Carnival (FRA:3B5) Operating Margin %: 12.79% (As of May. 2026) — 15% Below Median


FRA:3B5 Carnival Corporation Ltd FRA:3B5
75 GF Score
Price €24.90
GF Value €20.88
Valuation Modestly Overvalued
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is Carnival Operating Margin %?

Carnival FRA:3B5 -2.51% 75 Operating Margin % is 12.79% as of May. 2026, which is 15% below its 10-year median of 15.01. GuruFocus rates FRA:3B5 with a GF Score™ of 75/100 and a GF Value™ of €20.88 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 844 Travel & Leisure companies, Carnival ranks better than 73.22% on this metric.

Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. Carnival's Operating Income for the three months ended in May. 2026 was €729 Mil. Carnival's Revenue for the three months ended in May. 2026 was €5,704 Mil. Therefore, Carnival's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 12.79%.

The historical rank and industry rank for Carnival's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:

FRA:3B5' s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -359.8   Med: 15.01   Max: 18.74
Current: 16.35


FRA:3B5's Operating Margin % is ranked better than
73.22% of 844 companies
in the Travel & Leisure industry
Industry Median: 8.135 vs FRA:3B5: 16.35

Carnival's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was 0.00% per year.

Carnival's Operating Income for the three months ended in May. 2026 was €729 Mil. Its Operating Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 was €3,829 Mil.


Carnival  (FRA:3B5) Operating Margin % Explanation

Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.


Be Aware

Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).

If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.

For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokia’s Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).

Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.


Carnival Operating Margin % Related Terms


Carnival Operating Margin % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Carnival's Operating Margin % can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Carnival Operating Margin % Chart

Carnival Annual Data
Trend Nov16 Nov17 Nov18 Nov19 Nov20 Nov21 Nov22 Nov23 Nov24 Nov25
Operating Margin %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -359.80 -35.98 9.06 14.28 16.84

Carnival Quarterly Data
Aug21 Nov21 Feb22 May22 Aug22 Nov22 Feb23 May23 Aug23 Nov23 Feb24 May24 Aug24 Nov24 Feb25 May25 Aug25 Nov25 Feb26 May26
Operating Margin % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 14.76 27.87 11.61 9.83 12.79

FRA:3B5 vs VIK, TCOM, EXPE: Operating Margin % Comparison

For the Travel Services subindustry, Carnival's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating Margin % data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Carnival Operating Margin % vs Travel & Leisure Industry

For the Travel & Leisure industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Carnival's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Carnival's Operating Margin % falls into.


FRA:3B5
75GF Score
Carnival Corporation Ltd FRA:3B5
Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Carnival Operating Margin % Calculation

Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.

Carnival's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Nov. 2025 is calculated as

Operating Margin %=Operating Income (A: Nov. 2025 ) / Revenue (A: Nov. 2025 )
=3876.93 / 23027.165
=16.84 %

Carnival's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 is calculated as

Operating Margin %=Operating Income (Q: May. 2026 ) / Revenue (Q: May. 2026 )
=729.312 / 5703.528
=12.79 %

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Operating Margin % →
What does a Operating Margin % of 12.79% mean?
Carnival (FRA:3B5) has a Operating Margin % of 12.79% as of May. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Carnival and its competitors. This is 15% below median its historical median of 15.01. According to the industry distribution chart, Carnival ranks #226 out of 844 companies in the Travel & Leisure industry, placing it in the top 26.8%.
Is Carnival's Operating Margin % too high?
Carnival's current Operating Margin % of 12.79% is 15% below median its 10-year median of 15.01. The Travel & Leisure industry median Operating Margin % is 8.14. Carnival's value of 12.79% is 57.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Carnival ranks #226 out of 844 companies in the Travel & Leisure industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Carnival has a GF Score™ of 75/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Carnival's Operating Margin % compare to VIK and TCOM?
According to the Travel & Leisure industry distribution chart, Carnival ranks #226 out of 844 companies for Operating Margin %. This puts Carnival in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 8.14. Carnival's value of 12.79% is 57.2% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 15.01 vs. the industry median of 8.14, Carnival has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Operating Margin % for a Travel & Leisure company?
The median Operating Margin % among Travel & Leisure companies is 8.14, based on 844 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Carnival's current Operating Margin % of 12.79% is 57.2% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Carnival and its competitors. For the Travel & Leisure industry, the median Operating Margin % is 8.14 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Carnival's current Operating Margin % is 12.79%, which is 15% below median its own 10-year median of 15.01. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Carnival stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Carnival (FRA:3B5) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €20.88, compared to a current price of €24.90 — trading 19.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is 12.79%, which is 15% below median its 10-year median of 15.01 and 57.2% above the Travel & Leisure industry median of 8.14. Carnival's overall GF Score™ is 75/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Carnival (FRA:3B5), the current Operating Margin % is 12.79% as of May. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Carnival (FRA:3B5) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Carnival stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €24.90 is trading 19.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of €20.88. GuruFocus considers Carnival to be Modestly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for FRA:3B5:

  • Operating Margin %: 12.79% (15% below median its 10-year median of 15.01)
  • GF Value™: €20.88 vs. price of €24.90 (19.3% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 75/100 with 5 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 57.2% above the Travel & Leisure median (#226 of 844)

No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:3B5 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Carnival Business Description

Address 3655 N.W. 87th Avenue, Miami, FL, USA, 33178-2428
Carnival is the largest global cruise company, with nearly 100 ships in service. Its portfolio of brands includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; Aida in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe. It recently folded its P&O Australia brand into Carnival. The firm also owns Holland America Princess Alaska Tours in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Carnival's brands attracted nearly 14 million guests in 2025.
75GF Score

Get the complete analysis for FRA:3B5

Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

€24.90
Price
€20.88
GF Value