RCL vs. DAL
RCL (Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.) and DAL (Delta Air Lines, Inc.) are both stocks. RCL operates in Travel Services (Consumer Cyclical), while DAL operates in Airlines (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, RCL returned 17.37%/yr vs 10.68%/yr for DAL. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
RCL vs. DAL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RCL achieves a 12.08% return, which is significantly lower than DAL's 24.47% return. Over the past 10 years, RCL has outperformed DAL with an annualized return of 17.37%, while DAL has yielded a comparatively lower 10.68% annualized return.
RCL
- 1D
- -1.01%
- 1M
- 21.42%
- YTD
- 12.08%
- 6M
- 4.31%
- 1Y
- 15.51%
- 3Y*
- 48.11%
- 5Y*
- 29.85%
- 10Y*
- 17.37%
DAL
- 1D
- 2.07%
- 1M
- 12.84%
- YTD
- 24.47%
- 6M
- 19.87%
- 1Y
- 84.21%
- 3Y*
- 27.48%
- 5Y*
- 14.42%
- 10Y*
- 10.68%
RCL vs. DAL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RCL Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. | 12.08% | 22.46% | 78.98% | 161.97% | -35.72% | 2.96% | -43.50% | 39.94% | -16.13% | 48.22% |
DAL Delta Air Lines, Inc. | 24.47% | 16.09% | 52.00% | 23.03% | -15.92% | -2.81% | -30.77% | 20.38% | -8.66% | 16.23% |
Correlation
The correlation between RCL and DAL is 0.60, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 3, 2007 | 0.51 |
The correlation between RCL and DAL shifts across timeframes, from 0.51 (all time) to 0.64 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
RCL:
$83.84B
DAL:
$56.02B
RCL:
$16.41
DAL:
$6.85
RCL:
18.85
DAL:
12.54
RCL:
0.87
DAL:
0.08
RCL:
4.60
DAL:
0.86
RCL:
8.55
DAL:
2.75
RCL:
$18.39B
DAL:
$65.18B
RCL:
$8.68B
DAL:
$17.07B
RCL:
$7.13B
DAL:
$9.66B
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Return for Risk
RCL vs. DAL — Risk / Return Rank
RCL
DAL
RCL vs. DAL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) and Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| RCL | DAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.72 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.33 | -0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.48 | 3.70 | -3.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.81 | 11.81 | -11.00 |
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Drawdowns
RCL vs. DAL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RCL drawdown since its inception was -89.49%, which is greater than DAL's maximum drawdown of -81.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RCL and DAL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RCL | DAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -89.49% | -81.93% | -7.56% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -32.36% | -22.90% | -9.46% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -35.02% | -47.92% | +12.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -67.64% | -47.92% | -19.72% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -83.30% | -69.18% | -14.12% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.99% | 0.00% | -13.99% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.76% | -29.09% | +1.33% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 19.25% | 7.16% | +12.09% |
Volatility
RCL vs. DAL - Volatility Comparison
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) has a higher volatility of 15.22% compared to Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) at 12.24%. This indicates that RCL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DAL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| RCL | DAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.22% | 12.24% | +2.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 38.05% | 30.06% | +7.99% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 47.10% | 41.43% | +5.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 48.65% | 41.00% | +7.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 53.43% | 42.25% | +11.18% |
Dividends
RCL vs. DAL - Dividend Comparison
RCL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.62%, more than DAL's 0.87% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DAL Delta Air Lines, Inc. | 0.87% | 0.97% | 0.83% | 0.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.00% | 2.57% | 2.63% | 1.81% | 1.37% | 0.89% |
RCL Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. | 1.62% | 1.25% | 0.41% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.04% | 2.22% | 2.66% | 1.81% | 2.08% | 1.33% |
Financials
RCL vs. DAL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Delta Air Lines, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
RCL vs. DAL - Profitability Comparison
RCL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. reported a gross profit of 2.21B and revenue of 4.45B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 49.5%.
DAL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Delta Air Lines, Inc. reported a gross profit of 4.54B and revenue of 15.85B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 28.6%.
RCL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. reported an operating income of 1.16B and revenue of 4.45B, resulting in an operating margin of 26.1%.
DAL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Delta Air Lines, Inc. reported an operating income of 501.00M and revenue of 15.85B, resulting in an operating margin of 3.2%.
RCL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. reported a net income of 941.00M and revenue of 4.45B, resulting in a net margin of 21.1%.
DAL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Delta Air Lines, Inc. reported a net income of -289.00M and revenue of 15.85B, resulting in a net margin of -1.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions
RCL and DAL have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
RCL has higher volatility (15.22%) compared to DAL (12.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RCL dropped -89.49% vs DAL's -81.93%.
DAL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.05 vs 0.33), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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