Bank of America Corp DE Raises Position in Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. $RCL

Key Points

• Bank of America increased its Royal Caribbean position by 7.3% in the first quarter, adding 76,372 shares to own 1.12 million shares worth approximately $308.4 million. Institutional investors collectively hold 87.53% of RCL.
• Royal Caribbean reported quarterly EPS of $4.21, exceeding estimates of $3.98, while revenue rose 6.5% year over year to $4.83 billion. The company reaffirmed full-year 2026 EPS guidance of $17.73–$17.87 and pays a $1.50 quarterly dividend, yielding about 1.9%.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $350.50, though some firms have reduced targets or retained neutral ratings. CEO Michael Bayley sold 12,811 shares for roughly $4.05 million, reducing his direct stake by 22.05%.

Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL - Free Report) by 7.3% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,120,613 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 76,372 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE owned approximately 0.42% of Royal Caribbean Cruises worth $308,370,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in RCL. Montag A & Associates Inc. boosted its position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises by 184.4% during the 4th quarter. Montag A & Associates Inc. now owns 91 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. bought a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, IMG Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises in the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. 87.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Trading Up 0.1%

NYSE RCL opened at $318.53 on Monday. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has a 1-year low of $232.10 and a 1-year high of $366.50. The company has a current ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $295.83 and a 200-day moving average of $289.73. The firm has a market cap of $85.19 billion, a PE ratio of 19.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.77.

Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $4.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.98 by $0.23. The business had revenue of $4.83 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.82 billion. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a return on equity of 43.33% and a net margin of 23.54%.Royal Caribbean Cruises's revenue for the quarter was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $4.38 EPS. Royal Caribbean Cruises has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.730-17.870 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 6.260-6.360 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will post 17.79 EPS for the current year.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 2nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, June 3rd were issued a $1.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, June 3rd. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Royal Caribbean Cruises's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.08%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have commented on RCL shares. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $351.00 to $340.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $318.00 to $297.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Mizuho set a $380.00 price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a report on Friday, May 1st. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b-)" rating on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $350.50.

Insider Activity at Royal Caribbean Cruises

In related news, CEO Michael W. Bayley sold 12,811 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $315.99, for a total value of $4,048,147.89. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 45,297 shares of the company's stock, valued at $14,313,399.03. The trade was a 22.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 6.44% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Royal Caribbean Cruises News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Royal Caribbean Cruises this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Royal Caribbean continues to benefit from resilient bookings, premium offerings and demand from higher-income travelers. Analysts argue that its focus on higher-margin guests may help offset cost pressures, while the company appears relatively insulated from weaker consumer vacation spending. Royal Caribbean: Higher Margin Guests Meet Fuel Risks, Dip Buying Opportunity Ahead
• Positive Sentiment: A comparison of Royal Caribbean and Carnival highlights favorable industry trends, including strong bookings, premium pricing and continued cruise demand. Royal Caribbean’s recent earnings also showed revenue growth and earnings above analyst expectations, supporting the company’s fundamental outlook. Carnival vs. Royal Caribbean: Which Cruise Stock Looks More Promising?
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target for RCL from $280 to $300 but maintained an “equal weight” rating. The revised target remains below the stock’s recent trading level, indicating limited near-term upside in the firm’s view. Morgan Stanley RCL price-target update
• Negative Sentiment: Freedom Capital downgraded Royal Caribbean from “strong buy” to “hold,” adding to valuation concerns after the stock’s substantial gains and contributing to selling pressure. Freedom Capital downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Michael W. Bayley sold 12,811 shares worth approximately $4.05 million, reducing his direct ownership by 22.05%. Although insider sales can be scheduled or diversification-related, the transaction may weigh on investor sentiment. SEC insider transaction filing

About Royal Caribbean Cruises

Royal Caribbean Cruises NYSE: RCL, operating as part of the Royal Caribbean Group, is a global cruise company that develops, markets and operates passenger cruise ships. The company operates multiple consumer-facing cruise brands that offer short- and long-duration itineraries and a range of onboard experiences. Its core activities include itineraries and voyage operations, guest services and hospitality, onboard food and beverage, entertainment and recreation programming, and the commercial activities needed to sell and support cruises through both direct and travel‑agent channels.

Royal Caribbean's ships serve a broad set of geographies worldwide, regularly deploying vessels in the Caribbean, North America (including Alaska), Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RCL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.