RYAN vs AON

For growth investors, Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc.

(RYAN) is the stronger pick with 21. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 4% for Aon plc (AON). Aon plc (AON) offers the better valuation at 18. 1x trailing P/E (16. 2x 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, Aon plc (AON) is the cheapest at 18.

1x versus Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. at 62. 5x. On forward P/E, Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 13. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Aon plc (AON) delivered a total return of +25.

1%, compared to +11. 5% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. (RYAN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AON returned +214. 4% versus RYAN's +11. 5%. 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), Aon plc (AON) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

10β versus Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. 's 0. 23β — meaning RYAN is approximately 141% more volatile than AON relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Aon plc (AON) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 173% versus 3% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc.

(RYAN) is pulling ahead at 21. 3% versus 9. 4% for Aon plc (AON). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Aon plc grew EPS 36. 3% 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.

Aon plc (AON) is the more profitable company, earning 21.

5% net margin versus 2. 1% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 21. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AON leads at 25. 3% 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, Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc.

(RYAN) trades at 13. 8x forward P/E versus 16. 2x for Aon plc — 2. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for RYAN: 55. 2% to $45. 60.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Aon plc (AON) offers the highest yield at 0. 9%, versus 0. 8% for Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. (RYAN).

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

10), 0. 9% yield, +214. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AON: +214. 4%, RYAN: +11. 5%), 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: RYAN is a small-cap high-growth stock; AON is a mid-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.