Insurance - Property & Casualty
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HMN vs MET
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Insurance - Life
HMN vs MET — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Insurance - Property & Casualty | Insurance - Life |
| Market Cap | $1.82B | $51.39B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $1.64B | $76.94B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $162M | $3.62B |
| Gross Margin | 51.9% | 28.4% |
| Operating Margin | 29.5% | 6.3% |
| Forward P/E | 10.2x | 8.0x |
| Total Debt | $593M | $20.18B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $26M | $22.03B |
HMN vs MET — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horace Mann Educato… (HMN) | 100 | 123.6 | +23.6% |
| MetLife, Inc. (MET) | 100 | 218.9 | +118.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: HMN vs MET
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
HMN carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 16 yrs, beta 0.26, yield 3.0%
- Rev growth 9.7%, EPS growth 57.3%, 3Y rev CAGR 8.3%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.26, Low D/E 40.0%
MET is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 153.9% 10Y total return vs HMN's 74.8%
- 10.2% revenue growth vs HMN's 9.7%
- Lower P/E (8.0x vs 10.2x)
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 10.2% revenue growth vs HMN's 9.7% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (8.0x vs 10.2x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 9.9% margin vs MET's 4.7% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.26 vs MET's 1.09, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 3.0% yield, 16-year raise streak, vs MET's 2.9% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +11.6% vs MET's +4.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 1.1% ROA vs MET's 0.5%, ROIC 51.1% vs 13.1% |
HMN vs MET — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
HMN vs MET — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
HMN leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
MET is the larger business by revenue, generating $76.9B annually — 46.8x HMN's $1.6B. HMN is the more profitable business, keeping 9.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MET's 4.7%. On growth, HMN holds the edge at +10.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.6B | $76.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $505M | $5.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $162M | $3.6B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $553M | $16.5B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +51.9% | +28.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +29.5% | +6.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.9% | +4.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +33.7% | +21.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.6% | +4.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -5.4% | +35.9% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — HMN and MET each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 11.6x trailing earnings, HMN trades at a 29% valuation discount to MET's 16.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, HMN's 1.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than MET's 8.7x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.8B | $51.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.4B | $49.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 11.58x | 16.42x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.15x | 8.05x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 2.96x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 1.82x | 8.66x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.07x | 0.67x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.27x | 1.81x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.60x | 2.84x |
Profitability & Efficiency
HMN leads this category, winning 5 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
MET delivers a 12.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $12 for HMN. HMN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.40x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MET's 0.70x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MET scores 8/9 vs HMN's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +11.5% | +12.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.1% | +0.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +51.1% | +13.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.8% | +1.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.40x | 0.70x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $567M | -$1.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $26M | $22.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $593M | $20.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 5.00x | 5.51x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
MET leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in MET five years ago would be worth $13,291 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,914 for HMN. Over the past 12 months, HMN leads with a +11.6% total return vs MET's +4.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MET at 16.7% vs HMN's 14.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.7% | -1.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +11.6% | +4.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +49.5% | +58.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +29.1% | +32.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +74.8% | +153.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +14.3% | +16.7% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — HMN and MET each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
HMN is the less volatile stock with a 0.26 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MET's 1.09 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.26x | 1.09x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $48.33 | $83.64 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $40.04 | $67.33 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +93.4% | +94.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.3 | 67.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 219K | 3.5M |
Analyst Outlook
HMN leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates HMN as "Hold" and MET as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 22.4% upside for MET (target: $97) vs -7.7% for HMN (target: $42). For income investors, HMN offers the higher dividend yield at 3.04% vs MET's 2.88%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $41.67 | $96.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 9 | 33 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.0% | +2.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 16 | 13 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.37 | $2.27 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.1% | +7.6% |
HMN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). MET leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
HMN vs MET: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is HMN or MET a better buy right now?
For growth investors, MetLife, Inc.
(MET) is the stronger pick with 10. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 7% for Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN). Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) offers the better valuation at 11. 6x trailing P/E (10. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate MetLife, Inc. (MET) a "Buy" — based on 33 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 — HMN or MET?
On trailing P/E, Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is the cheapest at 11.
6x versus MetLife, Inc. at 16. 4x. On forward P/E, MetLife, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — HMN or MET?
Over the past 5 years, MetLife, Inc.
(MET) delivered a total return of +32. 9%, compared to +29. 1% for Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MET returned +153. 9% 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.
04Which is safer — HMN or MET?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
26β versus MetLife, Inc. 's 1. 09β — meaning MET is approximately 321% 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 70% for MetLife, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — HMN or MET?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), MetLife, Inc.
(MET) is pulling ahead at 10. 2% versus 9. 7% for Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Horace Mann Educators Corporation grew EPS 57. 3% year-over-year, compared to -19. 2% for MetLife, 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.
06Which has better profit margins — HMN or MET?
Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) is the more profitable company, earning 9.
5% net margin versus 4. 4% for MetLife, 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. 0% for MET. 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.
07Is HMN or MET more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, MetLife, Inc.
(MET) trades at 8. 0x forward P/E versus 10. 2x for Horace Mann Educators Corporation — 2. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MET: 22. 4% to $96. 50.
08Which pays a better dividend — HMN or MET?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) offers the highest yield at 3. 0%, versus 2. 9% for MetLife, Inc. (MET).
09Is HMN or MET better for a retirement portfolio?
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%, MET: +153. 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.
10What are the main differences between HMN and MET?
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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