ACIC vs TRV vs CB vs HCI

For growth investors, HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is the stronger pick with 20. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 2% for The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV). American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC) offers the better valuation at 5. 0x trailing P/E (7. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Chubb Limited (CB) a "Buy" — based on 43 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.

On trailing P/E, American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC) is the cheapest at 5.

0x versus Chubb Limited at 12. 5x. On forward P/E, American Coastal Insurance Corporation is actually cheaper at 7. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: HCI Group, Inc. wins at 0. 19x versus The Travelers Companies, Inc. 's 0. 51x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC) delivered a total return of +107.

0%, compared to +92. 1% for Chubb Limited (CB). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HCI returned +436. 8% versus ACIC's -22. 2%. 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), Chubb Limited (CB) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

01β versus American Coastal Insurance Corporation's 0. 39β — meaning ACIC is approximately -7341% more volatile than CB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, HCI Group, Inc. (HCI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 48% for American Coastal Insurance Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(HCI) is pulling ahead at 20. 2% versus 5. 2% for The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HCI Group, Inc. grew EPS 179. 8% year-over-year, compared to 13. 3% for Chubb Limited. Over a 3-year CAGR, HCI leads at 22. 3% 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.

HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is the more profitable company, earning 33. 2% net margin versus 12. 9% for The Travelers Companies, Inc. — meaning it keeps 33. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HCI leads at 47. 7% versus 16. 0% for TRV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ACIC leads at 86. 3%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, HCI Group, Inc. (HCI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 19x versus The Travelers Companies, Inc. 's 0. 51x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC) trades at 7. 3x forward P/E versus 11. 9x for Chubb Limited — 4. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CB: 7. 2% to $344. 33.

In this comparison, TRV (1.

4% yield), CB (1. 2% yield), HCI (1. 0% yield) pay a dividend. ACIC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

01), 1. 2% yield, +187. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CB: +187. 6%, ACIC: -22. 2%), 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.

In terms of investment character: ACIC is a small-cap deep-value stock; TRV is a mid-cap deep-value stock; CB is a mid-cap deep-value stock; HCI is a small-cap high-growth stock. TRV, CB, HCI pay a dividend while ACIC does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.