Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL) announced its second-quarter results on Thursday, surpassing analyst expectations with an adjusted EPS of $3.21, which was $0.46 higher than the consensus estimate of $2.75.
The cruise operator reported revenue of $4.1 billion, above the consensus estimate of $4.04 billion. Despite the earnings beat, shares of Royal Caribbean fell by 2.7% following the announcement.
The company's strong performance was attributed to robust pricing on close-in demand and onboard revenue, combined with favorable timing of expenses. Year-over-Year (YoY), Royal Caribbean's net income soared to $854 million, or $3.11 per share, up from $459 million, or $1.70 per share, in the second quarter of the previous year.
Adjusted net income also climbed to $882 million, or $3.21 per share, from $492 million, or $1.82 per share, YoY.
President and CEO Jason Liberty expressed enthusiasm over the company's achievements, stating, "Our momentum continues! We met our financial targets 18 months earlier than expected, have our balance sheet in a strong position, reinstated our dividend, and ... we are just getting started."
Liberty also highlighted the exceptional demand for Royal Caribbean's vacation experiences as a key driver of the company's accelerated performance and significant yield growth over the past several years.
Looking ahead, Royal Caribbean raised its full-year 2024 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $11.35 to $11.45, reflecting a 68% growth YoY and surpassing the analyst consensus of $11.08.
This updated guidance is bolstered by the company's record bookings and strong consumer spending onboard and through pre-cruise purchases.
For the third quarter of 2024, the company expects adjusted EPS to be between $4.90 and $5.00. Net yields are anticipated to increase by 6.5% to 7.0%, and net cruise costs, excluding fuel per available passenger cruise days, are projected to rise by 4.7% to 5.2%.