Booking (BKNG) vs Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) has outperformed Booking (BKNG) over the past year, losing 8.7% versus a loss of 22.1%. Over five years, RCL leads with a +226.0% price change compared with +57.6% for BKNG. Booking is the larger company by market cap ($120.20 billion vs $75.26 billion), about 1.6 times the size.
On valuation, Booking trades at a lower forward P/E (12.9x vs 13.8x for Royal Caribbean Cruises). Royal Caribbean Cruises offers the higher dividend yield (1.78% vs 1.01%). Royal Caribbean Cruises converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 23.8% versus 20.1%.
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 | RCL |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $159.97 | $281.41 |
| Market cap | $120.20B | $75.26B |
| 1-day change | +2.63% | -0.32% |
| YTD return | -25.32% | +0.89% |
| 1-year return | -22.06% | -8.72% |
| 5-year return | +57.55% | +226.01% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 17.74 | 17.37 |
| Forward P/E | 12.92 | 13.77 |
| EPS (TTM) | $9.02 | $16.20 |
| Dividend yield | 1.01% | 1.78% |
| Annual dividend | $1.61 | $5.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $26.92B | $17.93B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +13.39% | +8.80% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $5.40B | $4.27B |
| Gross margin | — | 49.36% |
| Operating margin | 32.79% | 27.38% |
| Net margin | 20.08% | 23.80% |
| 52-week high | $220.81 | $356.39 |
| 52-week low | $150.14 | $222.22 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -27.55% | -21.04% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +47.07% | +24.49% |
| Average volume | 6.79M | 2.44M |
| Shares outstanding | 751.38M | 267.45M |
| Employees | 25,550 | 107,950 |
| Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Travel Services | Marine Transportation |
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
- RCL has outperformed BKNG by 13.3 percentage points over the past year.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Booking in Consumer Cyclical and Royal Caribbean Cruises in Consumer Discretionary.
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 Royal Caribbean Cruises
RCL stock →Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide.
Consumer Discretionary · Marine Transportation · 107,950 employees
BKNG vs RCL FAQ
Which is bigger, Booking or Royal Caribbean Cruises?
Booking (BKNG) is larger, with a market capitalization of $120.20B compared with $75.26B for Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BKNG or RCL?
RCL returned -8.72% 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 RCL?
RCL has the lower trailing P/E at 17.4, 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 Royal Caribbean Cruises?
Royal Caribbean Cruises has the higher yield at 1.78%, compared with 1.01% for Booking.
Are Booking and Royal Caribbean Cruises in the same industry?
No. Booking is in the Consumer Cyclical sector, while Royal Caribbean Cruises is in Consumer Discretionary.