Booking (BKNG) vs Carnival (CCL)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Carnival (CCL) has outperformed Booking (BKNG) over the past year, losing 9.6% versus a loss of 22.1%. Over five years, BKNG leads with a +57.6% price change compared with +10.4% for CCL. Booking is the larger company by market cap ($120.20 billion vs $35.13 billion), about 3.4 times the size.
On valuation, Carnival trades at a lower forward P/E (10.2x vs 12.9x for Booking). Carnival offers the higher dividend yield (1.72% vs 1.01%). Booking converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 20.1% versus 10.4%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BKNG | CCL |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $159.97 | $26.13 |
| Market cap | $120.20B | $35.13B |
| 1-day change | +2.63% | -0.08% |
| YTD return | -25.32% | -14.44% |
| 1-year return | -22.06% | -9.65% |
| 5-year return | +57.55% | +10.39% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 17.74 | 11.51 |
| Forward P/E | 12.92 | 10.20 |
| EPS (TTM) | $9.02 | $2.27 |
| Dividend yield | 1.01% | 1.72% |
| Annual dividend | $1.61 | $0.45 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $26.92B | $26.62B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +13.39% | +6.40% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $5.40B | $2.76B |
| Operating margin | 32.79% | 16.84% |
| Net margin | 20.08% | 10.37% |
| 52-week high | $220.81 | $34.03 |
| 52-week low | $150.14 | $21.45 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -27.55% | -23.21% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +47.07% | +29.85% |
| Average volume | 6.79M | 21.18M |
| Shares outstanding | 751.38M | 1.34B |
| Employees | 25,550 | 160,000 |
| Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
| Industry | Travel Services | Travel Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Booking is about 3.4 times larger than Carnival by market value ($120.20B vs $35.13B).
- CCL has outperformed BKNG by 12.4 percentage points over the past year.
- Booking trades at a higher earnings multiple (17.7x vs 11.5x trailing P/E).
- Booking is more profitable, keeping 20.1 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 10.4 cents for Carnival.
- Booking grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+13.39% vs +6.40%).
About Booking
BKNG stock →Booking Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides online and traditional travel and restaurant reservations and related services in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates Booking.com, which offers online accommodation reservations; and Priceline, which provides discount travel reservations services, as well as online accommodation, flight, rental car reservation services, vacation packages, cruises, activity, and affiliate programs.
Consumer Cyclical · Travel Services · 25,550 employees
About Carnival
CCL stock →Carnival Corporation Ltd., a cruise company, provides leisure travel services. The company operates through four segments: North America Cruise Operations, Europe Cruise Operations, Cruise Support, and Tour and Other.
Consumer Cyclical · Travel Services · 160,000 employees
BKNG vs CCL FAQ
Which is bigger, Booking or Carnival?
Booking (BKNG) is larger, with a market capitalization of $120.20B compared with $35.13B for Carnival (CCL).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BKNG or CCL?
CCL returned -9.65% over the past 12 months, compared with -22.06% for BKNG (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BKNG or CCL?
CCL has the lower trailing P/E at 11.5, versus 17.7 for BKNG. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Booking or Carnival?
Carnival has the higher yield at 1.72%, compared with 1.01% for Booking.
Are Booking and Carnival in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Travel Services industry within the Consumer Cyclical sector.