Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Carnival CCL.
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with CCL, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 23 options trades for Carnival.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 39% bullish and 52%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $57,000, and 22, calls, for a total amount of $1,627,170.
Projected Price Targets
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $17.5 to $32.0 for Carnival over the last 3 months.
Analyzing Volume & Open Interest
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Carnival's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Carnival's whale activity within a strike price range from $17.5 to $32.0 in the last 30 days.
Carnival Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Largest Options Trades Observed:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCL | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 01/17/25 | $7.95 | $7.95 | $7.95 | $17.50 | $397.5K | 26.0K | 519 |
| CCL | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 01/17/25 | $8.0 | $7.95 | $8.0 | $17.50 | $394.4K | 26.0K | 1.0K |
| CCL | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 01/17/25 | $5.65 | $5.5 | $5.6 | $20.00 | $112.0K | 25.5K | 567 |
| CCL | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 01/17/25 | $7.1 | $7.05 | $7.1 | $19.00 | $110.0K | 8.3K | 182 |
| CCL | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 12/19/25 | $4.55 | $4.45 | $4.45 | $25.00 | $65.8K | 7.3K | 1 |
About Carnival
Carnival is the largest global cruise company, with more than 90 ships in service at the end of fiscal 2024. Its portfolio of brands includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; Aida in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe. It's currently folding its P&O Australia brand into Carnival. The firm also owns Holland America Princess Alaska Tours in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Carnival's brands attracted 14 million guests in 2024.
In light of the recent options history for Carnival, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
Where Is Carnival Standing Right Now?
- Currently trading with a volume of 14,963,223, the CCL's price is up by 4.01%, now at $26.05.
- RSI readings suggest the stock is currently is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.
- Anticipated earnings release is in 68 days.
Professional Analyst Ratings for Carnival
In the last month, 3 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $29.333333333333332.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access. * An analyst from Morgan Stanley has decided to maintain their Underweight rating on Carnival, which currently sits at a price target of $22. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Stifel keeps a Buy rating on Carnival with a target price of $34. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Barclays keeps a Overweight rating on Carnival with a target price of $32.
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Carnival options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.
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