ARMK vs. RCL: Aramark vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Aramark (ARMK) 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

Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) both belong to the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, though ARMK is classified under Restaurants while RCL falls under Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines.

Company profile comparison for Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Profile Item	ARMK	RCL
Name	Aramark	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	Restaurants	Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines
Market Capitalization	13.85 billion USD	87.51 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	December 12, 2013	April 28, 1993
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ARMK

RCL

GSPC

Aramark (ARMK) 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 Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Aramark (ARMK) 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 Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ARMK	RCL
Total Return (1Y)	45.95%	35.04%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	26.55%	55.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	15.73%	30.86%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ARMK

RCL

GSPC

Aramark (ARMK) 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 Aramark (ARMK) 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 Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ARMK	RCL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	27.91%	47.73%
Beta (5Y)	1.08	1.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-27.63%	-65.76%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.66M	2.35M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ARMK 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 Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ARMK	RCL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.49	0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.44	1.10

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 41.29% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Aramark (ARMK) at 11.69% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for RCL.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

11.69%

Max: 76.75%
Q3: 34.07%
Median: 15.90%
ARMK: 11.69%
Q1: 3.23%
Min: -40.61%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

41.29%

Max: 76.75%
RCL: 41.29%
Q3: 34.07%
Median: 15.90%
Q1: 3.23%
Min: -40.61%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 23.79% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Aramark (ARMK) at 1.93%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

1.93%

Max: 25.52%
Q3: 12.95%
Median: 6.63%
ARMK: 1.93%
Q1: 1.46%
Min: -14.36%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

23.79%

Max: 25.52%
RCL: 23.79%
Q3: 12.95%
Median: 6.63%
Q1: 1.46%
Min: -14.36%

Aramark (ARMK) 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 33.61% carries a top-quartile operating margin, while Aramark (ARMK) at 4.42% operates in the bottom quartile.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

4.42%

Max: 49.05%
Q3: 24.35%
Median: 14.23%
Q1: 5.67%
ARMK: 4.42%
Min: -16.47%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

33.61%

Max: 49.05%
RCL: 33.61%
Q3: 24.35%
Median: 14.23%
Q1: 5.67%
Min: -16.47%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ARMK	RCL
ROE (TTM)	11.69%	41.29%
ROA (TTM)	4.24%	7.78%
Net Margin (TTM)	1.93%	23.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	4.42%	33.61%
Gross Margin (TTM)	15.29%	50.25%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Aramark (ARMK) at 6.35% 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.

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

EPS Growth

Both Aramark (ARMK) at 23.23% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 41.91% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ARMK	RCL
Revenue Growth (YoY)	6.35%	8.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.58%	26.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)	23.23%	41.91%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	17.09%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Aramark (ARMK) at 1.29 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 0.22 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for RCL.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

1.29

Max: 3.41
Q3: 1.85
ARMK: 1.29
Median: 1.06
Q1: 0.72
Min: 0.22

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

0.22

Max: 3.41
Q3: 1.85
Median: 1.06
Q1: 0.72
RCL: 0.22
Min: 0.22

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Aramark (ARMK) at 1.87 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 1.94 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

1.87

Max: 6.12
Q3: 2.93
ARMK: 1.87
Median: 1.29
Q1: 0.37
Min: 0.01

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

1.94

Max: 6.12
Q3: 2.93
RCL: 1.94
Median: 1.29
Q1: 0.37
Min: 0.01

Aramark (ARMK) 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 Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ARMK	RCL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.29	0.22
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.87	1.94
Net Debt / EBITDA	4.12	3.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Aramark (ARMK) at 0.95% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 1.70% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

0.95%

Max: 4.10%
Q3: 1.82%
ARMK: 0.95%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

1.70%

Max: 4.10%
Q3: 1.82%
RCL: 1.70%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Aramark (ARMK) at 32.52% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 32.54% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

32.52%

Max: 89.80%
Q3: 36.83%
ARMK: 32.52%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

32.54%

Max: 89.80%
Q3: 36.83%
RCL: 32.54%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ARMK	RCL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.95%	1.70%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	32.52%	32.54%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Aramark (ARMK) at 36.74 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 19.36 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

36.74

Max: 71.70
Q3: 37.12
ARMK: 36.74
Median: 21.88
Q1: 13.00
Min: 5.72

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

19.36

Max: 71.70
Q3: 37.12
Median: 21.88
RCL: 19.36
Q1: 13.00
Min: 5.72

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Aramark (ARMK) at 0.70 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 4.57 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

0.70

Max: 6.40
Q3: 3.01
Median: 1.54
Q1: 0.74
ARMK: 0.70
Min: 0.08

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

4.57

Max: 6.40
RCL: 4.57
Q3: 3.01
Median: 1.54
Q1: 0.74
Min: 0.08

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Aramark (ARMK) at 4.08 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 7.47 carries an above-peer premium to book — RCL is pricier on assets.

ARMK

Consumer Services industry group

4.08

Max: 12.02
Q3: 5.58
ARMK: 4.08
Median: 2.37
Q1: 1.09
Min: -4.51

RCL

Consumer Services industry group

7.47

Max: 12.02
RCL: 7.47
Q3: 5.58
Median: 2.37
Q1: 1.09
Min: -4.51

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Aramark (ARMK) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	ARMK	RCL
P/E Ratio (TTM)	36.74	19.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.70	4.57
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	4.08	7.47
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.70%	-0.06%