Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) vs Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST)
RCL leads on 13 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Ross Stores, Inc. 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).
RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
$320.95Consumer Cyclical
ROST
Ross Stores, Inc.
$228.59Consumer Cyclical
Total return — RCL vs ROST
growth of $100 · last 30yRCL +2192.5%ROST +20871.6%ROST compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
RCL ROST
RCL vs ROST: by the numbers
- •RCL is the larger company ($86.08B vs $73.33B market cap).
- •RCL trades at the lower earnings multiple (19.58 vs 31.93 P/E).
- •RCL converts more revenue to profit (24.39% vs 9.74% net margin).
- •RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (142.80% vs 9.35% CAGR).
- •RCL pays the higher dividend yield (1.56% vs 0.74%).
Which is better, RCL or ROST?
Metric tally: RCL 13 · ROST 4It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueRCL(lower P/E)
GrowthRCL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeRCL(higher dividend yield)
QualityROST(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | RCL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 19.58● | 31.93 |
| Forward P/E | 16.09● | 29.20 |
| P/S ratio | 4.73 | 3.09● |
| P/B ratio | 8.87● | 11.65 |
| PEG ratio | 0.41● | 6.01 |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.98● | 19.34 |
| FCF yield | 1.58% | 3.58%● |
Profitability
| Metric | RCL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 47.23%● | 28.33% |
| Operating margin | 27.88%● | 12.22% |
| Net margin | 24.39%● | 9.74% |
| ROE | 45.71%● | 36.73% |
| ROIC | 14.90% | 17.10%● |
Dividends
| Metric | RCL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.56%● | 0.74% |
| Payout ratio | 31.79% | 25.53% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | RCL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 142.80%● | 9.35% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 9.81% | 94.40%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 11.57%● | -6.35% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 30.58%● | 14.43% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, RCL or ROST?
- It depends on your goal. value: RCL (lower P/E); growth: RCL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: RCL (higher dividend yield); quality: ROST (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, RCL leads 13 to 4.
- Is RCL or ROST cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, RCL is cheaper: RCL trades at a 19.58 P/E and ROST at 31.93.
- Which has grown faster, RCL or ROST?
- Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — RCL at a 142.80% CAGR versus ROST at 9.35%.
- Does RCL or ROST pay a bigger dividend?
- RCL yields 1.56% and ROST yields 0.74% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is RCL or ROST more profitable?
- RCL runs the higher net margin — RCL at 24.39% versus ROST at 9.74%.
- Which has been the better investment, RCL or ROST?
- Over the past 10-year, RCL delivered the higher annualized total return — RCL at 17.83% versus ROST at 16.58%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Royal Caribbean Cruises P/E ratioRoss Stores P/E ratioRoyal Caribbean Cruises dividend yieldRoss Stores dividend yieldRoyal Caribbean Cruises ROERoss Stores ROERoyal Caribbean Cruises operating marginRoss Stores operating marginRoyal Caribbean Cruises revenue growthRoss Stores revenue growthRoyal Caribbean Cruises free cash flowRoss Stores free cash flow
Royal Caribbean Cruises & Ross Stores 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.