Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT) vs Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL)
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 September 13, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
HLT
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
$308.44Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Sep 22, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
$234.89Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Sep 22, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — HLT vs RCL
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yHLT +578.7% (+21.1%/yr)RCL +324.1% (+15.5%/yr)HLT compounded faster over this window
HLT RCL
HLT vs RCL: by the numbers
- •HLT is the larger company ($69.42B vs $63.00B market cap).
- •RCL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (14.52 vs 45.29 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •RCL converts more revenue to profit (23.56% vs 12.69% net margin).
- •RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (188.60% vs 25.41% CAGR).
- •RCL pays the higher dividend yield (1.92% vs 0.20%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | HLT | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 45.29 | 14.52 |
| Forward P/E | 34.12 | 13.22 |
| P/S ratio | 5.56 | 3.37 |
| P/B ratio | N/A | 6.15 |
| EV / EBITDA | 26.53 | 12.57 |
| FCF yield | 2.87% | N/A |
Profitability
| Metric | HLT | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 44.06% | 46.64% |
| Operating margin | 23.35% | 27.32% |
| Net margin | 12.69% | 23.56% |
| ROE | N/A | 43.01% |
| ROIC | 16.55% | 14.59% |
Dividends
| Metric | HLT | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.20% | 1.92% |
| Payout ratio | 8.81% | 30.90% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | HLT | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 25.41% | 188.60% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 12.36% | 9.81% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 40.73% | 11.57% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 19.49% | 26.81% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, HLT or RCL?
- RCL has the lower trailing P/E: HLT trades at 45.29 and RCL at 14.52. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, HLT or RCL?
- Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — HLT at a 25.41% CAGR versus RCL at 188.60%.
- Does HLT or RCL pay a bigger dividend?
- HLT yields 0.20% and RCL yields 1.92% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is HLT or RCL more profitable?
- RCL runs the higher net margin — HLT at 12.69% versus RCL at 23.56%.
- How have HLT and RCL total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, HLT delivered 21.20% and RCL delivered 16.07% annualized total return. 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 September 13, 2026.