Carnival Corporation & plc announced financial results for the third quarter ended August 31, 2019 and provided an outlook for the full year, fourth quarter 2019 and 2020.
Key Highlights
- U.S. GAAP net income of $1.8 billion, or $2.58 diluted EPS, for the third quarter of 2019, higher than U.S. GAAP net income for the third quarter of 2018 of $1.7 billion, or $2.41 diluted EPS.
- Third quarter 2019 adjusted net income of $1.8 billion, or $2.63 adjusted EPS, higher than adjusted net income of $1.7 billion, or $2.36 adjusted EPS, for the third quarter of 2018.
- Adjusted net income excludes net charges of $39 million for the third quarter of 2019 and net gains of $34 million for the third quarter of 2018.
- Total revenues for the third quarter of 2019 were $6.5 billion, higher than the $5.8 billion in the prior year.
- Gross cruise revenues of $6.3 billion compared to $5.7 billion for the prior year.
- In constant currency, net cruise revenues of $5.0 billion compared to $4.7 billion for the prior year, an increase of 5.3 percent.
- The company expects full year 2019 adjusted earnings per share to be in the range of $4.23 to $4.27, reflecting recent fuel price increases, compared to June guidance of $4.25 to $4.35 and 2018 adjusted earnings per share of $4.26.
Third Quarter 2019 Results
Key information for the third quarter of 2019 compared to the third quarter of 2018:
- Gross revenue yields (revenue per available lower berth day or “ALBD”) increased 5.6 percent. In constant currency, net revenue yields decreased 0.5 percent, in line with June guidance of down slightly to flat.
- Gross cruise costs including fuel per ALBD increased 9.4 percent. In constant currency, net cruise costs excluding fuel per ALBD decreased 3.2 percent, better than June guidance of up 0.5 to 1.5 percent, due to the timing of expenses between quarters and cost improvements realized during the quarter.
- Changes in fuel prices increased earnings by $0.07 per share, offset by a decrease in earnings due to changes in currency exchange rates of $0.07 per share compared to the prior year. Compared to June guidance, changes in fuel prices and currency exchange rates decreased earnings by $0.03 per share.
Highlights from the third quarter included Carnival Cruise Line’s partnership with Thrillist to create Island Hoppers, the first-ever comedy competition show at sea. Princess Cruises announced Phantom Bridge, a first-of-its-kind game combining digital and physical elements for the ultimate immersive escape room, which will launch onboard Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess. AIDAnova was the first-ever cruise ship to be awarded the prestigious Blue Angel certification for excellence in environmentally friendly ship design by Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment. Additionally, during the quarter, the company released its 2018 Sustainability Report, detailing the key initiatives and progress made in 2018 toward its 2020 sustainability performance goals.