Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL), headquartered in Miami, Florida, operates as a global cruise vacation company. Valued at $74.9 billion by market cap, the company operates global cruise under Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea Cruises brands. The cruise giant is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 in the near future.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect RCL to report a profit of $3.20 per share on a diluted basis, up 18.1% from $2.71 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.
For the full year, analysts expect RCL to report EPS of $17.83, up 14% from $15.64 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 14.3% year over year to $20.37 in fiscal 2027.
RCL stock has outperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 29.4% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares up 43.9% during this period. Similarly, it outperformed the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLY) 20.2% returns over the same time frame.
RCL's strong performance was driven by robust guest demand, disciplined execution, and new ship rollouts. The company delivered a record 9.4 million vacations, with tech investments in AI and digital tools boosting customer satisfaction and margins. Expanding its river cruise fleet and exclusive destinations like Royal Beach Club are key growth drivers.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on RCL stock is reasonably bullish, with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of 25 analysts covering the stock, 17 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, one suggests a “Moderate Buy,” and seven give a “Hold.” RCL’s average analyst price target is $358.92, indicating a potential upside of 29.6% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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