AAME vs CNO

For growth investors, CNO Financial Group, Inc.

(CNO) is the stronger pick with 0. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 8% for Atlantic American Corporation (AAME). CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO) offers the better valuation at 19. 5x trailing P/E (10. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO) a "Hold" — based on 17 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

Over the past 5 years, CNO Financial Group, Inc.

(CNO) delivered a total return of +81. 0%, compared to -35. 3% for Atlantic American Corporation (AAME). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CNO returned +170. 9% versus AAME's -35. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Atlantic American Corporation (AAME) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

40β versus CNO Financial Group, Inc. 's 0. 80β — meaning CNO is approximately 101% more volatile than AAME relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Atlantic American Corporation (AAME) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 38% versus 154% for CNO Financial Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), CNO Financial Group, Inc.

(CNO) is pulling ahead at 0. 9% versus 0. 8% for Atlantic American Corporation (AAME). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: CNO Financial Group, Inc. grew EPS -37. 2% year-over-year, compared to -724. 4% for Atlantic American Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, CNO leads at 7. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

CNO Financial Group, Inc.

(CNO) is the more profitable company, earning 5. 1% net margin versus -2. 3% for Atlantic American Corporation — meaning it keeps 5. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CNO leads at 6. 5% versus -2. 8% for AAME. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CNO leads at 44. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO) offers the highest yield at 1. 5%, versus 0. 8% for Atlantic American Corporation (AAME).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Atlantic American Corporation (AAME) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

40), 0. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AAME: -35. 0%, CNO: +170. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.