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Here's Why Investors May Find Royal Caribbean Attractive Now
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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL - Free Report) is currently one of the best-performing stocks in the cruise space. With a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and decent share price appreciation, the stock is a lucrative investment choice at the moment.
Shares of Royal Caribbean have outperformed its industry in the past year. The stock has rallied 16.9% compared with the industry’s growth of 9.2%.
Moreover, an upward revision in earnings estimates for 2018 reflects analysts’ confidence in the company’s future earnings. Over the last 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings rose 0.3%. Further, the company delivered positive earnings surprises in each of the trailing four quarters, recording an average beat of 5.86%.
Profitability Initiatives Aid Margins & Earnings
In order to enhance margins and earnings, Royal Caribbean has undertaken several profitability improvement initiatives aimed at generating long-term cost savings. Under its Double-Double program incepted in 2014, Royal Caribbean targeted to double 2014 earnings per share by 2017, bring the company’s return on invested capital (ROIC) to double-digit percentages, and improve revenue yields, control costs and moderate capacity growth. Management notes that it has achieved its targets in 2017. The company reported EPS of $7.53 and ROIC rose to above 10% last year.
Arguably, earnings growth is of utmost importance for determining a stock’s potential, as surging profit levels often indicate solid prospects (and stock price gains). In 2018, Royal Caribbean’s earnings per share are expected to grow 15.7%.
Coming to margin, gross margin for hospitality companies is always comparatively higher as majority of its expenses come from cost of operations. However, the sector’s profit margin narrows once these expenses from operations are taken into account. Consequently, net profit margin or net margin is considered to be the accurate metric for gauging profits of hospitality companies. Royal Caribbean’s trailing 12-month net margin is 18.5% higher than the industry’s 11.1%.
Continuous Innovation Facilitates Revenue Growth
Royal Caribbean particularly invests in technological innovation catering to the demands of busier customers, preferring more of digital devices that help to save time. Digital tools are used by the company for marketing and service development that can attract more customers and thereby drive revenues. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean continues to work on enhancing and expanding its technological capabilities under Project Excalibur. In fact, the company expects to have Excalibur functioning on 50% of its fleet by the end of 2018.
Owing to such efforts, the consensus estimate predicts revenues for 2018 to grow 7.7% year over year.
Attractive ROE
Royal Caribbean delivered a ROE of 16.22% in the trailing 12 months compared with its industry’s 9.44%. This supports its immense growth potential and indicates that the company reinvests more efficiently compared with its peers.
Market Scenario a Tailwind
The Cruise industry has been prosperous throughout 2017. According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), passenger growth in 2017 was up 4%. Demand for cruising has increased more than 20% from 2011 to 2016. Demand is expected to further inch up 5% in 2018, with 27.2 million passengers likely to cruise.
Cashing in on profits amid high demand is the sole strategy of cruise companies. Royal Caribbean’s efforts to increase capacity and subsequently attract customers are encouraging and will be backed by the market scenario.
RCI, Marcus and Bluegreen Vacations’ earnings for 2018 are expected to grow 40.6%, 16.9% and 19.3%, respectively.
Investor Alert: Breakthroughs Pending
A medical advance is now at the flashpoint between theory and realization. Billions of dollars in research have poured into it. Companies are already generating substantial revenue, and even more wondrous products are in the pipeline.
Cures for a variety of deadly diseases are in sight, and so are big potential profits for early investors. Zacks names 5 stocks to buy now.
Image: Bigstock
Here's Why Investors May Find Royal Caribbean Attractive Now
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL - Free Report) is currently one of the best-performing stocks in the cruise space. With a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and decent share price appreciation, the stock is a lucrative investment choice at the moment.
Shares of Royal Caribbean have outperformed its industry in the past year. The stock has rallied 16.9% compared with the industry’s growth of 9.2%.
Moreover, an upward revision in earnings estimates for 2018 reflects analysts’ confidence in the company’s future earnings. Over the last 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings rose 0.3%. Further, the company delivered positive earnings surprises in each of the trailing four quarters, recording an average beat of 5.86%.
Profitability Initiatives Aid Margins & Earnings
In order to enhance margins and earnings, Royal Caribbean has undertaken several profitability improvement initiatives aimed at generating long-term cost savings. Under its Double-Double program incepted in 2014, Royal Caribbean targeted to double 2014 earnings per share by 2017, bring the company’s return on invested capital (ROIC) to double-digit percentages, and improve revenue yields, control costs and moderate capacity growth. Management notes that it has achieved its targets in 2017. The company reported EPS of $7.53 and ROIC rose to above 10% last year.
Arguably, earnings growth is of utmost importance for determining a stock’s potential, as surging profit levels often indicate solid prospects (and stock price gains). In 2018, Royal Caribbean’s earnings per share are expected to grow 15.7%.
Coming to margin, gross margin for hospitality companies is always comparatively higher as majority of its expenses come from cost of operations. However, the sector’s profit margin narrows once these expenses from operations are taken into account. Consequently, net profit margin or net margin is considered to be the accurate metric for gauging profits of hospitality companies. Royal Caribbean’s trailing 12-month net margin is 18.5% higher than the industry’s 11.1%.
Continuous Innovation Facilitates Revenue Growth
Royal Caribbean particularly invests in technological innovation catering to the demands of busier customers, preferring more of digital devices that help to save time. Digital tools are used by the company for marketing and service development that can attract more customers and thereby drive revenues. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean continues to work on enhancing and expanding its technological capabilities under Project Excalibur. In fact, the company expects to have Excalibur functioning on 50% of its fleet by the end of 2018.
Owing to such efforts, the consensus estimate predicts revenues for 2018 to grow 7.7% year over year.
Attractive ROE
Royal Caribbean delivered a ROE of 16.22% in the trailing 12 months compared with its industry’s 9.44%. This supports its immense growth potential and indicates that the company reinvests more efficiently compared with its peers.
Market Scenario a Tailwind
The Cruise industry has been prosperous throughout 2017. According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), passenger growth in 2017 was up 4%. Demand for cruising has increased more than 20% from 2011 to 2016. Demand is expected to further inch up 5% in 2018, with 27.2 million passengers likely to cruise.
Cashing in on profits amid high demand is the sole strategy of cruise companies. Royal Caribbean’s efforts to increase capacity and subsequently attract customers are encouraging and will be backed by the market scenario.
Other Stocks to Consider
Other top-ranked stocks in the industry include RCI Hospitality Holdings (RICK - Free Report) , The Marcus Corporation (MCS - Free Report) and Bluegreen Vacations Corporation , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.
RCI, Marcus and Bluegreen Vacations’ earnings for 2018 are expected to grow 40.6%, 16.9% and 19.3%, respectively.
Investor Alert: Breakthroughs Pending
A medical advance is now at the flashpoint between theory and realization. Billions of dollars in research have poured into it. Companies are already generating substantial revenue, and even more wondrous products are in the pipeline.
Cures for a variety of deadly diseases are in sight, and so are big potential profits for early investors. Zacks names 5 stocks to buy now.
Click here to see them >>