Future sales of our common stock by us or our existing shareholders, or the perception in the public markets that these sales may occur, may depress our share price.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market after this offering, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline and may make it more difficult for you to sell your shares at a time and price that you deem appropriate.
We and our executive officers and directors and their affiliates have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters under which we and they have agreed, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell, directly or indirectly, any of their shares of common stock without the permission of BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC for a period of 60 days following the date of this prospectus supplement. We refer to such period as the lock-up period. When the lock-up period expires, we, our executive officers and directors and their affiliates will be able to sell common stock in the public market, subject to compliance with applicable securities laws restrictions. In addition, BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC may in their sole discretion, release all or some portion of the shares of common stock subject to lock-up agreements at any time and for any reason. Sales of a substantial number of such shares of common stock upon expiration of the lock-up or otherwise, the perception that such sales may occur, or early release of these agreements, could cause the market price of our common stock to fall or make it more difficult for you to sell your notes at a time and price that you deem appropriate.
If securities analysts do not publish research or reports about our business or if they publish negative, or inaccurate, evaluations of our stock, the price of our stock and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock may be impacted, in part, by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. There can be no assurance that analysts will cover us, continue to cover us or provide favorable coverage. If one or more analysts downgrade our stock or change their opinion of our stock, our share price may decline. In addition, if one or more analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price or trading volume to decline.
We do not expect to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future.
You should not rely on an investment in our common stock to provide dividend income. Because of our liquidity management and the dividend restrictions in the indenture governing the Senior Secured Notes, we are suspending the payment of dividends on the common stock of Carnival Corporation or the ordinary shares of Carnival plc,and we do not anticipate that we will pay any cash dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Instead, we plan to retain any earnings to maintain our operations. In addition to the Senior Secured Notes, any future debt financing arrangement may contain terms prohibiting or limiting the amount of dividends that may be declared or paid on our common stock. Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any return on their investment. As a result, investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our common stock.
Ownership and transfer restrictions in our charter may impair the ability of purchasers of shares of common stock in this offering to hold or transfer their shares.
In general, under Section 883 of the Internal Revenue Code, certain non-U.S. corporations (such as our North American cruise ship businesses) are not subject to U.S. federal income tax or branch profits tax on U.S. source income derived from, or incidental to, the international operation of a ship or ships. Applicable U.S. Treasury regulations provide in general that a foreign corporation will qualify for the benefits of Section 883 if, in relevant part, (i) the foreign country in which the foreign corporation is organized grants an equivalent exemption to corporations organized in the U.S. in respect of each category of shipping income for which an
S-22