AFL vs. L: Aflac vs. Loews Stock Comparison
How do Aflac (AFL) and Loews (L) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Aflac (AFL) and Loews (L) both belong to the Insurance industry, though AFL is classified under Life & Health Insurance while L falls under Property & Casualty Insurance.
| Profile Item | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Aflac Incorporated | Loews Corp. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Industry | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Life & Health Insurance | Property & Casualty Insurance |
| Market Capitalization | 61.36 billion USD | 22.19 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | March 17, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 12.21% | 7.24% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 18.21% | 19.27% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 20.06% | 14.13% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 17.13% | 16.13% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.55 | 0.49 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -19.86% | -26.11% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.93M | 805.54K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.46 | 0.18 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.68 | 0.26 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Aflac (AFL) at 12.17% is around its peer norm for ROE, while Loews (L) at 8.21% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker returns on shareholders’ equity.
AFL
Insurance industry group
12.17%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- AFL
- 12.17%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- Min
- -10.66%
L
Insurance industry group
8.21%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- L
- 8.21%
- Min
- -10.66%
Net Margin (TTM)
Aflac (AFL) at 21.24% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Loews (L) at 7.93%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.
AFL
Insurance industry group
21.24%
- Max
- 29.92%
- AFL
- 21.24%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 10.97%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- Min
- -4.68%
L
Insurance industry group
7.93%
- Max
- 29.92%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 10.97%
- L
- 7.93%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- Min
- -4.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Loews (L) in Insurance, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 12.17% | 8.21% |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.39% | 1.71% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 21.24% | 7.93% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Loews (L) at 5.44% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Aflac (AFL) at -9.27% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.
EPS Growth
Loews (L) at 24.34% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Aflac (AFL) at -29.18% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -9.27% | 5.44% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | -3.23% | 8.96% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -29.18% | 24.34% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -0.53% | 33.10% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Loews (L) in Insurance both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Loews (L) in Insurance run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 1.91% and Loews (L) at 0.23% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.
AFL
Insurance industry group
1.91%
- Max
- 5.12%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- AFL
- 1.91%
- Median
- 0.98%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
L
Insurance industry group
0.23%
- Max
- 5.12%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- Median
- 0.98%
- L
- 0.23%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 35.18% and Loews (L) at 3.46% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.
AFL
Insurance industry group
35.18%
- Max
- 76.67%
- AFL
- 35.18%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
L
Insurance industry group
3.46%
- Max
- 76.67%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- L
- 3.46%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.91% | 0.23% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 35.18% | 3.46% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 18.11 and Loews (L) at 15.17 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
AFL
Insurance industry group
18.11
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- AFL
- 18.11
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
L
Insurance industry group
15.17
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- L
- 15.17
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Loews (L) at 1.18 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Aflac (AFL) at 3.70 sits in the pricier quartile — AFL costs more per dollar of sales.
AFL
Insurance industry group
3.70
- Max
- 4.03
- AFL
- 3.70
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
L
Insurance industry group
1.18
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.23
- L
- 1.18
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Loews (L) at 1.22 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Aflac (AFL) at 2.10 is valued near its industry’s middle — L is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.
AFL
Insurance industry group
2.10
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- AFL
- 2.10
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.30
L
Insurance industry group
1.22
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- L
- 1.22
- Min
- 0.30
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AFL | L |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 18.11 | 15.17 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.70 | 1.18 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 2.10 | 1.22 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |