CCL (Carnival) Financial Strength: 4 (As of May. 2026) — Near Median

Author: Vera Yuan Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Reviewed by: Charlie Tian Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Founder & CEO of GuruFocus
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.

CCL Carnival Corporation Ltd CCL
76 GF Score
Price $26.69
GF Value $24.26
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 5 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Carnival Financial Strength?

Carnival CCL -2.13% 76 Financial Strength is 4 as of May. 2026, which is at its 10-year median of 4.00. GuruFocus rates CCL with a GF Score™ of 76/100 and a GF Value™ of $24.26 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review.

Carnival has the Financial Strength Rank of 4.

GuruFocus Financial Strength Rank measures how strong a company's financial situation is. It is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 and is based on these factors:

1. The debt burden that the company has as measured by its Interest Coverage (current year). The higher, the better.
2. Debt to revenue ratio. The lower, the better.
3. Altman Z-Score.
4. Other debt related ratios.

A higher score indicates a stronger financial position, with companies rated 7 or above considered financially stable and unlikely to face distress. Conversely, a score of 3 or below suggests potential financial difficulties, indicating a higher risk of distress.

Carnival's Interest Coverage for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 2.99. Carnival's debt to revenue ratio for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 0.98. As of today, Carnival's Altman Z-Score is 1.28.


Carnival  (NYSE:CCL) Financial Strength Explanation

The rank is rated on a scale of 1 to 10. A higher score indicates a stronger financial position, with companies rated 7 or above considered financially stable and unlikely to face distress. Conversely, a score of 3 or below suggests potential financial difficulties, indicating a higher risk of distress.

Carnival has the Financial Strength Rank of 4.


Carnival Financial Strength Related Terms


CCL vs EXPE, TCOM, VIK: Financial Strength Comparison

For the Travel Services subindustry, Carnival's Financial Strength, along with its competitors' market caps and Financial Strength 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 Financial Strength vs Travel & Leisure Industry

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

* The bar in red indicates where Carnival's Financial Strength falls into.


CCL
76GF Score
Carnival Corporation Ltd CCL
Financial Strength is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Carnival Financial Strength Calculation

GuruFocus Financial Strength Rank measures how strong a company's financial situation is. It is based on these factors

A company ranks high with financial strength is likely to withstand any business slowdowns and recessions.

1. The debt burden that the company has as measured by its Interest Coverage (current year). The higher, the better.

Note: If both Interest Expense and Interest Income are empty, while Net Interest Income is negative, then use Net Interest Income as Interest Expense.

Interest Coverage is a ratio that determines how easily a company can pay interest expenses on outstanding debt. It is calculated by dividing a company's Operating Income (EBIT) by its Interest Expense:

Carnival's Interest Expense for the months ended in May. 2026 was $-285 Mil. Its Operating Income for the months ended in May. 2026 was $852 Mil. And its Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was $24,531 Mil.

Carnival's Interest Coverage for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 is

Interest Coverage=-1*Operating Income (Q: May. 2026 )/Interest Expense (Q: May. 2026 )
=-1*852/-285
=2.99

The higher the ratio, the stronger the company's financial strength is.

2. Debt to revenue ratio. The lower, the better.

Carnival's Debt to Revenue Ratio for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 is

Debt to Revenue Ratio=Total Debt (Q: May. 2026 ) / Revenue
=(Short-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation + Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation) / Revenue
=(1639 + 24531) / 26652
=0.98

3. Altman Z-Score.

Z-Score model is an accurate forecaster of failure up to two years prior to distress. It can be considered the assessment of the distress of industrial corporations.

The zones of discrimination were as such:

When Z-Score is less than 1.81, it is in Distress Zones.
When Z-Score is greater than 2.99, it is in Safe Zones.
When Z-Score is between 1.81 and 2.99, it is in Grey Zones.

Carnival has a Z-score of 1.28, indicating it is in Distress Zones. This implies bankrupcy possibility in the next two years.

Warning Sign:

Altman Z-score of 1.28 is in distress zone. This implies bankruptcy possibility in the next two years.

* 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 Financial Strength →
What does a Financial Strength of 4 mean?
Carnival (CCL) has a Financial Strength of 4 as of May. 2026. The financial strength rank measures the strength of a company's balance sheet based on revenue and debt. View historical data on Carnival and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 4.00. Over the past decade, Carnival's Financial Strength has ranged from 3.00 to 6.00.
Is Carnival's Financial Strength too high?
Carnival's current Financial Strength of 4 is near median its 10-year median of 4.00. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.00 to a high of 6.00. Overall, Carnival has a GF Score™ of 76/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Carnival's Financial Strength compare to EXPE and TCOM?
Carnival's Financial Strength of 4 can be compared against companies in the Travel & Leisure industry. Historically, Carnival's own Financial Strength has ranged from 3.00 to 6.00 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Financial Strength for a Travel & Leisure company?
A good Financial Strength depends on the Travel & Leisure industry context. However, Financial Strength should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Financial Strength mean?
A high Financial Strength can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The financial strength rank measures the strength of a company's balance sheet based on revenue and debt. View historical data on Carnival and its competitors. Carnival's current Financial Strength is 4, which is near median its own 10-year median of 4.00. 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 (CCL) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $24.26, compared to a current price of $26.69 — trading 10% above its estimated fair value. The current Financial Strength is 4, which is near median its 10-year median of 4.00. Carnival's overall GF Score™ is 76/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Financial Strength calculated?
Financial Strength is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Carnival (CCL), the current Financial Strength is 4 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 (CCL) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Carnival stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $26.69 is trading 10% above its estimated GF Value™ of $24.26. GuruFocus considers Carnival to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for CCL:

  • Financial Strength: 4 (near median its 10-year median of 4.00)
  • GF Value™: $24.26 vs. price of $26.69 (10% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 76/100 with 5 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the CCL 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.
76GF Score

Get the complete analysis for CCL

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

$26.69
Price
$24.26
GF Value