Carnival trades at a forward PE multiple4 of 16, with a forecast long-term growth rate of around 16% per year.5 This is an attractive trade off, in my opinion, particularly given the great dynamics of an industry riding the powerful, long-term currents of mass affluence and aging.
Gregory Jette, an analyst at Jefferies in Paris, said Friday the company lacked mid-term prospects and the critical mass, possessed by the large players of the industry such as L'Oreal, to achieve substantial growth.