Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE:RCL) shares surged almost 10% after the cruise operator reported strong fourth quarter earnings attributed to strong pricing and onboard revenue streams.
For the quarter, adjusted earnings per share (EPS) grew to $1.63 from $1.25 in the year-ago quarter, above the Wall Street consensus of $1.50.
Revenue of $3.8 billion was in line with expectations.
For the full year, the company posted adjusted EPS of $11.80, beating the consensus of $11.66, and revenue of $16.5 billion, in line with estimates.
The company expects EPS to accelerate into 2025, guiding EPS in the range of $14.35 to $14.65, higher than the $14.32 expected by analysts.
The company anticipates revenue growth driven by strong demand during the "WAVE season," which is traditionally the busiest time for cruise bookings.
"2024 was exceptional, thanks to our incredible team's flawless execution, which drove elevated demand across our leading brands, the early achievement of our Trifecta goals, and meaningful progress on our strategic priorities," Royal Caribbean CEO Jason Liberty said in a statement.
"2025 is shaping up to be another great year, with expected adjusted earnings growth of 23%, as our commercial and vacation experiences flywheel continues to accelerate the growing preference for our leading brands, the most innovative ships and world-class private destinations.”
Shares of Royal Caribbean added 9.8% at $260 in early trade on Tuesday.