Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) vs Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL)
RCL leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though LOW is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Lowe's Companies, Inc. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 26, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
LOW
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
$221.93Consumer Cyclical
RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
$322.65Consumer Cyclical
Total return — LOW vs RCL
growth of $100 · last 30yLOW +4831.8%RCL +2204.6%LOW compounded faster
LOW RCL
LOW vs RCL: by the numbers
- •LOW is the larger company ($124.44B vs $86.53B market cap).
- •LOW trades at the lower earnings multiple (18.76 vs 19.69 P/E).
- •RCL converts more revenue to profit (24.39% vs 7.51% net margin).
- •RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (142.80% vs -1.28% CAGR).
- •LOW pays the higher dividend yield (2.16% vs 1.55%).
Which is better, LOW or RCL?
Metric tally: LOW 7 · RCL 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueLOW(lower P/E)
GrowthRCL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeLOW(higher dividend yield)
QualityLOW(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | LOW | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 18.76● | 19.69 |
| Forward P/E | 16.52 | 16.17● |
| P/S ratio | 1.41● | 4.76 |
| P/B ratio | — | 8.91 |
| PEG ratio | 1.37 | 0.41● |
| EV / EBITDA | 13.66● | 15.05 |
| FCF yield | 6.13%● | 1.57% |
Profitability
| Metric | LOW | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 33.80% | 47.23%● |
| Operating margin | 11.55% | 27.88%● |
| Net margin | 7.51% | 24.39%● |
| ROE | -67.10% | 45.71%● |
| ROIC | 20.42%● | 14.90% |
Dividends
| Metric | LOW | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.16%● | 1.55% |
| Payout ratio | 40.44% | 31.79% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | LOW | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -1.28% | 142.80%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 13.72%● | 9.81% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -3.63% | 11.57%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 4.84% | 30.05%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, LOW or RCL?
- It depends on your goal. value: LOW (lower P/E); growth: RCL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: LOW (higher dividend yield); quality: LOW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, RCL leads 9 to 7.
- Is LOW or RCL cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, LOW is cheaper: LOW trades at a 18.76 P/E and RCL at 19.69.
- Which has grown faster, LOW or RCL?
- Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — LOW at a -1.28% CAGR versus RCL at 142.80%.
- Does LOW or RCL pay a bigger dividend?
- LOW yields 2.16% and RCL yields 1.55% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is LOW or RCL more profitable?
- RCL runs the higher net margin — LOW at 7.51% versus RCL at 24.39%.
- Which has been the better investment, LOW or RCL?
- Over the past 10-year, RCL delivered the higher annualized total return — LOW at 13.24% versus RCL at 17.89%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Lowe's Companies P/E ratioRoyal Caribbean Cruises P/E ratioLowe's Companies dividend yieldRoyal Caribbean Cruises dividend yieldLowe's Companies ROERoyal Caribbean Cruises ROELowe's Companies operating marginRoyal Caribbean Cruises operating marginLowe's Companies revenue growthRoyal Caribbean Cruises revenue growthLowe's Companies free cash flowRoyal Caribbean Cruises free cash flow
Lowe's Companies & 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 26, 2026.