Carnival Corporation & plc (CCL)
Carnival is the world's largest cruise operator, running multiple cruise brands on itineraries worldwide.
Consumer Discretionary stock comparison
CCL vs SBUX: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: SBUX, with $37.2B of yearly revenue, about 1.4× CCL's $26.6B.
- More profitable: CCL keeps 10 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 5 cents at SBUX.
- More cash from each sale: CCL turns 23 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 13 cents at SBUX.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
Starbucks (SBUX) is the larger business by reported revenue: $37.2B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 1.4× CCL's $26.6B (fiscal year ended Nov 2025). CCL's net margin was 10.4% and SBUX's 5.0%. The SEC classifies them differently (Water Transportation; Retail-Eating & Drinking Places); what connects them is shared exposure to the International markets research theme, not a common industry.
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Sector
- Consumer Discretionary
- SEC industry
- Different
- Separate classifications
- Fiscal year ends
- Different
- CCL November 30 · SBUX September 28
- Reviewed
- Jan 27, 2026
CCL vs SBUX: quick comparison
| Company fact | CCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Carnival Corporation & plc | Starbucks Corporation |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | — | Seattle, Washington |
| Founded | — | 1971 |
| SEC industry | Water Transportation | Retail-Eating & Drinking Places |
| Fiscal year-end | November 30 | September 28 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-01-27 | 10-K · 2025-11-14 |
CCL vs SBUX: audited financials
- Scale: SBUX's $37.2B of revenue is about 1.4× CCL's $26.6B.
- Net margin: CCL kept 10.4% of revenue as net income versus 5.0% at SBUX.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled CCL 23.4% of revenue, or 2.25× net income; SBUX 12.8% of revenue, or 2.56× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 2 months apart (2025-11-30 for CCL, 2025-09-28 for SBUX), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | CCL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $26.6B2024-12-01 to 2025-11-30 · SEC filing | $37.2B2024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $2.8B2024-12-01 to 2025-11-30 · SEC filing | $1.9B2024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $6.2B2024-12-01 to 2025-11-30 · SEC filing | $4.7B2024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $2.022024-12-01 to 2025-11-30 · SEC filing | $1.632024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 10.4%2024-12-01 to 2025-11-30 · SEC filing | 5.0%2024-09-30 to 2025-09-28 · SEC filing |
CCL: FY ending 2025-11-30 · SBUX: FY ending 2025-09-28. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where CCL and SBUX overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Shared research theme: International markets.
Differences
- Different SEC industries: CCL files as Water Transportation; SBUX as Retail-Eating & Drinking Places.
- Offset fiscal calendars: CCL's year ends November 30 and SBUX's September 28, about 2 months apart.
- Profitability: net margin of 10.4% for CCL versus 5.0% for SBUX.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
Starbucks Corporation (SBUX)
Starbucks operates and licenses the largest chain of coffeehouses in the world, with China as a key growth and competitive battleground. Its rewards program and mobile ordering drive a large share of US transactions.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves CCL
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for CCL. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-01-27.
What moves SBUX
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for SBUX. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2025-11-14.
The investment question
You now know SBUX reports about 1.4× CCL's revenue, and CCL keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to international markets, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. CCL's fiscal year ends November 30, while SBUX's ends September 28. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 7 matched transaction rows for CCL and 29 matched transaction rows for SBUX. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
CCL primary filings
SBUX primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
CCL vs SBUX FAQs
Are CCL and SBUX direct competitors?
Not necessarily. Carnival files as Water Transportation and Starbucks as Retail-Eating & Drinking Places. The pair is compared because both map to the International markets research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is CCL or SBUX the bigger company by revenue?
Starbucks (SBUX) is the larger business by reported revenue: $37.2B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 1.4× CCL's $26.6B (fiscal year ended Nov 2025). CCL's net margin was 10.4% and SBUX's 5.0%. The SEC classifies them differently (Water Transportation; Retail-Eating & Drinking Places); what connects them is shared exposure to the International markets research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, CCL or SBUX?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this CCL vs SBUX comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Carnival Corporation & plc and Starbucks Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-10-03. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-10-03. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
CCL vs SBUX compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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