Whether you are a seasoned investor or new to the world of the best cruise stocks, the following will provide valuable insights. By considering factors such as financial stability, fleet expansion plans and other factors.
Many of the companies in the cruise industry can be snatched up at a healthy bargain. So, let’s explore three such cruise stocks for investors to buy this month. These companies won’t stay cheap for long, so decisive action is needed.
Carnival (CCL)
Carnival (NYSE:CCL) has rebounded significantly from its lows during the pandemic. In Q1 of 2024, Carnival reported record revenue of $5.4 billion, a 22% increase year-over-year (YOY). Also, the company posted an operating profit of $276 million and customer deposits exceeding $7 billion.
Further, analysts have a mixed but generally positive outlook for Carnival. The consensus price target for CCL is $20, with a potential upside of around 15% from its current trading levels. Stifel reiterated a buy rating on Carnival stock, and we’ve only started to see its potential.
Also, the trailing P/E ratio of CCL of 65.15 suggests that the stock is currently valued high based on past earnings. However, the forward PE ratio of 17.84 indicates that analysts expect significant earnings growth in the coming year, making the stock cheaper on a forward-looking basis.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH)
Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH) is another significant player, known for its premium offerings and strong market presence. The company has shown a robust recovery with a market cap of $7.76 billion.
The company increased its full-year net yield guidance to approximately 6.4%, up from the previous guidance of 5.4%. This revision is driven by strong demand across all its brands, which nearly offsets the impacts of redeployed voyages in the Middle East and Red Sea. Full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance has been raised to $2.25 billion from $2.20 billion. And adjusted EPS guidance increased to $1.32 from $1.23.
In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line announced a comprehensive new build program. It includes eight state-of-the-art vessels across its three brands and the construction of a new pier at Great Stirrup Cay.
Its guidance in the short-term, as well as its incremental EPS improvements give me confidence it’s one of those cruise stocks for investors to buy.
Lindblad Expeditions (LIND)
Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ:LIND) offers unique, small-ship expedition cruises in partnership with National Geographic. The company reported a strong recovery post-pandemic, with a niche market focusing on wealthy customers
The company has increased its revenue forecast to between $610 million and $630 million and expects adjusted EBITDA to be between $88 million and $98 million. The booking momentum from 2023 has continued, with bookings for 2024 4% ahead of the same point last year and over 20% ahead excluding carryover bookings from 2023.
Analysts have mixed views on Lindblad Expeditions, with a recent report showing the company missed EPS expectations. Also, it reported a loss of 10 cents per share against an expected loss of 4 cents. Despite this, the company continues to demonstrate strong revenue growth.
I still think that LIND is a buy despite these short-term misses, as it’s attractively priced when one factors in its expected growth rate metrics.
On the date of publication, Matthew Farley did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Matthew started writing coverage of the financial markets during the crypto boom of 2017 and was also a team member of several fintech startups. He then started writing about Australian and U.S. equities for various publications. His work has appeared in MarketBeat, FXStreet, Cryptoslate, Seeking Alpha, and the New Scientist magazine, among others.