Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide. The company operates cruises under the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises brands, which comprise a range of itineraries. As of February 21, 2024, it operated 65 ships. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. демонстрирует сильные финансовые показатели, включая высокие значения ROE (45.79%) и ROA (10.62%), что свидетельствует о высокой эффективности использования капитала. Прибыльность компании, измеряемая через чистую прибыль, также значительно превышает медиану отрасли, что указывает на её конкурентоспособность. Однако, несмотря на высокие показатели, мультипликаторы, такие как P/S (4.61) и P/B (7.71), значительно выше медианных значений (на 577.9% и 314.5% соответственно), что может указывать на переоцененность акций. Долговая нагрузка компании также вызывает беспокойство, так как соотношение долга к капиталу (1.67) превышает медианную величину. Уровень ликвидности остаётся низким, что также является негативным фактором. С учетом всех этих аспектов, Royal Caribbean выглядит как компания с сильными фундаментальными показателями, однако её переоцененность и высокая долговая нагрузка могут ограничить рост акций в ближайшей перспективе.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Key Points
Despite economic and political worries, the cruise industry has no shortage of fuel or customers.
Most cruise line stocks already traded at low valuations.
Amid the war in Iran and the virtual closing of the Strait of Hormuz, the focus has shifted back to oil prices and their effects on the economy. Oil prices have some impact on virtually all industries, but it is especially acute in the cruise line industry, as cruise ships depend on petroleum to operate.
Nonetheless, if these consumer discretionary stocks fall, now is probably a buying opportunity, and here's why.
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1. Worries about high prices are likely overdone
Cruise line stock investors are probably going to watch the oil market more carefully. The Strait of Hormuz, the waterway where tankers transport 20% of the world's crude oil, is virtually shut down amid the war. That caused oil prices to spike above $115 per barrel before pulling back a few hours later to the $88 per-barrel range as of the time of this writing.
The volatility in the price indicates that worries, rather than actual shortages, fueled the volatility. While the cruise industry's bottom lines could be significantly impacted if the high prices persist, for now, panicking is likely premature.
However, the run-up in oil prices may be overdone as the market continues to be well supplied.
Additionally, the economic worries in recent months have not dampened demand for cruise vacations if the financials of cruise lines like Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL) or Viking Holdings (NYSE: VIK) are any indication.
Amid record booking levels, demand has exceeded supply, meaning these companies have not had to discount much to fill ships. Amid such conditions, demand is less likely to fall if they have to pass on some of that cost to consumers.
2. Valuations
Furthermore, despite high occupancy levels, most cruise line stocks are not expensive, with all but Viking trading at price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios below the S&P 500 average of 29.
This is particularly true of Royal Caribbean and market leader Carnival Corp (NYSE: CCL), whose P/E ratios are now in the teens, leaving little further downside for these stocks.
The low valuations have little to do with oil prices and are likely impacted by debt levels. Most of these companies ran up massive debts during the pandemic when governments barred them from sailing.
However, they have also reduced those debts significantly and steadily refinanced existing debt at lower rates. The only reason they are not falling faster is that the cruise lines continue to build ships to meet the high demand for cruises.
Cruise line stocks should continue to keep sailing
Given the state of the industry, high oil prices should not derail cruise line stocks.
Admittedly, the blockage of a major shipping lane for the oil industry is concerning and certainly, rising prices and geopolitical tensions have pressured travel-related stocks. If prices stayed high for months or years, that could negatively impact these stocks.
Nonetheless, supplies have so far not been impacted, and the fact that cruise demand continues to exceed supply should make it easier for cruise lines to pass on costs. Moreover, since most of these stocks already traded at low valuations, the oil price scare likely amounts to a more lucrative buying opportunity rather than a reason to avoid these stocks.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

2 Reasons Not to Give Up on Cruise Line Stocks

Royal Caribbean (RCL) closed the most recent trading day at $272.54, moving +2.27% from the previous trading session. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.61%. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 0.26%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.93%.
Coming into today, shares of the cruise operator had lost 19.93% in the past month. In that same time, the Consumer Discretionary sector lost 2.13%, while the S&P 500 lost 2.25%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Royal Caribbean in its upcoming release. On that day, Royal Caribbean is projected to report earnings of $3.2 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 18.08%. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $4.43 billion, up 10.79% from the prior-year quarter.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $18.09 per share and a revenue of $19.79 billion, signifying shifts of +15.66% and +10.32%, respectively, from the last year.
Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Royal Caribbean. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 0.02% fall in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Royal Caribbean is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.
In the context of valuation, Royal Caribbean is at present trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 14.73. This represents a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 15.68.
Meanwhile, RCL's PEG ratio is currently 0.87. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Leisure and Recreation Services industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.29.
The Leisure and Recreation Services industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 187, which puts it in the bottom 24% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Royal Caribbean (RCL) Gains As Market Dips: What You Should Know

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Thursday closed down -1.52%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed down -1.56%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed down -1.73%. March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) fell -1.49%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) fell -1.75%.
Stocks fell sharply on Thursday as a surge in crude oil prices stoked fears that the war against Iran would crimp global fuel supplies and boost inflation. WTI crude oil prices soared more than +9% on Thursday amid widening disruptions to crude production and transport in the Middle East.
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Stocks extended their losses on Thursday, and crude prices added to their gains on comments from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who said that Iran’s leverage of closing the Strait of Hormuz should be used, and attacks on Gulf Arab neighbors will continue. He added that Iran will open unspecified “other fronts” in the war if the US and Israel persist with their attacks. Also, comments from President Trump gave crude prices a boost when he said that preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons is "of far greater interest and importance" to him than the cost of oil, a sign that the war in the Middle East isn't close to a de-escalation.
Credit concerns weighed on bank stocks and asset managers on Thursday after Morgan Stanley and Cliffwater LLC capped withdrawals from their private credit funds amid investor demand to redeem more than the funds allow. Private credit funds are grappling with a wave of redemption requests amid growing concerns over the quality of their loans. BlackRock last week decided to limit withdrawals, a move that other asset managers have since followed.
Crude oil prices rallied sharply on Thursday despite the IEA members' decision on Wednesday to release 400 million barrels from emergency oil stockpiles. The IEA said the war against Iran is disrupting 7.5% of global oil supply, and the conflict will cut global oil supply by 8 million bpd this month. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas flows, has choked off oil and gas flows due to Iran’s attacks on shipping in the waterway and forced Gulf producers to cut output because they can’t export from the region. UK Defense Secretary Healey said Thursday that it is increasingly evident that Iran is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, which could keep the strait closed for the foreseeable future.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would need “firm international guarantees against future aggression” to accept a ceasefire as well as reparations. However, comments from President Trump late Wednesday suggest the conflict could continue for weeks when he said that it would be unwise for the US to wind down hostilities too soon.
US economic news on Thursday was mixed for stocks after weekly jobless claims rose less than expected, a sign of labor market strength. Also, Jan housing starts unexpectedly rose to an 11-month high, but Jan building permits fell to a 5-month low.
US weekly initial unemployment claims fell -1,000 to 213,000, showing a stronger labor market than expectations of an increase to 215,000.
US Jan housing starts unexpectedly rose +7.2% m/m to an 11-month high of 1.487 million, stronger than expectations of a decline to 1.341 million. Jan building permits, a proxy for future construction, fell -5.4% m/m to a 5-month low of 1.376 million, weaker than expectations of 1.410 million.
The US Jan trade deficit shrank to -$54.5 billion, narrower than expectations of -$66.0 billion.
Q4 earnings season is nearly over, with more than 98% of the S&P 500 companies having reported earnings results. Earnings have been a positive factor for stocks, with 74% of the 495 S&P 500 companies that have reported beating expectations. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, S&P earnings growth is expected to climb by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth. Excluding the Magnificent Seven megacap technology stocks, Q4 earnings are expected to increase by +4.6%.
The markets are discounting a 0% chance for a -25 bp FOMC rate cut at the next policy meeting on March 17-18.
Overseas stock markets settled lower on Thursday. The Euro Stoxx 50 closed down -0.79%. China's Shanghai Composite fell from a 1-week high and closed down -0.10%. Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 closed down -1.04%.
Interest Rates
June 10-year T-notes (ZNM6) on Thursday closed down by -18.5 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield rose +3.9 bp to 4.269%. June T-notes fell to a 5-week low on Thursday, and the 10-year T-note yield climbed to a 5-week high of 4.275%. Thursday’s +9% rally in oil prices raised inflation expectations and undercut T-note prices. Also, concerns that the cost of the ongoing war against Iran will boost the US budget deficit are bearish for T-notes. On the positive side for T-notes on Thursday was strong demand for the Treasury’s $22 billion auction of 30-year T-bonds that had a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.45, above the 10-auction average of 2.39.
European government bond yields moved higher on Thursday. The 10-year German bund yield rose to a 2.25-year high of 2.962% and finished up +2.5 bp to 2.957%. The 10-year UK gilt yield climbed to a 6.25-month high of 4.800% and finished up +8.7 bp to 4.773%.
The European Union's economy chief, Valdis Dombrovskis, said the inflation rate could surpass 3% this year, and GDP in the Eurozone could be as much as -0.4 points lower if the war in the Middle East causes crude oil prices to remain around $100 per barrel and gas prices stay elevated for an extended period.
Swaps are discounting a 3% chance of a -25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on March 19.
US Stock Movers
Airline stocks and cruise line operators sold off on Thursday amid a 9% surge in crude oil prices, which are boosting companies’ fuel costs and threatening earnings. Carnival (CCL) and Southwest Airlines (LUV) closed down more than -7%, and Alaska Air Group (ALK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) closed down more than -6%. Also, United Airlines Holdings (UAL), Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), and American Airlines Group (AAL) closed down more than -4%. In addition, Delta Airlines (DAL) closed down more than -2%.
Chip stocks retreated on Thursday, weighing on the broader market. Intel (INTC) closed down more than -5%, and Lam Research (LRCX), ARM Holdings Plc (ARM), Microchip Technology (MCHP), and Texas Instruments (TXN) closed down more than -4%. Also, Applied Materials (AMAT), KLA Corp (KLAC), Analog Devices (ADI), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Micron Technology (MU), and Marvell Technology (MRVL) closed down more than -3%.
Credit concerns weighed on bank stocks and asset managers on Thursday after Morgan Stanley and Cliffwater LLC capped withdrawals from their private credit funds amid investor demand to redeem more than the funds allow. Ares Management (ARES) closed down more than -6%, and
Goldman Sachs (GS) closed down more than -4% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials. Also, Morgan Stanley (MS), KKR & Co (KKR), and Citigroup (C) closed down more than -3%.
The Magnificent Seven technology stocks fell on Thursday, pressuring the broader market. Tesla (TSLA) closed down more than -3%, and Meta Platforms (META) closed down more than -2%. Also, Alphabet (GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Amazon.com (AMZN), and Nvidia (NVDA) closed down more than -1%, and Microsoft (MSFT) closed down -0.73%.
Fertilizer stocks rallied on Thursday amid supply disruptions from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. CF Industries Holdings (CF) closed up more than +13% to lead gainers in the S&P 500. Also, Intrepid Potash (IPI) closed up more than +10%, and Mosaic (MOS) closed up more than +7%.
Energy producers and service providers rose on Thursday after crude prices jumped more than +9%. ConocoPhillips (COP), Chevron (CVX), Phillips 66 (PSX), and Valero Energy (VLO) closed up more than -2%. Also, APA Corp (APA), Devon Energy (DVN), Exxon Mobil (XOM), and Marathon Petroleum (MPC) closed up more than +1%.
Netskope (NTSK) closed down more than -21% after forecasting a Q1 adjusted net loss per share of -6 cents to -7 cents, wider than Q4’s -4 cent EPS loss.
G-III Apparel Group Ltd (GIII) closed down more than -11% after reporting Q4 net sales of $771.5 million, below the consensus of $791.8 million.
UiPath (PATH) closed down more than -7% after reporting Q4 subscription revenue of $251.2 million, below the consensus of $252.1 million.
Dollar General (DG) closed down more than -6% after giving an underwhelming 2027 comparable sales forecast of up +2.2% to +2.7%, the midpoint right on the consensus of +2.45%.
GlobalFoundries (GFS) closed down more than -5% after a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Co. was said to sell as much as $852 million of its stake in the stock overnight at $41.60 to $42.60 per share.
MercadoLibre (MELI) closed down more than -4% after JPMorgan Chase downgraded the stock to neutral from overweight.
LyondellBasell Industries NV (LYB) closed up more than +10% after Citigroup upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $76.
Dow Inc. (DOW) closed up more than +9% after Citigroup upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $40.
Occidental Petroleum (OXY) closed up more than +5% after Wells Fargo Securities double upgraded the stock to overweight from underweight with a price target of $69.
Earnings Reports(3/13/2026)
4D Molecular Therapeutics Inc (FDMT), Actuate Therapeutics Inc (ACTU), AirSculpt Technologies Inc (AIRS), AlTi Global Inc (ALTI), American Vanguard Corp (AVD), Avidity Biosciences Inc (RNAM), Better Home & Finance Holding (BETR), Bit Digital Inc (BTBT), Blue Foundry Bancorp (BLFY), Buckle Inc/The (BKE), CapsoVision Inc (CV), Citizens Inc/TX (CIA), Emerald Holding Inc (EEX), Eve Holding Inc (EVEX), GoHealth Inc (GOCO), Gossamer Bio Inc (GOSS), John Marshall Bancorp Inc (JMSB), LENSAR Inc (LNSR), MeiraGTx Holdings plc (MGTX), NET Lease Office Properties (NLOP), Perma-Fix Environmental Services (PESI), Value Line Inc (VALU), Waldencast plc (WALD).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stocks Slump on Iran War and Credit Woes

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down -1.22%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is down -1.32%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -1.46%. March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) are down -1.20%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) are down -1.40%.
Stocks are under pressure today as crude oil prices keep rising amid widening disruptions to production and transport in the Middle East. WTI crude oil prices are up more than +9% today after Iraq suspended oil terminal activity following an attack by Iran on two tankers. Oman also temporarily evacuated a key oil export hub at Mina Al Fahal, and Iran escalated attacks on Dubai.
Join 200K+ Subscribers: Find out why the midday Barchart Brief newsletter is a must-read for thousands daily.
Stocks extended their losses today, and crude prices added to their gains on comments from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who said that Iran’s leverage of closing the Strait of Hormuz should be used and attacks on Gulf Arab neighbors will continue. He added that Iran will open unspecified “other fronts” in the war if the US and Israel persist with their attacks.
Credit concerns are weighing on bank stocks and asset managers today after Morgan Stanley and Cliffwater LLC capped withdrawals from their private credit funds amid investor demand to redeem more than the funds allow. Private credit funds are grappling with a wave of redemption requests amid growing concerns over the quality of their loans. BlackRock last week decided to limit withdrawals, a move that other asset managers have since followed.
Crude oil prices are moving higher today despite the IEA members' decision on Wednesday to release 400 million barrels from emergency oil stockpiles. The IEA said the war against Iran is disrupting 7.5% of global oil supply, and the conflict will cut global oil supply by 8 million bpd this month. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas flows, has choked off oil and gas flows due to Iran’s attacks on shipping in the waterway and forced Gulf producers to cut output because they can’t export from the region.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would need “firm international guarantees against future aggression” to accept a ceasefire as well as reparations. However, comments from President Trump late Wednesday suggest the conflict could continue for weeks when he said that it would be unwise for the US to wind down hostilities too soon.
US economic news today was mixed for stocks after weekly jobless claims rose less than expected, a sign of labor market strength. Also, Jan housing starts unexpectedly rose to an 11-month high, but Jan building permits fell to a 5-month low.
US weekly initial unemployment claims fell -1,000 to 213,000, showing a stronger labor market than expectations of an increase to 215,000.
US Jan housing starts unexpectedly rose +7.2% m/m to an 11-month high of 1.487 million, stronger than expectations of a decline to 1.341 million. Jan building permits, a proxy for future construction, fell -5.4% m/m to a 5-month low of 1.376 million, weaker than expectations of 1.410 million.
The US Jan trade deficit shrank to -$54.5 billion, narrower than expectations of -$66.0 billion.
Q4 earnings season is nearly over, with more than 95% of the S&P 500 companies having reported earnings results. Earnings have been a positive factor for stocks, with 74% of the 492 S&P 500 companies that have reported beating expectations. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, S&P earnings growth is expected to climb by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth. Excluding the Magnificent Seven megacap technology stocks, Q4 earnings are expected to increase by +4.6%.
The markets are discounting a 0% chance for a -25 bp FOMC rate cut at the next policy meeting on March 17-18.
Overseas stock markets are lower. The Euro Stoxx 50 is down -1.30%. China's Shanghai Composite fell from a 1-week high and closed down -0.10%. Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 closed down -1.04%.
Interest Rates
June 10-year T-notes (ZNM6) are down by -8 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield is up +1.4 bp to 4.243%. June T-notes fell to a 5-week low today, and the 10-year T-note yield climbed to a 5-week high of 4.249%. Today’s +9% rally in oil prices is raising inflation expectations and undercutting T-note prices. Also, concerns that the cost of the ongoing war against Iran will boost the US budget deficit are bearish for T-notes. In addition, supply pressures are weighing on T-notes as the Treasury will auction $22 billion of 30-year bonds later today.
European government bond yields are moving higher today. The 10-year German bund yield rose to a 2.25-year high of 2.962% and is up +1.6 bp to 2.948%. The 10-year UK gilt yield is up +9.7 bp to 4.784%.
The European Union's economy chief, Valdis Dombrovskis, said the inflation rate could surpass 3% this year and GDP in the Eurozone could be as much as -0.4 points lower if the war in the Middle East causes crude oil prices to remain around $100 per barrel and gas prices stay elevated for an extended period.
Swaps are discounting a 3% chance of a -25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on March 19.
US Stock Movers
Airline stocks and cruise line operators are falling today due to the 8% surge in crude oil prices, which are boosting companies’ fuel costs and threatening earnings. Carnival (CCL) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) are down more than -6%, and United Airlines Holdings (UAL) is down more than -4%. Also, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), American Airlines Group (AAL), Alaska Air Group (ALK), and Southwest Airlines (LUV) are down more than -3%. In addition, Delta Airlines (DAL) is down more than -2%.
Chip stocks are sliding today, weighing on the broader market. Lam Research (LRCX), Applied Materials (AMAT), ARM Holdings Plc (ARM), Micron Technology (MU), and Intel (INTC) are down more than -4%. Also, ASML Holding NV (ASML), Analog Devices (ADI), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), KLA Corp (KLAC), Microchip Technology (MCHP), and Texas Instruments (TXN) are down more than -3%.
Credit concerns are weighing on bank stocks and asset managers today after Morgan Stanley and Cliffwater LLC capped withdrawals from their private credit funds amid investor demand to redeem more than the funds allow. Morgan Stanley (MS) and KKR & Co (KKR) are down more than -4%. Also, Goldman Sachs (GS) is down more than -3% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials. In addition, Citigroup (C) and Ares Management (ARES) are down more than -3%.
Fertilizer stocks are climbing today amid supply disruptions from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. CF Industries Holdings (CF) is up more than +10% to lead gainers in the S&P 500. Also, Intrepid Potash (IPI) is up more than +8%, and Mosaic (MOS) is up more than +5%.
Netskope (NTSK) is down more than -24% after forecasting a Q1 adjusted net loss per share of -6 cents to -7 cents, wider than Q4’s -4 cent EPS loss.
G-III Apparel Group Ltd (GIII) is down more than -12% after reporting Q4 net sales of $771.5 million, below the consensus of $791.8 million.
GlobalFoundries (GFS) is down more than -6% after a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Co. was said to sell as much as $852 million of its stake in the stock overnight at $41.60 to $42.60 per share.
Dollar General (DG) is down more than -5% after giving an underwhelming 2027 comparable sales forecast of up +2.2% to +2.7%, the midpoint right on the consensus of +2.45%.
UiPath (PATH) is down more than -5% after reporting Q4 subscription revenue of $251.2 million, below the consensus of $252.1 million.
MercadoLibre (MELI) is down more than -5% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100 after JPMorgan Chase downgraded the stock to neutral from overweight.
Dow Inc. (DOW) is up more than +6% after Citigroup upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $40.
LyondellBasell Industries NV (LYB) is up more than +5% after Citigroup upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $76.
Occidental Petroleum (OXY) is up more than +4% after Wells Fargo Securities double upgraded the stock to overweight from underweight with a price target of $69.
Atlassian Corp (TEAM) is up more than +2% after announcing a restructuring that will eliminate about 10% of its workforce. UBS upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $97.
Earnings Reports(3/12/2026)
Dollar General Corp (DG), Ulta Beauty Inc (ULTA), Lennar Corp (LEN), Adobe Inc (ADBE).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
More news from Barchart
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stocks Retreat Amid Rising Crude Prices and Credit Worries

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down -0.88%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is down -1.06%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -1.03%. March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) are down -0.97%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) are down -1.10%.
Stocks are under pressure today as crude oil prices keep rising amid widening disruptions to production and transport in the Middle East. WTI crude oil prices are up more than +8% today after Iraq suspended oil terminal activity following an attack by Iran on two tankers. Oman also temporarily evacuated a key oil export hub at Mina Al Fahal, and Iran escalated attacks on Dubai. Crude prices extended their gains today on comments from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who said that Iran’s leverage of closing the Strait of Hormuz should be used and attacks on Gulf Arab neighbors will continue.
Join 200K+ Subscribers: Find out why the midday Barchart Brief newsletter is a must-read for thousands daily.
Crude oil prices are moving higher today despite the IEA members' decision on Wednesday to release 400 million barrels from emergency oil stockpiles. The IEA said the war against Iran is disrupting 7.5% of global oil supply, and the conflict will cut global oil supply by 8 million bpd this month. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas flows, has choked off oil and gas flows due to Iran’s attacks on shipping in the waterway and forced Gulf producers to cut output because they can’t export from the region.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said that his country would need “firm international guarantees against future aggression” to accept a ceasefire as well as reparations. However, comments from President Trump late Wednesday suggest the conflict could continue for weeks when he said that it would be unwise for the US to wind down hostilities too soon.
US economic news today was mixed for stocks after weekly jobless claims rose less than expected, a sign of labor market strength. Also, Jan housing starts unexpectedly rose to an 11-month high, but Jan building permits fell to a 5-month low.
US weekly initial unemployment claims fell -1,000 to 213,000, showing a stronger labor market than expectations of an increase to 215,000.
US Jan housing starts unexpectedly rose +7.2% m/m to an 11-month high of 1.487 million, stronger than expectations of a decline to 1.341 million. Jan building permits, a proxy for future construction, fell -5.4% m/m to a 5-month low of 1.376 million, weaker than expectations of 1.410 million.
The US Jan trade deficit shrank to -$54.5 billion, narrower than expectations of -$66.0 billion.
Q4 earnings season is nearly over, with more than 95% of the S&P 500 companies having reported earnings results. Earnings have been a positive factor for stocks, with 74% of the 492 S&P 500 companies that have reported beating expectations. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, S&P earnings growth is expected to climb by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth. Excluding the Magnificent Seven megacap technology stocks, Q4 earnings are expected to increase by +4.6%.
The markets are discounting a 0% chance for a -25 bp FOMC rate cut at the next policy meeting on March 17-18.
Overseas stock markets are lower. The Euro Stoxx 50 is down -0.86%. China's Shanghai Composite fell from a 1-week high and closed down -0.10%. Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 closed down -1.04%.
Interest Rates
June 10-year T-notes (ZNM6) are down by -9 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield is up +1.6 bp to 4.245%. June T-notes fell to a 5-week low today, and the 10-year T-note yield climbed to a 5-week high of 4.249%. Today’s +8% rally in oil prices is raising inflation expectations and undercutting T-note prices. Also, concerns that the cost of the ongoing war against Iran will boost the US budget deficit are bearish for T-notes. In addition, supply pressures are weighing on T-notes as the Treasury will auction $22 billion of 30-year bonds later today.
European government bond yields are mixed today. The 10-year German bund yield rose to a 2.25-year high of 2.958% and is up +1.2 bp to 2.944%. The 10-year UK gilt yield is up +5.3 bp to 4.739%.
The European Union's economy chief, Valdis Dombrovskis, said the inflation rate could surpass 3% this year and GDP in the Eurozone could be as much as -0.4 points lower if the war in the Middle East causes crude oil prices to remain around $100 per barrel and gas prices stay elevated for an extended period.
Swaps are discounting a 4% chance of a -25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on March 19.
US Stock Movers
Airline stocks and cruise line operators are falling today due to the 8% surge in crude oil prices, which are boosting companies’ fuel costs and threatening earnings. Carnival (CCL), Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), United Airlines Holdings (UAL), American Airlines Group (AAL), Alaska Air Group (ALK), and Southwest Airlines (LUV) are down more than -3%. Also, Delta Airlines (DAL) is down more than -2%.
Chip stocks are sliding today, weighing on the broader market. Lam Research (LRCX), Applied Materials (AMAT), and Micron Technology (MU) are down more than -3%. Also, ASML Holding NV (ASML), Intel (INTC), Analog Devices (ADI), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), KLA Corp (KLAC), ARM Holdings Plc (ARM), Microchip Technology (MCHP), and Texas Instruments (TXN) are down more than -2%.
Fertilizer stocks are climbing today amid supply disruptions from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. CF Industries Holdings (CF) is up more than +7% to lead gainers in the S&P 500. Also, Intrepid Potash (IPI) and Mosaic (MOS) are up more than +4%.
Netskope (NTSK) is down more than -22% after forecasting a Q1 adjusted net loss per share of -6 cents to -7 cents, wider than Q4’s -4 cent EPS loss.
G-III Apparel Group Ltd (GIII) is down more than -14% after reporting Q4 net sales of $771.5 million, below the consensus of $791.8 million.
Dollar General (DG) is down more than -7% to lead losers in the S&P 500 after giving an underwhelming 2027 comparable sales forecast of up +2.2% to +2.7%, the midpoint right on the consensus of +2.45%.
UiPath (PATH) is down more than -5% after reporting Q4 subscription revenue of $251.2 million, below the consensus of $252.1 million.
MercadoLibre (MELI) is down more than -4% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100 after JPMorgan Chase downgraded the stock to neutral from overweight.
GlobalFoundries (GFS) is down more than -4% after a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Co. was said to sell as much as $852 million of its stake in the stock overnight at $41.60 to $42.60 per share.
Dow Inc. (DOW) is up more than +6% after Citigroup upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $40.
Atlassian Corp (TEAM) is up more than +4% after announcing a restructuring that will eliminate about 10% of its workforce. UBS upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $97.
Occidental Petroleum (OXY) is up more than +3% after Wells Fargo Securities double upgraded the stock to overweight from underweight with a price target of $69.
LyondellBasell Industries NV (LYB) is up more than +3% after Citigroup upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $76.
Earnings Reports(3/12/2026)
Dollar General Corp (DG), Ulta Beauty Inc (ULTA), Lennar Corp (LEN), Adobe Inc (ADBE).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stocks Fall as Oil Prices Continue to Climb

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. NCLH is entering 2026 with a cautious outlook for net yield growth as the company works through operational adjustments tied to recent deployment and commercial strategy changes. Management indicated that net yields for the full year are expected to remain approximately flat, reflecting pricing pressure across select itineraries and regions as the company works to improve coordination across its commercial functions.
The outlook reflects alignment challenges identified across deployment and commercial execution. Management noted that certain deployment decisions, including a shift in capacity toward the Caribbean, were implemented before supporting commercial initiatives were fully ready. As a result, revenue management, marketing, pricing and itinerary planning were not fully coordinated at the time of the shift, contributing to yield pressure.
Developments related to the company’s Caribbean strategy also influenced near-term dynamics. Management stated that capacity in the region was increased ahead of the full buildout of enhancements at its private destination, Great Stirrup Cay. As a result, the supporting commercial and destination initiatives were not fully aligned with the deployment shift, contributing to pricing and yield pressure.
Beyond the Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise also cited execution challenges tied to certain European itineraries as well as broader industry capacity expansion in Alaska. Management noted that the company entered 2026 slightly behind its optimal booking curve in select markets, contributing to pricing pressure across certain itineraries.
While yield growth is expected to remain constrained in the near term, Norwegian Cruise continues to focus on operational discipline and structural improvements across the business. Management emphasized ongoing efforts to strengthen revenue management capabilities, improve coordination between deployment and commercial planning and maintain cost discipline as the company works to improve execution over time.
NCLH’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Norwegian Cruise have gained 10.3% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 14.4%. In the same time frame, other industry players like Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. RCL, Carnival Corporation & plc CCL and OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited OSW have gained 37.2%, 35.8% and 27.2%, respectively.
NCLH One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NCLH stock is currently trading at a discount. It is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 7.86, well below the industry average of 15.44. Industry players, such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival and OneSpaWorld have P/E ratios of 15.41, 10.02 and 18.12, respectively.
NCLH’s P/E Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Norwegian Cruise’s 2026 earnings per share has declined in the past 30 days.
EPS Trend of NCLH Stock
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The company is likely to report solid earnings, with projections indicating a 19.4% rise in 2026. Industry players like Royal Caribbean, Carnival and OneSpaWorld are likely to witness a jump of 15.7%, 12% and 13.1%, respectively, year over year in 2026 earnings.
NCLH stock has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
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NCLH Guides Flat Net Yields for 2026 Amid Execution Challenges

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Capital Group Dividend Value ETF (Symbol: CGDV) where we have detected an approximate $573.9 million dollar inflow -- that's a 1.9% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 667,300,000 to 680,200,000). Among the largest underlying components of CGDV, in trading today Royal Caribbean Group (Symbol: RCL) is down about 0.5%, International Paper Co (Symbol: IP) is off about 0.8%, and Halliburton Company (Symbol: HAL) is higher by about 1.2%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the CGDV Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of CGDV, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, CGDV's low point in its 52 week range is $30.94 per share, with $46.005 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $44.41. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Also see:
Stock Options Channel
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding ITDF
AXGT Insider Buying
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Notable ETF Inflow Detected - CGDV, RCL, IP, HAL

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. RCL continues to demonstrate strong operating momentum, supported by solid demand for cruise vacations and disciplined execution across its business. The company generated adjusted EBITDA of more than $7 billion in 2025, marking a 17.6% year-over-year increase. The growth was backed by strong demand for its vacation experiences and operational performance across its portfolio of brands.
Royal Caribbean expects profitability to continue improving in 2026. The company projects adjusted EBITDA to come in slightly below $8 billion, representing about 13% growth year over year. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $17.70-$18.10, reflecting approximately 14% growth compared with the 2025 levels. Capacity is projected to increase about 6.7% as new ships enter service and recently delivered vessels contribute for the full year.
Demand trends remain supportive of this outlook. Management stated that roughly two-thirds of the company’s 2026 inventory has already been booked at higher rates, with booked load factors remaining within historical ranges. Booking activity has been strong across all commercial channels, including direct-to-consumer platforms.
Royal Caribbean emphasizes expanding its vacation offerings through new ships, exclusive destinations and technology investments designed to enhance guest experiences. The company is optimistic and anticipates the initiatives to support its strategy of growing capacity, maintaining pricing strength and expanding margins over time.
How RCL Stacks Up to Competitors
Two major competitors of Royal Caribbean Group are Carnival Corporation & plc CCL and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. NCLH, both of which are also pursuing profitability growth and operational improvements.
Carnival reported strong financial momentum in 2025, delivering record results across revenues, yields, operating income and EBITDA. The company generated more than $3 billion in net income and expects approximately $7.6 billion in EBITDA in 2026, supported by continued yield improvement and disciplined cost management. Carnival also highlighted strong booking trends, with about two-thirds of 2026 sailings already booked at historically high prices.
Norwegian Cruise is focusing on improving operational execution while maintaining cost discipline. In 2025, the company generated $2.73 billion in adjusted EBITDA, up 11% year over year, while adjusted EPS rose 19% to $2.11. However, management noted that certain deployment and commercial execution challenges have created near-term pressure on yields. Norwegian Cruise expects 2026 net yields to remain roughly flat.
Overall, Royal Caribbean’s projected EBITDA growth toward the $8 billion level places it ahead of peers in profitability expansion, suggesting the company may continue to benefit from strong demand and pricing power as the cruise industry grows.
RCL’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Royal Caribbean have gained 37.5% in the past year compared with the industry’s 13% growth.
RCL Stock’s One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, RCL trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 15.33, below the industry’s average of 15.64.
RCL’s P/E Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL’s 2026 earnings implies a year-over-year uptick of 15.7%. The EPS estimates for 2026 have increased in the past 60 days.
EPS Trend of RCL Stock
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
RCL’s Zacks Rank
RCL stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

RCL's EBITDA Nears $8B Target: How Strong Is the Profitability Story?

Key Points
CrowdStrike is a leading cybersecurity company with an agentic-AI flagship product called Falcon.
Falcon is an end-to-end cybersecurity program that becomes more effective the more customers use it.
The company is demonstrating incredible growth and has a strong financial position.
It was either former FBI Director Robert Mueller or former Cisco CEO who once said, "There are two types of companies: those that have been hacked, and those that don't know they've been hacked."
That statement is doubly true in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), which has simultaneously lowered the barrier for prospective cybercriminals and allowed them to launch more attacks faster than ever before.
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It used to be that someone launching a phishing attack needed to learn the language spoken within the company they wanted to hack to compose a convincing email or message. Now, any AI program can compose a message that sounds like it came from a native speaker of any widely used language.
And, as reported by the subject of this article, CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ: CRWD), AI threats have increased the number of cyberattacks by 89%.
Fortunately, CrowdStrike is aware of all the cybersecurity problems caused by AI, and this software-as-a-service (SaaS) company offers solutions to protect the data and networks of its clients.
A digital bird of prey
The company's flagship product, called Falcon, combines 33 different security modules into one single agentic-AI driven platform. Formerly, companies and individuals needed to purchase numerous different pieces of security software for things like identity verification, cloud security, or antivirus use.
But Falcon puts all of those into a single program that doesn't require any extra hardware for the customer, prevents important security data from being siloed, and eliminates friction from different applications and programs trying to communicate with one another.
CrowdStrike's management is also quick to point out in its latest presentation that it's potentially far cheaper and easier for companies to only have to pay CrowdStrike for its cybersecurity apps and not to pay for and manage dozens of different subscriptions.
Given the threats posed by AI, cybersecurity is an incredibly large and growing market. CrowdStrike assessed that its total addressable market was worth $149 billion in 2026 and estimates that it will more than double to $325 billion by 2030.
The company works a little differently from a conventional antivirus program. It forms a global network of all the sensors installed on the networks of its clients.
Those sensors scan constantly for strange behavior. It's always observing the network, unlike older-generation antivirus software that runs periodic scans.
Falcon also actively seeks out threats and in-progress attacks rather than waiting for a potential breach to be completed before the program becomes aware of it.
Even more interesting, it takes into account data across all the networks it's installed across so the larger CrowdStrike's customer base, the more data Falcon has to operate on, and the more effective it potentially becomes.
Speaking of which, the company's clients include some real heavy hitters in business and government like Target, Salesforce, Ericsson, the City of Las Vegas, the State of Oklahoma, and Royal Caribbean Cruises.
AI platforms are only as good as the data they're trained on. And Falcon has data from all of CrowdStrike's customers. So, a cyberattack might get through on one node in its network, but once the program learns of the attack, expanding its training data in a way, it will have an easier time identifying the same attack across its network.
So, all that raises the question of how well Falcon works. And I think CrowdStrike's balance sheet speaks volumes to the efficacy of its product.
Secure networks, secure profits
CrowdStrike had an incredible end to its fiscal 2026 (reported on March 3).
For the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2026, the company saw its annual recurring revenue (ARR) grow 24% year over year to $5.25 billion, of which $330.7 million was new ARR from the quarter. Total revenue for the quarter was $1.31 billion, up 23% over the year-ago fourth quarter. Most of that came from subscription revenue, which also grew 23% over the year-ago fourth quarter to total $1.24 billion.
For the full year, revenue grew 22% above 2025 to $4.81 billion, again, mostly driven by subscription revenue, which increased 21% over 2025 .
The company has a very high gross profit margin of 78% at present, but it is still running a net loss. CrowdStrike's growth and strong cash position make up for that, and with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18% I'm not particularly concerned about its financial health.
Give it a look if you want to play the cybersecurity angle of the AI revolution. In this case, it pays to go with the crowd.
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James Hires has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends CrowdStrike, Salesforce, and Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Cybersecurity Market Is Set to Double to $300 Billion by 2030. Here's the Best Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock to Buy Now.

U.S. stocks ended sharply lower on Friday, extending their losses as oil prices surged 12%, due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, while a disappointing jobs report dented investors’ sentiment. All three major indexes ended in negative territory.
How Did The Benchmarks Perform?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) fell 1% or 453.19 points, to finish at 47,501.55 points, after losing as much as 950 points at its session lows.
The S&P 500 slid 1.3%, to close at 6,740 points, recording its worst week since mid-October. Tech, industrials, and consumer discretionary stocks were the worst performers, while consumer staples stocks were the biggest gainer
The Information Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) slid 2.9%. The Industrials Select Sector SPDR (XLI) lost 2.1%. The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) also declined 2.1%. The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) gained 0.4% each. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) climbed 1.9%. Nine out of the 11 sectors of the benchmark index ended in negative territory.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 1.6%, to end at 22,387.68 points.
The fear gauge, CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), was up 24.17% to 29.49. A total of 19.95 billion shares were traded on Friday, higher than the last 20-session average of 17.82 billion.
Middle East Crisis Triggers Spike in Oil Prices
Oil prices spiked further on Friday as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalated. West Texas Intermediate crude oil jumped past $90 per barrel, ending 35% higher for the week. International Brent surged nearly 8.5% to $92 per barrel. The spike in oil prices came as the U.S.-Iran war intensified, raising questions about global energy supply.
Friday’s jump came after President Donald Trump wrote on social media that there would be no deal with Iran unless Tehran agrees to an “unconditional surrender.” With no signs of the United States or Iran stopping attacks, the war is believed to last longer than expected. Speculation is also rife that oil prices could reach as high as $150 a barrel.
Shares of travel and transportation companies suffered the most on Friday on fears that the war could disrupt global oil supply. Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) fell 1.2%, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) declined 4.2%. Royal Caribbean Cruises has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Weak Jobs Report Dents Investors’ Sentiment
To make things worse, a weaker-than-expected jobs report dented investors’ sentiment. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the U.S. economy lost jobs in February. Nonfarm payrolls fell 92,000 last month, sharply higher than the consensus estimate of a decline of 50,000.
This is the third time that nonfarm payrolls have declined in the past five months. Also, the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% in February. The health care sector, one of the biggest job creators in the economy, saw a decline of 28,000 jobs triggered by a massive strike.
The jobs report will now complicate the Federal Reserve’s path to rate cuts, with many concerned about whether the central bank will cut rates at all due to fears of inflationary pressures.
Economic Data
Although job losses and unemployment increased in February, the Labor Department’s report showed that average hourly earnings increased 0.4% in February and 3.8% from year-ago levels, both surpassing estimates by 0.1%.
Weekly Roundup
For the week, the Dow ended 3% lower. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were down 2% and 1.2%, respectively.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

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