Royal Caribbean Gears Up to Report Q3 Earnings: What's in Store?

Core Insights - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) is set to report its third-quarter 2025 results on October 28, with a history of beating earnings estimates in the past four quarters, averaging a surprise of 6.4% [1][9]. Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL's third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) is $5.67, reflecting a 9% increase from $5.20 in the same quarter last year [2][9]. - Revenue expectations are pegged at approximately $5.16 billion, indicating a 5.7% rise from the previous year's figure [2][9]. Revenue Drivers - The anticipated increase in RCL's third-quarter revenue is attributed to strong consumer demand, favorable pricing trends, and robust onboard revenue streams [3]. - High booking activity, especially for close-in sailings, and steady load factors are expected to support revenue growth [3]. Yield and Revenue Growth - Management projects net yield growth of 2-2.5%, driven by consistent performance from the existing fleet and strong contributions from Caribbean, European, and Alaskan itineraries [4]. - Third-quarter passenger ticket revenues are estimated to rise by 5.1% year over year to $3.6 billion, while onboard and other revenues are expected to increase by 6.3% to $1.5 billion [5]. Cost Pressures - Elevated costs related to new ship deliveries and deferred spending are likely to impact margins, with net cruise costs (excluding fuel) expected to rise by 6-6.5% year over year [6]. - The estimated net cruise costs for the third quarter are projected at $126.2 million on a reported basis [6]. Overall Performance Outlook - Despite cost pressures, solid yield growth and sustained onboard revenue strength are likely to mitigate most of the margin impacts [7]. - The company anticipates adjusted EPS in the range of $5.55-$5.65, indicating continued earnings momentum and effective execution across its global operations [7]. Earnings Prediction - The model predicts an earnings beat for RCL, supported by a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [8][10].