Second Wave of Coronavirus Cases Has Investors Rethinking Cruise Ship Stocks
Across the board, cruise companies were tossed around on Monday amid concerns that a potential second wave of coronavirus infections could stifle business.
Across the board, cruise companies were tossed around on Monday amid concerns that a potential second wave of coronavirus infections could stifle business. Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL | CCL Price Prediction), Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) each saw their stocks take a dip to start out the week as global economies are starting to reopen.
It’s no secret that the cruise industry was perhaps the biggest loser from the COVID-19 pandemic. As the markets recovered over the course of April, the cruise stocks saw a boost as well. However, concerns about reopening the economy too soon could crush any hope at recovery for these cruise line operators.
Florida happens to be a major hub for these cruise ships, and the state economy is in the process of reopening, so one would think this should be good news for cruise stocks. In fact, Florida is coming off of its deadliest week on record since the coronavirus pandemic hit the state.
The Florida Department of Health reported an additional 595 new cases of COVID-19 from Saturday to Sunday. This brings the total number of infections to 40,596. Also since last Monday, the state has reported an average of 55 new deaths each day.
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Considering this, a reopening presents problems for these companies. Some cruises have planned target dates for reopening.
Carnival stock traded down about 1.5% to $14.00 on Monday, in a 52-week range of $13.64 to $14.29. The consensus price target is $23.83. In the past month alone, the stock was up about 18.5%. Over the past week, shares are up 2%.
Royal Caribbean stock was down nearly 3% at $38.80, within a 52-week range of $19.25 to $135.32. The consensus price target is $79.46. Excluding Monday’s move, the stock was down 6% in the past month. In the past week, the stock was down 2%.
Norwegian Cruise stock traded down 4%, at $11.91 in a 52-week range of $11.52 to $12.28. The consensus analyst target is $30.54. The stock was up 6% in the past month. However, shares were down 10% in the past week.
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Chris Lange is a financial and geopolitical writer with more than a decade of experience covering a myriad of topics. He has published thousands of articles for 24/7 Wall St., with past coverage focused heavily on stocks, IPOs, healthcare, defense, global affairs, and technology.
His work has been quoted, or referenced by a number of outlets including Business Insider, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, MSN, The Motley Fool, and many other publications. A graduate of Southwestern University, he studied business with a focus on investments and has previous experience in banking and startups.
When not reading or writing the news, he is following his passion for Lacrosse, playing chess, or building solar projects with his dad.
