Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL) vs Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL)
A side-by-side comparison of Carnival Corporation & plc and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of September 11, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
CCL
Carnival Corporation & plc
$22.75Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
$260.14Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — CCL vs RCL
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yCCL -40.8% (-5.1%/yr)RCL +341.1% (+16.0%/yr)RCL compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CCL RCL
CCL vs RCL: by the numbers
- •RCL is the larger company ($69.77B vs $31.16B market cap).
- •CCL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (10.25 vs 16.08 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •RCL converts more revenue to profit (23.56% vs 11.24% net margin).
- •RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (188.60% vs 187.56% CAGR).
- •CCL pays the higher dividend yield (2.00% vs 1.92%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CCL | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 10.25 | 16.08 |
| Forward P/E | 10.17 | 14.65 |
| P/S ratio | 1.14 | 3.73 |
| P/B ratio | 2.40 | 6.82 |
| EV / EBITDA | 7.52 | 13.56 |
| FCF yield | 10.27% | N/A |
Profitability
| Metric | CCL | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 34.43% | 46.64% |
| Operating margin | 16.34% | 27.32% |
| Net margin | 11.24% | 23.56% |
| ROE | 23.67% | 43.01% |
| ROIC | 11.08% | 14.59% |
Dividends
| Metric | CCL | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.00% | 1.92% |
| Payout ratio | 20.27% | 30.90% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CCL | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 187.56% | 188.60% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | N/A | 9.81% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 29.08% | 11.57% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 0.07% | 26.76% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, CCL or RCL?
- CCL has the lower trailing P/E: CCL trades at 10.25 and RCL at 16.08. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, CCL or RCL?
- Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — CCL at a 187.56% CAGR versus RCL at 188.60%.
- Does CCL or RCL pay a bigger dividend?
- CCL yields 2.00% and RCL yields 1.92% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CCL or RCL more profitable?
- RCL runs the higher net margin — CCL at 11.24% versus RCL at 23.56%.
- How have CCL and RCL total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, CCL delivered -5.34% and RCL delivered 16.06% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Carnival Corporation P/E ratioRoyal Caribbean Cruises P/E ratioCarnival Corporation dividend yieldRoyal Caribbean Cruises dividend yieldCarnival Corporation ROERoyal Caribbean Cruises ROECarnival Corporation operating marginRoyal Caribbean Cruises operating marginCarnival Corporation revenue growthRoyal Caribbean Cruises revenue growthCarnival Corporation free cash flowRoyal Caribbean Cruises free cash flow
Carnival Corporation & Royal Caribbean Cruises appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified September 11, 2026.