Royal Caribbean Cruises Sees Stellar Growth and Optimistic Future in Stock Performance
Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) stands out as a leading global cruise company. With a market cap of $69 billion, RCL oversees brands such as Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara, and Silversea Cruises, while also having interests in TUI Cruises, Pullmantur, and SkySea Cruises.
The cruise line has significantly outshined the overall market in the last year. In the past 52 weeks, RCL stock has soared by 119% and recorded an 11.1% gain year-to-date (YTD). This notable increase far exceeds the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) growth of 20.5% over the same period and its 2.9% returns in 2025.
Looking closer, RCL has also outperformed the industry-focused Defiance Hotel, Airline, and Cruise ETF’s (CRUZ) 28.8% increase over the last year, along with its 4.5% gain in 2025.
Following the release of its strong Q4 earnings report on January 28, Royal Caribbean Cruises experienced a 12% jump in stock prices. The company reported a substantial increase in total revenues, which rose 12.9% year-over-year to $3.8 billion, driven by high demand across its cruise brands. RCL also saw a significant profitability boost, with adjusted net income climbing 34.4% to $445 million, and an adjusted EPS of $1.63 that beat analyst estimates by 8.7%. The company’s positive business outlook led to an impressive EPS guidance of $2.43 to $2.53 for Q1, enhancing investor confidence.
Looking ahead to the fiscal year 2025, which wraps up in December, analysts forecast a 26.8% year-over-year increase in EPS to $14.96. RCL has a strong record of beating analysts’ earnings expectations, having done so in each of the last four quarters.
Of the 21 analysts monitoring RCL stock, the consensus is a “Strong Buy.” This includes 15 “Strong Buy,” one “Moderate Buy,” and five “Hold” ratings.
This rating configuration has shown stability over recent months.
On February 7, Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth reaffirmed a “Buy” rating on RCL and set a price target of $330. The average price target for RCL stands at $281.41, suggesting a 9.8% premium over current price levels. Moreover, the highest target of $330 indicates a potential upside of 28.8%.
On the date of publication, Aditya Sarawgi did not hold any positions in the securities mentioned. All data is for informational purposes only. For more, please see the Barchart Disclosure Policy.
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