Sun Life Financial (SLF) Stock Analysis

November 11, 2026

This is a peer-relative look at Sun Life Financial (SLF): its performance, risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividend, and valuation are each measured against its Insurance peers, so every number reads in context rather than in isolation.

Company Profile

Company profile fields for Sun Life Financial (SLF)
Profile Item	SLF
Name	Sun Life Financial Inc.
Country/Region	Canada
GICS Sector	Financials
GICS Industry Group	Insurance
GICS Industry	Insurance
GICS Sub-Industry	Life & Health Insurance
Market Capitalization	39.73 billion USD
Currency	USD
Exchange	NYSE
Listing Date	March 23, 2000
Security Type	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SLF

GSPC

Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. S&P 500 (GSPC): Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and S&P 500 (GSPC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and S&P 500 (GSPC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Sun Life Financial (SLF) metric values compared with Insurance industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: SLF	Industry group median
Total Return (1Y)	30.02%	13.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	20.05%	16.41%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	9.37%	10.37%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

SLF

GSPC

Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. S&P 500 (GSPC): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and S&P 500 (GSPC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Sun Life Financial (SLF) metric values compared with Insurance industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: SLF	Industry group median
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	21.39%	28.84%
Beta (5Y)	0.88	0.50
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-30.77%	-38.77%

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Each dot is a stock plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. SLF is highlighted; the dashed line is the Capital Allocation Line from the risk-free rate through the industry median — dots above it are stronger on a risk-adjusted basis.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Sun Life Financial (SLF) metric values compared with Insurance industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: SLF	Industry group median
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.20	0.28
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.61	0.41

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) posts ROE of 11.55%, roughly around the peer group’s normal range. Shareholders’ equity is producing a return that looks broadly typical for the industry.

SLF

Insurance industry group

11.55%

Group distribution

Max: 41.68%
Q3: 22.04%
Median: 14.81%
SLF: 11.55%
Q1: 8.79%
Min: -10.66%

Largest peers

PGR: 33.24%
TRV: 27.50%
MRSH: 27.24%
CB: 14.25%
MFC: 12.24%
SLF: 11.55%
AJG: 7.21%

Where Sun Life Financial (SLF) stands on ROE within its Insurance peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Net Margin (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) keeps 8.63% of revenue as net profit, roughly in line with the peer group’s normal net margin range. Its full cost stack is taking a typical share of sales for the industry.

SLF

Insurance industry group

8.63%

Group distribution

Max: 29.92%
Q3: 17.03%
Median: 10.97%
SLF: 8.63%
Q1: 6.21%
Min: -4.68%

Largest peers

MFC: 18.97%
CB: 18.13%
TRV: 17.03%
MRSH: 14.20%
PGR: 12.67%
AJG: 10.78%
SLF: 8.63%

Where Sun Life Financial (SLF) stands on net margin within its Insurance peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Operating Margin (TTM)

operating margin is set aside for Sun Life Financial (SLF) in Insurance: the operating-income line is not a clean boundary for this business model, so net margin, ROE, FFO, or industry-specific measures may be more useful.

Profitability Metrics

Sun Life Financial (SLF) metric values compared with Insurance industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: SLF	Industry group median
ROE (TTM)	11.55%	14.81%
ROA (TTM)	0.74%	2.72%
Net Margin (TTM)	8.63%	10.97%
Operating Margin (TTM)	--	--
Gross Margin (TTM)	--	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

Sun Life Financial (SLF) grew revenue 11.50%, roughly around the peer group's normal range. Top-line momentum looks broadly typical for the industry.

Sun Life Financial (SLF): Revenue Growth across different time periods, set against Insurance industry-group medians.

EPS Growth

Sun Life Financial (SLF) grew earnings per share 16.92%, roughly around the peer group's normal range. Bottom-line momentum looks broadly typical for the industry.

Sun Life Financial (SLF): EPS Growth across different time periods, set against Insurance industry-group medians.

Growth Metrics

Sun Life Financial (SLF) metric values compared with Insurance industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: SLF	Industry group median
Revenue Growth (YoY)	11.50%	7.89%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	123.82%	11.40%
EPS Growth (YoY)	16.92%	21.77%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.68%	18.46%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio is set aside for Sun Life Financial (SLF) in Insurance: these balance sheets are not best read through a current/non-current split, so regulatory, funding, or liquidity-coverage measures usually matter more.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for Sun Life Financial (SLF) in Insurance: leverage is part of the business model itself, so capital adequacy, funding mix, and regulatory measures are usually better risk gauges.

Financial Strength Metrics

Sun Life Financial (SLF) metric values compared with Insurance industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: SLF	Industry group median
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	--	--
Net Debt / EBITDA	--	--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) has dividend yield of 5.12%, in the upper peer-yield quartile while still inside the industry range. The dividend offers more cash income per dollar of share price than most peers, though payout coverage still matters.

SLF

Insurance industry group

5.12%

Group distribution

SLF: 5.12%
Max: 5.12%
Q3: 2.15%
Median: 0.98%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Largest peers

SLF: 5.12%
MFC: 4.32%
MRSH: 1.80%
TRV: 1.17%
CB: 1.07%
AJG: 0.95%
PGR: 0.17%

Where Sun Life Financial (SLF) stands on dividend yield within its Insurance peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) has payout ratio of 70.41%, above the industry’s usual payout band. A larger share of earnings is going to dividends, so the cushion narrows if profit weakens.

SLF

Insurance industry group

70.41%

Group distribution

Max: 76.67%
SLF: 70.41%
Q3: 35.18%
Median: 14.74%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Largest peers

SLF: 70.41%
PGR: 70.03%
MFC: 54.30%
MRSH: 44.14%
AJG: 41.98%
CB: 13.95%
TRV: 12.36%

Where Sun Life Financial (SLF) stands on payout ratio within its Insurance peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Dividend Metrics

Sun Life Financial (SLF) metric values compared with Insurance industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: SLF	Industry group median
Dividend Yield (TTM)	5.12%	0.98%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	70.41%	14.74%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) trades at P/E ratio of 18.58, near the industry’s usual earnings multiple. The stock is not showing a clear peer discount or premium on trailing earnings.

SLF

Insurance industry group

18.58

Group distribution

Max: 28.37
Q3: 18.75
SLF: 18.58
Median: 12.23
Q1: 9.08
Min: 2.32

Largest peers

AJG: 42.99
MRSH: 24.50
SLF: 18.58
MFC: 17.23
CB: 12.79
PGR: 11.47
TRV: 10.39

Where Sun Life Financial (SLF) stands on P/E ratio within its Insurance peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) trades at 1.12 on P/S ratio, roughly in the peer group’s normal range. The market is not making a strong cheap-or-rich statement about its revenue base.

SLF

Insurance industry group

1.12

Group distribution

Max: 4.03
Q3: 2.25
Median: 1.23
SLF: 1.12
Q1: 0.85
Min: 0.07

Largest peers

AJG: 4.58
MRSH: 3.42
CB: 2.25
MFC: 2.11
TRV: 1.66
PGR: 1.44
SLF: 1.12

Where Sun Life Financial (SLF) stands on P/S ratio within its Insurance peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) trades at 2.26 on P/B ratio, roughly in line with the industry’s normal price-to-book range. Its balance sheet is not being priced at a clear discount or premium versus peers.

SLF

Insurance industry group

2.26

Group distribution

Max: 5.07
Q3: 2.79
SLF: 2.26
Median: 1.76
Q1: 1.23
Min: 0.30

Largest peers

MRSH: 6.64
PGR: 3.82
AJG: 3.00
TRV: 2.79
SLF: 2.26
MFC: 2.13
CB: 1.91

Where Sun Life Financial (SLF) stands on P/B ratio within its Insurance peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Valuation Metrics

Sun Life Financial (SLF) metric values compared with Insurance industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: SLF	Industry group median
P/E Ratio (TTM)	18.58	12.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.12	1.23
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.26	1.76
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	--	--