Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) vs Starbucks Corporation (SBUX)
RCL leads on 12 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Starbucks Corporation 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
SBUX
Starbucks Corporation
$103.53Consumer Cyclical
Total return — RCL vs SBUX
growth of $100 · last 30yRCL +2192.5%SBUX +6062.5%SBUX compounded faster
RCL SBUX
RCL vs SBUX: by the numbers
- •SBUX is the larger company ($117.99B vs $86.08B market cap).
- •RCL trades at the lower earnings multiple (19.58 vs 78.43 P/E).
- •RCL converts more revenue to profit (24.39% vs 3.89% net margin).
- •RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (142.80% vs 10.03% CAGR).
- •SBUX pays the higher dividend yield (2.39% vs 1.56%).
Which is better, RCL or SBUX?
Metric tally: RCL 12 · SBUX 3It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueRCL(lower P/E)
GrowthRCL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeSBUX(higher dividend yield)
QualityRCL(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | RCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 19.58● | 78.43 |
| Forward P/E | 16.09● | 33.84 |
| P/S ratio | 4.73 | 3.08● |
| P/B ratio | 8.87 | — |
| PEG ratio | 0.41 | — |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.98● | 26.32 |
| FCF yield | 1.58% | 2.30%● |
Profitability
| Metric | RCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 47.23%● | 20.36% |
| Operating margin | 27.88%● | 9.28% |
| Net margin | 24.39%● | 3.89% |
| ROE | 45.71%● | -22.93% |
| ROIC | 14.90%● | 8.48% |
Dividends
| Metric | RCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.56% | 2.39%● |
| Payout ratio | 31.79% | 151.53% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | RCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 142.80%● | 10.03% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 9.81%● | -9.42% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 11.57%● | 2.00% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 30.58%● | 0.77% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, RCL or SBUX?
- It depends on your goal. value: RCL (lower P/E); growth: RCL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: SBUX (higher dividend yield); quality: RCL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, RCL leads 12 to 3.
- Is RCL or SBUX cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, RCL is cheaper: RCL trades at a 19.58 P/E and SBUX at 78.43.
- Which has grown faster, RCL or SBUX?
- Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — RCL at a 142.80% CAGR versus SBUX at 10.03%.
- Does RCL or SBUX pay a bigger dividend?
- RCL yields 1.56% and SBUX yields 2.39% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is RCL or SBUX more profitable?
- RCL runs the higher net margin — RCL at 24.39% versus SBUX at 3.89%.
- Which has been the better investment, RCL or SBUX?
- Over the past 10-year, RCL delivered the higher annualized total return — RCL at 17.83% versus SBUX at 8.89%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Royal Caribbean Cruises P/E ratioStarbucks P/E ratioRoyal Caribbean Cruises dividend yieldStarbucks dividend yieldRoyal Caribbean Cruises ROEStarbucks ROERoyal Caribbean Cruises operating marginStarbucks operating marginRoyal Caribbean Cruises revenue growthStarbucks revenue growthRoyal Caribbean Cruises free cash flowStarbucks free cash flow
Royal Caribbean Cruises & Starbucks 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.