Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. reported today its third quarter results, of $3.49 per share, which includes a $0.20 negative impact from the recent hurricane.
US GAAP and Adjusted Net Income for the third quarter were $752.8 million or $3.49 per share, better than previous guidance. Last year, US GAAP Net Income was $693.3 million, or $3.21 per share, and Adjusted Net Income was $690.9 million, or $3.20 per share.
"Delivering record earnings during a period of such unprecedented disruption is a testament to the strength in demand for cruising and for our brands," said Jason T. Liberty, executive vice president and CFO. "Strong demand trends coupled with our continued cost discipline have put us in a strong position to successfully complete our Double-Double program. As a matter of fact, I am pleased to report that we have already achieved our Double-Double targets on a trailing twelve month basis through September 2017."
Financially, the hurricanes that devastated many people and places in Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean, were unusually impactful because of when and where they hit and the net effect was a cost to the company in excess of $55 million or $0.26 per share. Most of this impact was from lost revenue, but there were also direct costs associated with the storms and with the company's humanitarian efforts.
The company expects full year Adjusted EPS guidance to be in the range of $7.35 to $7.40 per share. Excluding the cost of the hurricanes, Adjusted EPS would have been in the range of $7.60 to $7.65 per share.
Management is excited by the 2018 introduction of Symphony of the Seas in Europe next spring and Celebrity Edge in Fort Lauderdale in December of 2018. While still early in the booking cycle, the view for 2018 is encouraging and the company expects another year of solid yield and earnings growth.
