Pumping the Brakes? Analysts Take on Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL)

When monitoring analyst ratings, investors can use the average brokerage recommendation score to determine the consensus view on the stock. The ABR is an average of the recommendations offered by research firms on a given equity. The ABR rank is displayed in the range of 1 to 5 where 1 indicates a Strong Buy and a rating of 5 represents a Strong Sell. While tracking shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL), we have noted that the current average broker rating is currently 1.43. Going further, we can see that 11 Wall Street analysts have given the stock a Strong Buy or Buy rating, based on analysts polled by Zacks Research.

Investors may need to sometimes be reminded of the risks involved with stock market investing. Figuring out the individual capacity for risk may involve gauging the possible impact that real losses can have not only on the stock portfolio, but the investor’s mindset as well. Preparing for risk before jumping into the market can help put things in perspective. Investors who wait until holdings suddenly start dropping may be in for quite a shock when things go haywire. Many risk related errors can be addressed with proper calculations up front. Being aware of risk and managing the portfolio accordingly can be a big factor in the long-standing success of the investor.

Shifting gears, we can see that the current quarter EPS consensus estimate for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) is 2.5. This EPS estimate is using 7 sell-side analysts polled by Zacks Research. For the prior reporting period, the company posted a quarterly EPS of 1.53. As we move through earnings season, all eyes will be on the company to see if they can beat analyst estimates and show improvement from the last quarter. When a company reports actual earnings numbers, the surprise factor can cause a stock price to realize increased activity. Investors and analysts will be closely watching to see how the earnings results impact the stock after the next release. Many investors will decide to be cautious around earnings releases and delay buy/sell moves until after the stock price has steadied.

Viewing some popular support and resistance marks on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL), we can see that the 52-week high is presently $132.14, and the 52-week low is currently $89.48. When the stock is trading near the 52-week high or 52-week low, investors may be on the lookout for a potential break through the level. Looking at recent action, we can see that the stock has been trading near the $121.16 level. Investors may also want to track historical price activity. Over the past 12 weeks, the stock has changed 0.92%. Looking further back to the beginning of the calendar year, we note that shares have moved 23.9%. Over the previous 4 weeks, shares have seen a change of 7.75%. Over the last 5 trading sessions, the stock has moved 0.14%. Investors will be monitoring stock activity over the next few days to try and gauge which way the momentum is shifting.

Successful investors are typically well aware of portfolio holdings at any given time. They tend to regularly review the portfolio to make sure that the combination of stocks is in line with goals and contributing to the outlined strategy. There may be times when everything seems to be in order after a thorough portfolio review. Other times, there may be a few changes that can be made. Maybe there are one or two names that have been over performing providing a big boost to the portfolio. On the other end, there could be a few stocks that are impacting the portfolio in a negative way and they may need to be addressed. Although constant portfolio monitoring may not be overly necessary for longer-term investors, regular portfolio examination is generally considered to be a good idea.