HMN vs CNO

For growth investors, Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is the stronger pick with 9.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 9% for CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO). Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) offers the better valuation at 11. 7x trailing P/E (10. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) a "Hold" — based on 9 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, Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is the cheapest at 11.

7x versus CNO Financial Group, Inc. at 19. 5x. On forward P/E, Horace Mann Educators Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 2x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Horace Mann Educators Corporation wins at 2. 60x versus CNO Financial Group, Inc. 's 4. 80x.

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

(CNO) delivered a total return of +81. 0%, compared to +29. 8% for Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CNO returned +171. 6% versus HMN's +74. 8%. 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), Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

26β versus CNO Financial Group, Inc. 's 0. 80β — meaning CNO is approximately 211% more volatile than HMN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 40% versus 154% for CNO Financial Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is pulling ahead at 9.

7% versus 0. 9% for CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Horace Mann Educators Corporation grew EPS 57. 3% year-over-year, compared to -37. 2% for CNO Financial Group, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, HMN leads at 8. 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.

Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

5% net margin versus 5. 1% for CNO Financial Group, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HMN leads at 77. 1% versus 6. 5% for CNO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HMN leads at 100. 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.

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, Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2. 60x versus CNO Financial Group, Inc. 's 4. 80x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) trades at 10. 2x forward P/E versus 10. 5x for CNO Financial Group, Inc. — 0. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CNO: 2. 1% to $46. 67.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) offers the highest yield at 3. 0%, versus 1. 5% for CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO).

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

26), 3. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HMN: +74. 8%, CNO: +171. 6%), 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: HMN is a small-cap deep-value stock; CNO is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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.