MCY vs PGR

For growth investors, The Progressive Corporation (PGR) is the stronger pick with 21.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 4% for Mercury General Corporation (MCY). Mercury General Corporation (MCY) offers the better valuation at 9. 8x trailing P/E (10. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Mercury General Corporation (MCY) a "Hold" — based on 7 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, Mercury General Corporation (MCY) is the cheapest at 9.

8x versus The Progressive Corporation at 13. 7x. On forward P/E, Mercury General Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 7x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: The Progressive Corporation wins at 0. 73x versus Mercury General Corporation's 1. 40x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The Progressive Corporation (PGR) delivered a total return of +110.

2%, compared to +53. 2% for Mercury General Corporation (MCY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PGR returned +600. 9% versus MCY's +124. 1%. 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), The Progressive Corporation (PGR) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

07β versus Mercury General Corporation's 0. 54β — meaning MCY is approximately -872% more volatile than PGR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Mercury General Corporation (MCY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 27% for The Progressive Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Progressive Corporation (PGR) is pulling ahead at 21.

4% versus 9. 4% for Mercury General Corporation (MCY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Progressive Corporation grew EPS 118. 8% year-over-year, compared to 15. 6% for Mercury General Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, MCY leads at 18. 0% 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.

The Progressive Corporation (PGR) is the more profitable company, earning 11.

3% net margin versus 9. 0% for Mercury General Corporation — meaning it keeps 11. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PGR leads at 14. 2% versus 11. 1% for MCY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MCY leads at 33. 9%, 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, The Progressive Corporation (PGR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 73x versus Mercury General Corporation's 1. 40x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Mercury General Corporation (MCY) trades at 10. 7x forward P/E versus 12. 1x for The Progressive Corporation — 1. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PGR: 17. 0% to $230. 27.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Mercury General Corporation (MCY) offers the highest yield at 1. 3%, versus 0. 6% for The Progressive Corporation (PGR).

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

07), 0. 6% yield, +600. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PGR: +600. 9%, MCY: +124. 1%), 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: MCY is a small-cap deep-value stock; PGR is a mid-cap high-growth 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.