Expedition Cruise Market Continues to Grow Amid Risks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 day ago
0mins
Should l Buy BRO?
Source: CNBC
- Passenger Growth: The global cruise industry serviced a record 37.2 million passengers in 2025, marking a 7.5% increase, with projections suggesting passenger numbers could approach 42 million by 2028, indicating strong growth potential for the expedition cruise segment.
- High-End Travel Demand: According to Travelpod's founder, clients typically spend between $30,000 and $50,000 on remote expedition itineraries, reflecting affluent travelers' desire for unique experiences despite rising costs and inherent risks.
- Increased Medical Awareness: As more travelers recognize the medical risks associated with expedition travel, Global Rescue reported a 30% increase in security membership purchases in 2026, highlighting a growing focus on risk management in travel planning.
- Insurance Coverage Gaps: Experts warn that many travelers underestimate the limitations of medical infrastructure once ships are far from major ports, as traditional insurance may not provide adequate emergency support, leading to potential medical and evacuation costs exceeding $250,000 in remote areas.
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Analyst Views on BRO
Wall Street analysts forecast BRO stock price to rise
13 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
12 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 58.050
Low
73.00
Averages
84.09
High
100.00
Current: 58.050
Low
73.00
Averages
84.09
High
100.00
About BRO
Brown & Brown, Inc. is a diversified insurance agency, wholesale brokerage, insurance programs and service organization that markets and sells insurance products and services, primarily in the property, casualty and employee benefits areas. The Retail segment provides a broad range of insurance products and services to commercial, public and quasi-public entities, and to professional and individual customers, as well as non-insurance warranty services and products through its automobile and recreational vehicle dealer services businesses. The Specialty Distribution segment consists of its programs, wholesale brokerage and specialty businesses. The specialty businesses offer solutions across affinity and administrative services, captives, reinsurance, travel/accident, warranty, and life and health. The wholesale brokerage businesses underwrite and place excess and surplus commercial and personal lines insurance. The programs businesses, which act as managing general underwriters.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Expedition Cruise Market Continues to Grow Amid Risks
- Passenger Growth: The global cruise industry serviced a record 37.2 million passengers in 2025, marking a 7.5% increase, with projections suggesting passenger numbers could approach 42 million by 2028, indicating strong growth potential for the expedition cruise segment.
- High-End Travel Demand: According to Travelpod's founder, clients typically spend between $30,000 and $50,000 on remote expedition itineraries, reflecting affluent travelers' desire for unique experiences despite rising costs and inherent risks.
- Increased Medical Awareness: As more travelers recognize the medical risks associated with expedition travel, Global Rescue reported a 30% increase in security membership purchases in 2026, highlighting a growing focus on risk management in travel planning.
- Insurance Coverage Gaps: Experts warn that many travelers underestimate the limitations of medical infrastructure once ships are far from major ports, as traditional insurance may not provide adequate emergency support, leading to potential medical and evacuation costs exceeding $250,000 in remote areas.
See More
Citi Upgrades Four Insurance Brokers to Buy Amid Sector Opportunities
- Rating Upgrade: Citi has upgraded Marsh & McLennan, Brown & Brown, Arthur J. Gallagher, and Willis Towers Watson from Neutral to Buy, reflecting systemic return opportunities in the sector with each stock offering at least a 15% potential upside.
- Market Outlook: Analyst Matthew Heimermann noted that cyclical growth pressures are expected to ease over the next 2-3 quarters, leading to all covered insurance broker stocks being rated as Buy, indicating a resurgence of market confidence in the industry.
- Potential Returns: Citi estimates a median upside potential of approximately 25% across all brokers' 12-month price targets, suggesting that the market is discounting both organic growth risks and long-term AI concerns, enhancing investment appeal.
- Stock Performance: In pre-market trading on Wednesday, AJG rose 0.73% to $207.31, BRO increased 0.70% to $57.91, MRSH climbed 0.99% to $168.93, and WTW gained 0.74% to $261.40, reflecting positive market sentiment towards these stocks.
See More
Key Wall Street Rating Changes Overview
- LCI Industries Upgrade: Roth upgrades LCI Industries from Hold to Buy with a price target of $164, unchanged, following outsized Q1 EPS, indicating strong profitability that is expected to drive stock price upward.
- VF Corp Upgrade: BTIG raises VF Corp's rating from Neutral to Buy, citing more reasonable estimates reflecting positive outlook for Vans brand, which could enhance market confidence and shareholder returns.
- DaVita's Strong Performance: Deutsche Bank upgrades DaVita from Hold to Buy after reporting Q1 revenues of $3.415 billion, beating consensus by 2.2%, and EPS of $2.87, exceeding expectations by 22.1%, showcasing robust treatment growth and revenue per treatment.
- Monster Beverage Upgrade: Rothschild & Co Redburn upgrades Monster Beverage from Neutral to Buy, highlighting significant international growth potential as the company currently holds only 14% market share, suggesting substantial future market position improvement.
See More
Investment Opportunities with Strong Cash Flow
- Weatherford's Declining Performance: Weatherford (WFRD) has a trailing free cash flow margin of 9.9%, but its sales have decreased by 5.1% annually over the past decade, indicating unfavorable market trends, and its gross margin of 31.7% must be compensated by higher production volumes, leading to growth challenges.
- Accenture's Growth Potential: Accenture (ACN) boasts a free cash flow margin of 17.3%, with a remarkable annual revenue growth of 9.6% over the last five years, suggesting an expanding market share, and its $72.11 billion revenue provides fixed cost leverage to support future growth.
- Brown & Brown's Strong Performance: Brown & Brown (BRO) has an impressive free cash flow margin of 22.3%, with forecasted revenue growth of 11.6% for the next 12 months and an 18.5% annual growth in earnings per share over the past five years, showcasing its competitive edge in the insurance sector.
- Stocks Gaining Market Attention: The current market is increasingly focused on high-quality stocks, and with strong fundamentals combined with near-term momentum, investors can leverage the StockStory platform to identify potential investment opportunities.
See More
BROWN & BROWN INC: RBC Lowers Target Price from $76 to $72
- RBC Cuts Target Price: RBC has reduced its target price for Brown & Brown Inc. from $76 to $72.
- Market Impact: This adjustment reflects changes in market conditions and expectations for the company's performance.
See More
Brown & Brown Reports Strong Q1 2026 Earnings with 35.4% Revenue Growth
- Significant Revenue Growth: Brown & Brown reported total revenues of $1.9 billion for Q1 2026, reflecting a robust 35.4% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance despite flat organic growth, which suggests ongoing efforts to expand market share.
- Improved Profitability: Adjusted earnings per share rose 7.8% to $1.39, while adjusted EBITDAC margin increased by 40 basis points to 38.5%, showcasing the company's success in cost control and operational efficiency, thereby enhancing investor confidence.
- AI Automation Progress: The company is scaling AI agents expected to automate over 25% of the end-to-end submission process, with a billing portal interface already saving more than 50,000 hours annually, highlighting the positive impact of technological investments on operational efficiency.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Management anticipates that while organic growth will remain flat in Q2, improvements are expected in the second half of the year driven by the integration of Accession and new business initiatives, reflecting the company's confidence in future growth.
See More
Expedition Cruise Market Continues to Grow Amid Risks
- Passenger Growth: The global cruise industry serviced a record 37.2 million passengers in 2025, marking a 7.5% increase, with projections suggesting passenger numbers could approach 42 million by 2028, indicating strong growth potential for the expedition cruise segment.
- High-End Travel Demand: According to Travelpod's founder, clients typically spend between $30,000 and $50,000 on remote expedition itineraries, reflecting affluent travelers' desire for unique experiences despite rising costs and inherent risks.
- Increased Medical Awareness: As more travelers recognize the medical risks associated with expedition travel, Global Rescue reported a 30% increase in security membership purchases in 2026, highlighting a growing focus on risk management in travel planning.
- Insurance Coverage Gaps: Experts warn that many travelers underestimate the limitations of medical infrastructure once ships are far from major ports, as traditional insurance may not provide adequate emergency support, leading to potential medical and evacuation costs exceeding $250,000 in remote areas.
See More
Citi Upgrades Four Insurance Brokers to Buy Amid Sector Opportunities
- Rating Upgrade: Citi has upgraded Marsh & McLennan, Brown & Brown, Arthur J. Gallagher, and Willis Towers Watson from Neutral to Buy, reflecting systemic return opportunities in the sector with each stock offering at least a 15% potential upside.
- Market Outlook: Analyst Matthew Heimermann noted that cyclical growth pressures are expected to ease over the next 2-3 quarters, leading to all covered insurance broker stocks being rated as Buy, indicating a resurgence of market confidence in the industry.
- Potential Returns: Citi estimates a median upside potential of approximately 25% across all brokers' 12-month price targets, suggesting that the market is discounting both organic growth risks and long-term AI concerns, enhancing investment appeal.
- Stock Performance: In pre-market trading on Wednesday, AJG rose 0.73% to $207.31, BRO increased 0.70% to $57.91, MRSH climbed 0.99% to $168.93, and WTW gained 0.74% to $261.40, reflecting positive market sentiment towards these stocks.
See More
Key Wall Street Rating Changes Overview
- LCI Industries Upgrade: Roth upgrades LCI Industries from Hold to Buy with a price target of $164, unchanged, following outsized Q1 EPS, indicating strong profitability that is expected to drive stock price upward.
- VF Corp Upgrade: BTIG raises VF Corp's rating from Neutral to Buy, citing more reasonable estimates reflecting positive outlook for Vans brand, which could enhance market confidence and shareholder returns.
- DaVita's Strong Performance: Deutsche Bank upgrades DaVita from Hold to Buy after reporting Q1 revenues of $3.415 billion, beating consensus by 2.2%, and EPS of $2.87, exceeding expectations by 22.1%, showcasing robust treatment growth and revenue per treatment.
- Monster Beverage Upgrade: Rothschild & Co Redburn upgrades Monster Beverage from Neutral to Buy, highlighting significant international growth potential as the company currently holds only 14% market share, suggesting substantial future market position improvement.
See More
Investment Opportunities with Strong Cash Flow
- Weatherford's Declining Performance: Weatherford (WFRD) has a trailing free cash flow margin of 9.9%, but its sales have decreased by 5.1% annually over the past decade, indicating unfavorable market trends, and its gross margin of 31.7% must be compensated by higher production volumes, leading to growth challenges.
- Accenture's Growth Potential: Accenture (ACN) boasts a free cash flow margin of 17.3%, with a remarkable annual revenue growth of 9.6% over the last five years, suggesting an expanding market share, and its $72.11 billion revenue provides fixed cost leverage to support future growth.
- Brown & Brown's Strong Performance: Brown & Brown (BRO) has an impressive free cash flow margin of 22.3%, with forecasted revenue growth of 11.6% for the next 12 months and an 18.5% annual growth in earnings per share over the past five years, showcasing its competitive edge in the insurance sector.
- Stocks Gaining Market Attention: The current market is increasingly focused on high-quality stocks, and with strong fundamentals combined with near-term momentum, investors can leverage the StockStory platform to identify potential investment opportunities.
See More
BROWN & BROWN INC: RBC Lowers Target Price from $76 to $72
- RBC Cuts Target Price: RBC has reduced its target price for Brown & Brown Inc. from $76 to $72.
- Market Impact: This adjustment reflects changes in market conditions and expectations for the company's performance.
See More
Brown & Brown Reports Strong Q1 2026 Earnings with 35.4% Revenue Growth
- Significant Revenue Growth: Brown & Brown reported total revenues of $1.9 billion for Q1 2026, reflecting a robust 35.4% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance despite flat organic growth, which suggests ongoing efforts to expand market share.
- Improved Profitability: Adjusted earnings per share rose 7.8% to $1.39, while adjusted EBITDAC margin increased by 40 basis points to 38.5%, showcasing the company's success in cost control and operational efficiency, thereby enhancing investor confidence.
- AI Automation Progress: The company is scaling AI agents expected to automate over 25% of the end-to-end submission process, with a billing portal interface already saving more than 50,000 hours annually, highlighting the positive impact of technological investments on operational efficiency.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Management anticipates that while organic growth will remain flat in Q2, improvements are expected in the second half of the year driven by the integration of Accession and new business initiatives, reflecting the company's confidence in future growth.
See More
