NIKE, Inc. (NKE) vs Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL)

A side-by-side comparison of NIKE, Inc. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of August 23, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.

Compare

Total returnNKE vs RCL

growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10y
NKE -20.7% (-2.3%/yr)RCL +371.5% (+16.8%/yr)RCL compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001kStart $10020182020202220242026$79$471
NKE RCL

NKE vs RCL: by the numbers

  • RCL is the larger company ($78.31B vs $60.32B market cap).
  • RCL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (18.05 vs 19.41 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
  • RCL converts more revenue to profit (23.56% vs 6.70% net margin).
  • RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (188.60% vs 0.82% CAGR).
  • NKE pays the higher dividend yield (4.00% vs 1.71%).

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricNKERCL
P/E ratio19.4118.05
Forward P/E27.1816.42
P/S ratio1.304.22
P/B ratio4.077.70
EV / EBITDA14.0414.90
FCF yield3.61%1.66%

Profitability

MetricNKERCL
Gross margin42.91%46.64%
Operating margin8.19%27.32%
Net margin6.70%23.56%
ROE20.91%43.01%
ROIC10.87%14.59%

Dividends

MetricNKERCL
Dividend yield4.00%1.71%
Payout ratio77.62%31.79%

Growth (annualized)

MetricNKERCL
Revenue CAGR (5Y)0.82%188.60%
EPS CAGR (5Y)-10.42%9.81%
FCF CAGR (5Y)-18.20%11.57%
Total return CAGR (5Y)-23.38%30.86%

Frequently asked

Which has the lower trailing P/E, NKE or RCL?
RCL has the lower trailing P/E: NKE trades at 19.41 and RCL at 18.05. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
Which has grown faster, NKE or RCL?
Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — NKE at a 0.82% CAGR versus RCL at 188.60%.
Does NKE or RCL pay a bigger dividend?
NKE yields 4.00% and RCL yields 1.71% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is NKE or RCL more profitable?
RCL runs the higher net margin — NKE at 6.70% versus RCL at 23.56%.
How have NKE and RCL total returns compared?
Over the past 10 years, NKE delivered -2.28% and RCL delivered 16.82% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

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 August 23, 2026.