Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL) Director Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen Sells 150,000 Shares of Stock

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) Director Arne Wilhelmsen sold 150,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $338.11, for a total value of $50,716,500.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 15,559,236 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,260,733,283.96. This trade represents a 0.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Thursday, November 12th, Arne Wilhelmsen sold 35,000 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $325.50, for a total value of $11,392,500.00.
• On Tuesday, November 10th, Arne Wilhelmsen sold 168,530 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $338.98, for a total value of $57,128,299.40.
• On Monday, November 9th, Arne Wilhelmsen sold 175,672 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $338.46, for a total value of $59,457,945.12.
• On Friday, November 6th, Arne Wilhelmsen sold 132,472 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $326.39, for a total value of $43,237,536.08.
• On Thursday, November 5th, Arne Wilhelmsen sold 30,000 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $323.23, for a total transaction of $9,696,900.00.
• On Wednesday, November 4th, Arne Wilhelmsen sold 220,000 shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $329.29, for a total transaction of $72,443,800.00.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Price Performance

Royal Caribbean Cruises stock traded up $1.36 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $323.36. 1,248,044 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,233,756. The company has a market cap of $86.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.88. The company has a current ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has a twelve month low of $222.22 and a twelve month high of $356.39. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $281.51 and a two-hundred day moving average of $289.00.

Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $6.57 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.38 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $5.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.61 billion. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a net margin of 23.78% and a return on equity of 43.40%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 8.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $5.75 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will post 17.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 17th were given a dividend of $1.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 17th. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Royal Caribbean Cruises’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 35.52%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Royal Caribbean Cruises

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in RCL. IMG Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the first quarter worth $27,000. Lynch Investment Planning LLC acquired a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the third quarter worth $27,000. Foresight Capital Management Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the third quarter worth $27,000. CrossGen Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the third quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Main Street Group LTD bought a new position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. 87.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

RCL has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Susquehanna lifted their price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $355.00 to $360.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. Deutsche Bank upgraded Royal Caribbean Cruises from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $299.00 to $330.00 in a research note on Monday, September 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $345.00 to $394.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, September 24th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $410.00 to $415.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Royal Caribbean Cruises from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Royal Caribbean Cruises has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $358.88.

Latest Royal Caribbean Cruises News

Here’s some of the latest news about RCL:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted RCL as a strong growth stock, which may attract investors seeking companies with growth characteristics. The article’s excerpt does not provide specific forecasts or new company results. Article: Here’s Why Royal Caribbean (RCL) is a Strong Growth Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target from $300 to $330 but maintained an “equal weight” rating. The new target implies only modest upside from the cited $323.36 share price, suggesting the firm sees limited near-term outperformance. Article: Royal Caribbean Cruises Given New $330.00 Price Target at Morgan Stanley
• Negative Sentiment: Three reports describe Royal Caribbean directors selling shares worth approximately $159.8 million in total. Large insider sales can weigh on sentiment, although the headlines do not explain the reasons for the transactions. Article: Director Sells $43,237,536.08 in Stock Article: Director Sells $59,457,945.12 in Stock Article: Director Sells $57,128,299.40 in Stock

About Royal Caribbean Cruises

Royal Caribbean Group, formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., is a global cruise vacation company. Its brands include Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises, which offer voyages ranging from large-ship family vacations to premium and luxury experiences. The company serves travelers through itineraries to destinations around the world, including the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska and Asia. Its vacation offerings combine onboard accommodations, dining and entertainment with shore excursions and visits to ports and private destinations.