Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) vs Starbucks Corporation (SBUX)
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 October 3, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
$277.89Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 3:59 PM EDT
SBUX
Starbucks Corporation
$94.71Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — RCL vs SBUX
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yRCL +324.2% (+15.5%/yr)SBUX +120.5% (+8.2%/yr)RCL compounded faster over this window
RCL SBUX
RCL vs SBUX: by the numbers
- •SBUX is the larger company ($107.97B vs $74.53B market cap).
- •RCL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (17.17 vs 54.43 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •RCL converts more revenue to profit (23.56% vs 5.17% net margin).
- •RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (188.60% vs 7.16% CAGR).
- •SBUX pays the higher dividend yield (2.62% vs 1.98%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | RCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 17.17 | 54.43 |
| Forward P/E | 15.63 | 30.07 |
| PEG ratio | N/A | 3.49 |
| P/S ratio | 3.99 | 2.82 |
| P/B ratio | 7.28 | N/A |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.26 | 24.40 |
| FCF yield | N/A | 3.37% |
Profitability
| Metric | RCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 46.64% | 31.75% |
| Operating margin | 27.32% | 9.43% |
| Net margin | 23.56% | 5.17% |
| ROE | 43.01% | N/A |
| ROIC | 14.59% | 10.00% |
Dividends
| Metric | RCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.98% | 2.62% |
| Payout ratio | 33.99% | 142.53% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | RCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 188.60% | 7.16% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | N/A | 15.61% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | N/A | 84.65% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 25.48% | -1.13% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, RCL or SBUX?
- RCL has the lower trailing P/E: RCL trades at 17.17 and SBUX at 54.43. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, RCL or SBUX?
- Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — RCL at a 188.60% CAGR versus SBUX at 7.16%.
- Does RCL or SBUX pay a bigger dividend?
- RCL yields 1.98% and SBUX yields 2.62% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is RCL or SBUX more profitable?
- RCL runs the higher net margin — RCL at 23.56% versus SBUX at 5.17%.
- How have RCL and SBUX total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, RCL delivered 15.35% and SBUX delivered 8.06% annualized total return. 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 October 3, 2026.