DRI vs. RCL: Darden Restaurants vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Profile Item	DRI	RCL
Name	Darden Restaurants, Inc.	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	25.61 billion USD	87.51 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	May 9, 1995	April 28, 1993
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DRI

RCL

GSPC

Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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 Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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 Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	DRI	RCL
Total Return (1Y)	33.36%	35.04%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	19.59%	55.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	11.78%	30.86%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DRI

RCL

GSPC

Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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 Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) has an aggressive beta of 1.82, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Darden Restaurants (DRI) is defensive at 0.63 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	DRI	RCL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	27.88%	47.73%
Beta (5Y)	0.63	1.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-26.96%	-65.76%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.09M	2.35M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

DRI 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 Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	DRI	RCL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.04	0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.57	1.10

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 55.43% and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 41.29% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

55.43%

Max: 76.75%
DRI: 55.43%
Q3: 34.07%
Median: 15.90%
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%

Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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 Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 8.85%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

8.85%

Max: 25.52%
Q3: 12.95%
DRI: 8.85%
Median: 6.63%
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%

Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 9.86%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

9.86%

Max: 49.05%
Q3: 24.35%
Median: 14.23%
DRI: 9.86%
Q1: 5.67%
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%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	DRI	RCL
ROE (TTM)	55.43%	41.29%
ROA (TTM)	7.65%	7.78%
Net Margin (TTM)	8.85%	23.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	9.86%	33.61%
Gross Margin (TTM)	21.66%	50.25%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 9.39% 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.

Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 17.16% 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.

Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	DRI	RCL
Revenue Growth (YoY)	9.39%	8.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	8.00%	26.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)	17.16%	41.91%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	9.11%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 0.30 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 0.22 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

0.30

Max: 3.41
Q3: 1.85
Median: 1.06
Q1: 0.72
DRI: 0.30
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

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 1.94 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 4.15 uses more debt funding than most peers.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

4.15

Max: 6.12
DRI: 4.15
Q3: 2.93
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

Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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 Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	DRI	RCL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.30	0.22
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	4.15	1.94
Net Debt / EBITDA	3.91	3.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 2.68% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 1.70% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, DRI the richer one.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

2.68%

Max: 4.10%
DRI: 2.68%
Q3: 1.82%
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%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 32.54% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 59.42% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

59.42%

Max: 89.80%
DRI: 59.42%
Q3: 36.83%
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%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	DRI	RCL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.68%	1.70%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	59.42%	32.54%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 21.98 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.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

21.98

Max: 71.70
Q3: 37.12
DRI: 21.98
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

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 1.92 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) at 4.57 sits in the pricier quartile — RCL costs more per dollar of sales.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

1.92

Max: 6.40
Q3: 3.01
DRI: 1.92
Median: 1.54
Q1: 0.74
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

Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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 7.47 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 12.40 prices even higher, above its industry range.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

12.40

DRI: 12.40
Max: 12.02
Q3: 5.58
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL)
Metric	DRI	RCL
P/E Ratio (TTM)	21.98	19.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.92	4.57
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	12.40	7.47
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.10%	-0.06%