ABNB vs. RCL: Airbnb vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises Stock Comparison

September 7, 2026

How do Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) are both classified in the Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines sub-industry within the broader Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) has more than two decades of public-market history since April 28, 1993, whereas Airbnb (ABNB) listed on December 10, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Profile Item	ABNB	RCL
Name	Airbnb Inc. Class A Common Stock	Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Discretionary	Consumer Discretionary
GICS Industry Group	Consumer Services	Consumer Services
GICS Industry	Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure	Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure
GICS Sub-Industry	Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines	Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines
Market Capitalization	108.94 billion USD	70.93 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	December 10, 2020	April 28, 1993
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ABNB

RCL

GSPC

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ABNB	RCL
Total Return (1Y)	45.12%	-25.09%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	11.10%	40.80%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	2.86%	27.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ABNB

RCL

GSPC

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ABNB	RCL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	34.36%	46.83%
Beta (5Y)	1.23	1.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-60.19%	-67.64%
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.35M	2.21M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ABNB and RCL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ABNB	RCL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.19	-0.62
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.04	-0.97

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Airbnb (ABNB) at 34.54% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 44.67% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

34.54%

Max: 59.09%
ABNB: 34.54%
Q3: 31.70%
Median: 14.44%
Q1: 2.11%
Min: -37.58%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

44.67%

Max: 59.09%
RCL: 44.67%
Q3: 31.70%
Median: 14.44%
Q1: 2.11%
Min: -37.58%

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their ROE against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Airbnb (ABNB) at 20.45% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 23.54% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

20.45%

Max: 28.43%
ABNB: 20.45%
Q3: 13.02%
Median: 5.92%
Q1: 1.17%
Min: -15.39%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

23.54%

Max: 28.43%
RCL: 23.54%
Q3: 13.02%
Median: 5.92%
Q1: 1.17%
Min: -15.39%

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 27.07% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Airbnb (ABNB) at 21.01%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

21.01%

Max: 46.49%
Q3: 22.12%
ABNB: 21.01%
Median: 13.10%
Q1: 5.81%
Min: -12.94%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

27.07%

Max: 46.49%
RCL: 27.07%
Q3: 22.12%
Median: 13.10%
Q1: 5.81%
Min: -12.94%

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ABNB	RCL
ROE (TTM)	34.54%	44.67%
ROA (TTM)	6.14%	7.68%
Net Margin (TTM)	20.45%	23.54%
Operating Margin (TTM)	21.01%	27.07%
Gross Margin (TTM)	82.90%	50.28%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Airbnb (ABNB) at 10.26% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 8.79% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 41.91% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Airbnb (ABNB) at -74.94% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ABNB	RCL
Revenue Growth (YoY)	10.26%	8.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	13.38%	26.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-74.94%	41.91%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-28.26%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Airbnb (ABNB) at 1.41 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 0.21 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for RCL.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

1.41

Max: 3.37
Q3: 1.83
ABNB: 1.41
Median: 1.03
Q1: 0.69
Min: 0.20

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

0.21

Max: 3.37
Q3: 1.83
Median: 1.03
Q1: 0.69
RCL: 0.21
Min: 0.20

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Airbnb (ABNB) at 0.32 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 2.25 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

0.32

Max: 7.30
Q3: 3.36
Median: 1.29
Q1: 0.38
ABNB: 0.32
Min: 0.01

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

2.25

Max: 7.30
Q3: 3.36
RCL: 2.25
Median: 1.29
Q1: 0.38
Min: 0.01

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ABNB	RCL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.41	0.21
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.32	2.25
Net Debt / EBITDA	-3.47	3.27

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Airbnb (ABNB) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) reports a yield of 1.88%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

0.00%

Max: 3.85%
Q3: 1.76%
ABNB: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

1.88%

Max: 3.85%
RCL: 1.88%
Q3: 1.76%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Airbnb (ABNB) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) reports a payout of 30.88%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

0.00%

Max: 86.96%
Q3: 36.18%
ABNB: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

30.88%

Max: 86.96%
Q3: 36.18%
RCL: 30.88%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ABNB	RCL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	1.88%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	30.88%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 16.37 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Airbnb (ABNB) at 41.54 sits in the richer quartile — ABNB needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

41.54

Max: 60.39
ABNB: 41.54
Q3: 34.17
Median: 21.32
Q1: 16.01
Min: 3.46

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

16.37

Max: 60.39
Q3: 34.17
Median: 21.32
RCL: 16.37
Q1: 16.01
Min: 3.46

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 3.80 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Airbnb (ABNB) at 8.28 prices even higher, above its industry range.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

8.28

ABNB: 8.28
Max: 6.53
Q3: 3.09
Median: 1.69
Q1: 0.72
Min: 0.08

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

3.80

Max: 6.53
RCL: 3.80
Q3: 3.09
Median: 1.69
Q1: 0.72
Min: 0.08

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 6.93 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Airbnb (ABNB) at 13.76 prices even higher, above its industry range.

ABNB

Consumer Services industry group

13.76

ABNB: 13.76
Max: 11.22
Q3: 5.58
Median: 2.56
Q1: 1.11
Min: -3.99

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

6.93

Max: 11.22
RCL: 6.93
Q3: 5.58
Median: 2.56
Q1: 1.11
Min: -3.99

Airbnb (ABNB) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Airbnb (ABNB) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ABNB	RCL
P/E Ratio (TTM)	41.54	16.37
P/S Ratio (TTM)	8.28	3.80
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	13.76	6.93
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.94%	-2.14%