MetaCap

Expedia Group (EXPE) vs Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)

Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.

Summary

Expedia Group (EXPE) has outperformed Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) over the past year, gaining 20.2% versus a loss of 8.8%. Over five years, RCL leads with a +232.5% price change compared with +51.0% for EXPE. Royal Caribbean Cruises is the larger company by market cap ($75.51 billion vs $31.07 billion), about 2.4 times the size.

On valuation, Expedia Group trades at a lower forward P/E (10.5x vs 13.8x for Royal Caribbean Cruises). Royal Caribbean Cruises offers the higher dividend yield (1.77% vs 0.68%). Royal Caribbean Cruises converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 23.8% versus 8.8%.

Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology

Relative performance

EXPE+16.05%RCL-9.55%
+55%+12%-31%
Oct 6, 20251 yearOct 7, 2026
EXPE+52.82%RCL+227.12%
+333%+126%-81%
Oct 4, 20215 yearsOct 5, 2026

Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.

Head-to-head

EXPE versus RCL key metrics
MetricEXPERCL
Share price$258.86$282.32
Market cap$31.07B$75.51B
1-day change-0.47%-2.24%
YTD return-8.31%+2.89%
1-year return+20.17%-8.82%
5-year return+51.03%+232.47%
P/E ratio (TTM)16.1717.43
Forward P/E10.5413.81
EPS (TTM)$16.01$16.20
Dividend yield0.68%1.77%
Annual dividend$1.76$5.00
Revenue (latest FY)$14.73B$17.93B
Revenue growth (YoY)+7.61%+8.80%
Net income (latest FY)$1.29B$4.27B
Gross margin90.12%49.36%
Operating margin12.70%27.38%
Net margin8.78%23.80%
52-week high$342.00$356.39
52-week low$185.34$222.22
Distance from 52-week high-24.31%-20.78%
Analyst consensusbuybuy
Avg. price target upside+30.87%+24.09%
Average volume1.83M2.43M
Shares outstanding114.50M267.45M
Employees16,000107,950
SectorConsumer CyclicalConsumer Cyclical
IndustryTravel ServicesTravel 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

  • Royal Caribbean Cruises is about 2.4 times larger than Expedia Group by market value ($75.51B vs $31.07B).
  • EXPE has outperformed RCL by 29.0 percentage points over the past year.
  • Royal Caribbean Cruises offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.77% vs 0.68%).
  • Royal Caribbean Cruises is more profitable, keeping 23.8 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 8.8 cents for Expedia Group.

About Expedia Group

EXPE stock →

Expedia Group, Inc. operates as an online travel company in the United States and internationally.

Consumer Cyclical · Travel Services · 16,000 employees

About Royal Caribbean Cruises

RCL stock →

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide.

Consumer Cyclical · Travel Services · 107,950 employees

EXPE vs RCL FAQ

Which is bigger, Expedia Group or Royal Caribbean Cruises?

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) is larger, with a market capitalization of $75.51B compared with $31.07B for Expedia Group (EXPE).

Which stock has performed better over the past year, EXPE or RCL?

EXPE returned +20.17% over the past 12 months, compared with -8.82% for RCL (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.

Which has the lower P/E ratio, EXPE or RCL?

EXPE has the lower trailing P/E at 16.2, versus 17.4 for RCL. 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, Expedia Group or Royal Caribbean Cruises?

Royal Caribbean Cruises has the higher yield at 1.77%, compared with 0.68% for Expedia Group.

Are Expedia Group and Royal Caribbean Cruises in the same industry?

Yes. Both are classified in the Travel Services industry within the Consumer Cyclical sector.

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