Carnival Stock

[lottiegreen56]

Given that amazon barely edged Carnival in net income last year ($3B to $2.6B) I look at quantitative statistics like valuation and P/E and think amazon is overvalued on a relative measure. That said, it's obvious amazon will succeed in the future, but given their diversified business model they will not likely grow the share price like some other popular growth stocks.

 

 

Amazon's biggest risk is the regulators or Bezos dying.

[Badfinger]

Your hindsight is amazingly accurate. Now please tells us specifically what stocks will show guaranteed huge growth over the next 5 years, Percentages and accurate numbers would be appreciated.

 

How would I benefit by telling you that? Do your own homework. But given the S&P is up about 13% the last 12 months and CCL is down about 12% in that same time frame, you can rest assured CCL, even with its $100 OBC that requires one to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to claim, won’t be on my investment short list.

[IntrepidFromDC]

Originally posted by NavarreCruiser

Your hindsight is amazingly accurate. Now please tells us specifically what stocks will show guaranteed huge growth over the next 5 years, Percentages and accurate numbers would be appreciated.

 

Badfinger:

How would I benefit by telling you that?

Captain Obvious: If you bought the stock and then create more demand by sharing that information with others (ala Jim Cramer) you can create additional demand for the stock, which, all other things being equal, will result in an increase in the value assuming people act on it and execute market orders. Since you were already in, you benefit by the increase in the share price.

[TX_Wyldcat]

How are your parents getting $500 for two cruises? Are they 14 days or longer?

 

They are doing a 14 day Alaskan in a couple weeks and then an 18 day to Hawaii in November. They have become hard core cruisers on Holland America and just got back from a six week trip that was three cruises, transatlantic, Nordic, then Celtic Isles. They are doing a transatlantic then two Med cruises next year so far.

[NavarreCruiser]

How would I benefit by telling you that? Do your own homework. But given the S&P is up about 13% the last 12 months and CCL is down about 12% in that same time frame, you can rest assured CCL, even with its $100 OBC that requires one to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to claim, won’t be on my investment short list.

 

You can't tell me that, because you, like everyone else, have only opinions where and when the market is headed! Carnival stock represents less than 1/2 of 1% of my portfolio, but I paid $3.600 for 101 shares in August 2008. With reinvested dividends that holding is worth $7,350 today. And I have received thousands of dollars of tax-free OBC for the 70+Carnival cruises I have taken since then. I have holdings that have done better and worse, but I will continue to own this stock.

[Badfinger]

You can't tell me that, because you, like everyone else, have only opinions where and when the market is headed! Carnival stock represents less than 1/2 of 1% of my portfolio, but I paid $3.600 for 101 shares in August 2008. With reinvested dividends that holding is worth $7,350 today. And I have received thousands of dollars of tax-free OBC for the 70+Carnival cruises I have taken since then. I have holdings that have done better and worse, but I will continue to own this stock.

 

Not sure what you are saying that "I cannot tell you that" Of course I can tell you the Carnival is not on my short list of stocks to own. Never will be. That is an absolute truth. As for individual stocks, of course I don't KNOW what is going to happen. However, I have been investing in a limited number of individual stocks for 25+ years and have done much much better than the averages. I can only handle the homework for 5-6 stocks which is why I limit the number I own. I refuse to buy an mutual funds as I don't want to accept less than market returns. My current portfolio of 7 stocks (pretty high numbers for me..one tech, one medical, two retail, one financial, one entertainment and one holding company) has returned an average of 34% since Jan 1, 2018 as of close today (that includes one clunker that is down 3%). Compare this to the S&P of 4.7%. Or CCL at -12% (yes...minus). The average share price of my 7 holdings is $493 as of close today, so I doubt the Cruise Critic crowd would be flocking to buy them if I was to divulge them (I have actually given you enough information to figure them out). I have owned 3 of these more than 8 years, 2 of them more than four years, 1 for two years and 1 for about 10 months. Yeah a guy can easily hit on one or two stocks. Three or four if you are lucky. Five to six would mean a deal with the devil. But 7..yeah I must the be luckiest guy on the planet be because as you said, I only have opinions (as opposed to smarts and discipline I guess). Enjoy your ownership of CCL and all the good times and feelings that come from supporting a company you like...I really mean that...no sarcasm intended.

[skiorcruise]

Peter Lynch always said to invest in what you know. I cruised with Carnival for the first time 13 years ago (after hearing my parents talk about it), and enjoyed the product. At that time, the price was reasonable. Dividends were reasonable for the time. I considered the investment of 100 shares to be reasonable. Not poor, not great, but reasonable. The shipboard credit was not a player in my decision to buy.

 

I have found the investment to be ok over time. Not a great story, it didn't make me rich. Not a bad story, I haven't lost my money. I have held on.

 

The shareholder credit on the many cruises since have been a nice, tax free benefit.

 

Will I retire on Carnival stock? No. Will I lose money with it? No, not considering my low cost basis. Will I sell it? No, not as long as I enjoy cruising and getting a few bucks back to help defray the costs (tax free).

 

Every investor needs to make their own decisions based on their own situation. I would recommend that every individual who cruises with Carnival consider purchasing 100 shares of Carnival stock, but each individual needs to make their own decision.

 

Bottom line - it has worked for me.

[Cafedumonde]

I agree that CCL is not the best place to invest but a lot of people enjoy investing in companies with whom they have a relationhip. I am on the fence about CCL. They definitely have weakness. HAL seems to be one. And there are certain things they need to work on with the Carnival line. Cleanliness is the glaring problem for me. Plus, I wonder if there are too many new ships coming on line in the overall industry. The onboard credit is nice, but not significant.

[MMastell]

I first invested in Carnival just after 9/11 when the stock was at $22. I have bought and sold a number of times and have made a very good ROI. Today I added 500 additional shares of Carnival stock. I do believe it will go up in the next few months but I don't have a magic ball. I only have research and the cruise industry trends to go on.

 

Take care,

Mike