced.

Shares of cruise operator Carnival Corp. (CCL) jumped Thursday after the company reported record fourth-quarter and full-year revenue while forecasting another strong year in 2024.

Revenue totaled $5.4 billion in the fourth quarter, up 40% from the year-ago quarter and nearly 13% higher than the same period in 2019, right before COVID brought operations to a halt. Full-year revenue hit a record high of $21.6 billion as consumers unleashed pent-up demand—and savings—on travel.

Carnival's net loss narrowed in the fourth quarter to $48 million from $1.6 billion a year ago. On an adjusted basis, the company reported net income of $1 million for the full year, making 2023 its first profitable year since the onset of the pandemic.

Management was upbeat in its forecast for 2024. Robust demand in the second half of this year means 2024 occupancy is already two-thirds booked.

"We continue to experience strong bookings momentum across the board, with our European brands showing remarkable strength during the quarter with booking volumes running up well into the double digits at considerably higher prices," CEO Josh Weinstein said in the earnings news release.

The company also highlighted its efforts to pay down its debt, a priority this year as rising interest rates have driven up borrowing costs. After paying about $6 billion throughout the year, long-term debt totaled just over $30 billion at the end of the fourth quarter.

Carnival shares, which have more than doubled this year, jumped as much as 7% to a five-month high on Thursday afternoon. Fellow cruise operators Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) and Royal Caribbean (RCL) followed close behind, each gaining about 5%.

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