BRO vs RYAN

For growth investors, Brown & Brown, Inc.

(BRO) is the stronger pick with 26. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 21. 3% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. (RYAN). Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) offers the better valuation at 18. 4x trailing P/E (12. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. (RYAN) a "Buy" — based on 19 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, Brown & Brown, Inc.

(BRO) is the cheapest at 18. 4x versus Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. at 67. 5x. On forward P/E, Brown & Brown, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12. 8x.

Over the past 5 years, Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc.

(RYAN) delivered a total return of +20. 0%, compared to +12. 8% for Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BRO returned +253. 0% versus RYAN's +20. 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), Brown & Brown, Inc.

(BRO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 07β versus Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. 's 0. 23β — meaning RYAN is approximately 218% more volatile than BRO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 63% versus 3% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Brown & Brown, Inc.

(BRO) is pulling ahead at 26. 6% versus 21. 3% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. (RYAN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Brown & Brown, Inc. grew EPS -8. 7% year-over-year, compared to -33. 8% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, RYAN leads at 20. 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.

Brown & Brown, Inc.

(BRO) is the more profitable company, earning 17. 7% net margin versus 2. 1% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 17. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BRO leads at 28. 5% versus 20. 5% for RYAN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RYAN leads at 90. 6%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Brown & Brown, Inc.

(BRO) trades at 12. 8x forward P/E versus 14. 9x for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. — 2. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BRO: 52. 4% to $88. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) offers the highest yield at 1. 1%, versus 0. 7% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. (RYAN).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Brown & Brown, Inc.

(BRO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 07), 1. 1% yield, +253. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BRO: +253. 0%, RYAN: +20. 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.

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.