Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT) vs Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL)
RCL leads on 13 of 16 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 25, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
HLT
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
$343.30Consumer Cyclical
RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
$320.95Consumer Cyclical
Total return — HLT vs RCL
growth of $100 · last 13yHLT +678.3%RCL +638.5%HLT compounded faster
HLT RCL
HLT vs RCL: by the numbers
- •RCL is the larger company ($86.08B vs $78.15B market cap).
- •RCL trades at the lower earnings multiple (19.58 vs 52.41 P/E).
- •RCL converts more revenue to profit (24.39% vs 12.56% net margin).
- •RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (142.80% vs 30.37% CAGR).
- •RCL pays the higher dividend yield (1.56% vs 0.17%).
Which is better, HLT or RCL?
Metric tally: HLT 3 · RCL 13It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueRCL(lower P/E)
GrowthRCL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeRCL(higher dividend yield)
QualityRCL(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | HLT | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 52.41 | 19.58● |
| Forward P/E | 33.06 | 16.09● |
| P/S ratio | 6.49 | 4.73● |
| P/B ratio | — | 8.87 |
| PEG ratio | 4.24 | 0.41● |
| EV / EBITDA | 30.65 | 14.98● |
| FCF yield | 2.71%● | 1.58% |
Profitability
| Metric | HLT | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 44.29% | 47.23%● |
| Operating margin | 23.08% | 27.88%● |
| Net margin | 12.56% | 24.39%● |
| ROE | -27.04% | 45.71%● |
| ROIC | 11.29% | 14.90%● |
Dividends
| Metric | HLT | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.17% | 1.56%● |
| Payout ratio | 9.71% | 31.79% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | HLT | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 30.37% | 142.80%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 12.36%● | 9.81% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 45.28%● | 11.57% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 22.82% | 30.58%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, HLT or RCL?
- It depends on your goal. value: RCL (lower P/E); growth: RCL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: RCL (higher dividend yield); quality: RCL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, RCL leads 13 to 3.
- Is HLT or RCL cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, RCL is cheaper: HLT trades at a 52.41 P/E and RCL at 19.58.
- Which has grown faster, HLT or RCL?
- Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — HLT at a 30.37% CAGR versus RCL at 142.80%.
- Does HLT or RCL pay a bigger dividend?
- HLT yields 0.17% and RCL yields 1.56% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is HLT or RCL more profitable?
- RCL runs the higher net margin — HLT at 12.56% versus RCL at 24.39%.
- Which has been the better investment, HLT or RCL?
- Over the past 10-year, HLT delivered the higher annualized total return — HLT at 23.13% versus RCL at 17.83%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Hilton Worldwide P/E ratioRoyal Caribbean Cruises P/E ratioHilton Worldwide dividend yieldRoyal Caribbean Cruises dividend yieldHilton Worldwide ROERoyal Caribbean Cruises ROEHilton Worldwide operating marginRoyal Caribbean Cruises operating marginHilton Worldwide revenue growthRoyal Caribbean Cruises revenue growthHilton Worldwide free cash flowRoyal Caribbean Cruises free cash flow
Hilton Worldwide & 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 June 25, 2026.