Insurance - Life
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AFL vs PRU
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Insurance - Life
AFL vs PRU — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Insurance - Life | Insurance - Life |
| Market Cap | $58.52B | $34.58B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $17.36B | $61.82B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $3.65B | $3.48B |
| Gross Margin | 38.7% | 30.8% |
| Operating Margin | 26.3% | 8.2% |
| Forward P/E | 15.8x | 7.3x |
| Total Debt | $8.41B | $22.96B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $6.25B | $19.71B |
AFL vs PRU — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aflac Incorporated (AFL) | 100 | 311.5 | +211.5% |
| Prudential Financia… (PRU) | 100 | 163.1 | +63.1% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: AFL vs PRU
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
AFL carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 37 yrs, beta 0.19, yield 2.0%
- Rev growth -8.8%, EPS growth -29.1%, 3Y rev CAGR -3.1%
- 272.5% 10Y total return vs PRU's 89.0%
PRU is the clearest fit if your priority is value.
- Lower P/E (7.3x vs 15.8x)
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | -8.8% revenue growth vs PRU's -14.0% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (7.3x vs 15.8x) | |
| Quality / Margins | Combined ratio 0.7 vs PRU's 0.9 (lower = better underwriting) | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.19 vs PRU's 0.97, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 2.0% yield, 37-year raise streak, vs PRU's 5.5% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +8.4% vs PRU's +3.6% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 3.0% ROA vs PRU's 0.6%, ROIC 11.8% vs 10.0% |
AFL vs PRU — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
AFL vs PRU — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
Evenly matched — AFL and PRU each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
PRU is the larger business by revenue, generating $61.8B annually — 3.6x AFL's $17.4B. AFL is the more profitable business, keeping 21.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PRU's 5.6%. On growth, PRU holds the edge at +6.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $17.4B | $61.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $5.5B | $5.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $3.6B | $3.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $2.6B | $9.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +38.7% | +30.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +26.3% | +8.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +21.0% | +5.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +14.7% | +15.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -10.9% | +6.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -24.3% | -12.8% |
Valuation Metrics
PRU leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 9.7x trailing earnings, PRU trades at a 42% valuation discount to AFL's 16.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PRU's 7.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AFL's 11.0x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $58.5B | $34.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $60.7B | $37.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.63x | 9.73x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.76x | 7.35x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 33.17x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 11.00x | 7.70x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.36x | 0.57x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.05x | 0.98x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 22.90x | 5.51x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AFL leads this category, winning 8 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
AFL delivers a 13.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $10 for PRU. AFL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.29x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PRU's 0.65x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PRU scores 7/9 vs AFL's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.1% | +10.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.0% | +0.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +11.8% | +10.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.0% | +0.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.29x | 0.65x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.2B | $3.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $6.2B | $19.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $8.4B | $23.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 21.00x | 4.76x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
AFL leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in AFL five years ago would be worth $21,884 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,768 for PRU. Over the past 12 months, AFL leads with a +8.4% total return vs PRU's +3.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AFL at 21.0% vs PRU's 11.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +3.6% | -11.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +8.4% | +3.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +77.1% | +39.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +118.8% | +17.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +272.5% | +89.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +21.0% | +11.7% |
Risk & Volatility
AFL leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
AFL is the less volatile stock with a 0.19 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PRU's 0.97 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AFL currently trades 95.2% from its 52-week high vs PRU's 83.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.19x | 0.97x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $119.32 | $119.76 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $96.95 | $91.89 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +95.2% | +83.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.0 | 58.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.1M | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — AFL and PRU each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AFL as "Hold" and PRU as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 4.7% upside for PRU (target: $104) vs -2.4% for AFL (target: $111). For income investors, PRU offers the higher dividend yield at 5.54% vs AFL's 1.98%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $110.83 | $104.13 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 32 | 37 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.0% | +5.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 37 | 8 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.25 | $5.50 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.0% | +2.9% |
AFL leads in 3 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). PRU leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
AFL vs PRU: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AFL or PRU a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Aflac Incorporated (AFL) is the stronger pick with -8.
8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -14. 0% for Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU). Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) offers the better valuation at 9. 7x trailing P/E (7. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Aflac Incorporated (AFL) a "Hold" — based on 32 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.
02Which has the better valuation — AFL or PRU?
On trailing P/E, Prudential Financial, Inc.
(PRU) is the cheapest at 9. 7x versus Aflac Incorporated at 16. 6x. On forward P/E, Prudential Financial, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AFL or PRU?
Over the past 5 years, Aflac Incorporated (AFL) delivered a total return of +118.
8%, compared to +17. 7% for Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AFL returned +272. 5% versus PRU's +89. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — AFL or PRU?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Aflac Incorporated (AFL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
19β versus Prudential Financial, Inc. 's 0. 97β — meaning PRU is approximately 425% more volatile than AFL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Aflac Incorporated (AFL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 29% versus 65% for Prudential Financial, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — AFL or PRU?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Aflac Incorporated (AFL) is pulling ahead at -8.
8% versus -14. 0% for Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Prudential Financial, Inc. grew EPS 36. 3% year-over-year, compared to -29. 1% for Aflac Incorporated. Over a 3-year CAGR, PRU leads at 2. 2% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — AFL or PRU?
Aflac Incorporated (AFL) is the more profitable company, earning 20.
9% net margin versus 5. 9% for Prudential Financial, Inc. — meaning it keeps 20. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AFL leads at 26. 6% versus 7. 9% for PRU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PRU leads at 42. 0%, 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.
07Is AFL or PRU more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Prudential Financial, Inc.
(PRU) trades at 7. 3x forward P/E versus 15. 8x for Aflac Incorporated — 8. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PRU: 4. 7% to $104. 13.
08Which pays a better dividend — AFL or PRU?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) offers the highest yield at 5. 5%, versus 2. 0% for Aflac Incorporated (AFL).
09Is AFL or PRU better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Aflac Incorporated (AFL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
19), 2. 0% yield, +272. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AFL: +272. 5%, PRU: +89. 0%), 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.
10What are the main differences between AFL and PRU?
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.
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