Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) vs Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (SHO)
A side-by-side comparison of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 28, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
Different business models: RCL is classified in Consumer Cyclical; SHO is classified in Real Estate. Margin, capital intensity, and valuation differences should be interpreted in that sector context.
RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
$322.50Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
SHO
Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.
$11.78Real EstateDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — RCL vs SHO
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 22yRCL +672.5%SHO +26.7%RCL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
RCL SHO
RCL vs SHO: by the numbers
- •RCL is the larger company ($86.49B vs $2.19B market cap).
- •RCL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (18.61 vs 83.95 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •RCL converts more revenue to profit (23.56% vs 3.84% net margin).
- •RCL grew revenue faster over the past five years (188.60% vs 50.59% CAGR).
- •SHO pays the higher dividend yield (3.05% vs 1.64%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | RCL | SHO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 18.61 | 83.95 |
| Forward P/E | 17.61 | 27.67 |
| P/S ratio | 4.50 | 2.26 |
| P/B ratio | 8.43 | 1.17 |
| PEG ratio | 0.41 | N/A |
| EV / EBITDA | 15.31 | 13.86 |
| FCF yield | 1.66% | N/A |
Profitability
| Metric | RCL | SHO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 46.64% | 6.23% |
| Operating margin | 27.32% | 8.80% |
| Net margin | 23.56% | 3.84% |
| ROE | 43.01% | 1.99% |
| ROIC | 14.90% | 3.12% |
Dividends
| Metric | RCL | SHO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.64% | 3.05% |
| Payout ratio | 31.79% | 849.06% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | RCL | SHO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 188.60% | 50.59% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 9.81% | N/A |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 11.57% | N/A |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 32.71% | 2.98% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, RCL or SHO?
- RCL has the lower trailing P/E: RCL trades at 18.61 and SHO at 83.95. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, RCL or SHO?
- Over the past five years, RCL grew revenue faster — RCL at a 188.60% CAGR versus SHO at 50.59%.
- Does RCL or SHO pay a bigger dividend?
- RCL yields 1.64% and SHO yields 3.05% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is RCL or SHO more profitable?
- RCL runs the higher net margin — RCL at 23.56% versus SHO at 3.84%.
- How have RCL and SHO total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, RCL delivered 17.30% and SHO delivered 0.64% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Royal Caribbean Cruises P/E ratioSunstone Hotel Investors P/E ratioRoyal Caribbean Cruises dividend yieldSunstone Hotel Investors dividend yieldRoyal Caribbean Cruises ROESunstone Hotel Investors ROERoyal Caribbean Cruises operating marginSunstone Hotel Investors operating marginRoyal Caribbean Cruises revenue growthSunstone Hotel Investors revenue growthRoyal Caribbean Cruises free cash flowSunstone Hotel Investors free cash flow
Royal Caribbean Cruises & Sunstone Hotel Investors 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 July 28, 2026.