Truist cuts Norwegian Cruise Line to Hold on rising promotional activity

Investing.com -- Truist Securities downgraded Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) to Hold from Buy on Thursday, citing the stock's approach to the firm's $20 price target and a rise in promotional activity across the mass-market cruise segment.

Analyst C. Patrick Scholes told investors in a note that Truist's July demand and price survey pointed to further pressure on yields in the second half of 2026 and now the first quarter of 2027.

The call was said to have been based on conversations with senior travel industry executives and analysis of forward cruise booking and pricing data.

Truist attributed booking softness from May through mid-June to hantavirus rather than the US-Iran conflict.

Following Carnival Corp.'s modest second-half yield guidance reduction, the firm expects a similar scenario at Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, neither of which would have anticipated the slowdown when guiding at first-quarter earnings. Truist also said it is difficult to see upside to consensus 2027 yield expectations of 2.5% to 3.5%.

The bank flagged a sizable pickup in discounting for fall 2026 and winter 2026-2027 Caribbean sailings, most notably Norwegian's semi-annual sale, which it described as "the most aggressive post-Covid outside of Black Friday promos."

Such activity is "never a good sign for a company or the industry," Scholes said.

Separately, Truist raised its Carnival price target to $31 from $29 on lower fuel and depreciation assumptions, keeping a Hold rating.

River and luxury demand is said to remain very strong, according to the firm, which believes the "wealth effect is still in full effect." The firm reiterated a Buy rating on Viking Holdings.

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