AFL vs. MFC: Aflac vs. Manulife Financial Stock Comparison
How do Aflac (AFL) and Manulife Financial (MFC) 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 Manulife Financial (MFC) are both classified in the Life & Health Insurance sub-industry within the broader Insurance industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
| Profile Item | AFL | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Aflac Incorporated | Manulife Financial Corporation |
| Country/Region | United States | Canada |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Industry | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Life & Health Insurance | Life & Health Insurance |
| Market Capitalization | 61.36 billion USD | 71.43 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | September 24, 1999 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AFL | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 12.21% | 36.28% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 18.21% | 38.35% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 20.06% | 22.50% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AFL | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 17.13% | 20.87% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.55 | 0.85 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -19.86% | -26.99% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.93M | 1.92M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AFL | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.46 | 1.53 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.68 | 2.19 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 12.17% and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 12.24% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
AFL
Insurance industry group
12.17%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- AFL
- 12.17%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- Min
- -10.66%
MFC
Insurance industry group
12.24%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- MFC
- 12.24%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- Min
- -10.66%
Net Margin (TTM)
For every dollar of sales, both Aflac (AFL) at 21.24% and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 18.97% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.
AFL
Insurance industry group
21.24%
- Max
- 29.92%
- AFL
- 21.24%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 10.97%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- Min
- -4.68%
MFC
Insurance industry group
18.97%
- Max
- 29.92%
- MFC
- 18.97%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 10.97%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- Min
- -4.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Manulife Financial (MFC) in Insurance, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AFL | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 12.17% | 12.24% |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.39% | 0.59% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 21.24% | 18.97% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Only one side can be read here: Aflac (AFL) reports revenue growth of -9.27%, ranked against its industry; Manulife Financial (MFC) has no revenue growth figure this period.
EPS Growth
Manulife Financial (MFC) at 8.10% 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 | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -9.27% | -- |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | -3.23% | 29.95% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -29.18% | 8.10% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -0.53% | -5.86% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Manulife Financial (MFC) 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 Manulife Financial (MFC) 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 | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Manulife Financial (MFC) at 4.32% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Aflac (AFL) at 1.91% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, MFC the richer one.
AFL
Insurance industry group
1.91%
- Max
- 5.12%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- AFL
- 1.91%
- Median
- 0.98%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MFC
Insurance industry group
4.32%
- Max
- 5.12%
- MFC
- 4.32%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- Median
- 0.98%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Aflac (AFL) at 35.18% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Manulife Financial (MFC) at 54.30% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.
AFL
Insurance industry group
35.18%
- Max
- 76.67%
- AFL
- 35.18%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MFC
Insurance industry group
54.30%
- Max
- 76.67%
- MFC
- 54.30%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AFL | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.91% | 4.32% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 35.18% | 54.30% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 18.11 and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 17.23 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
MFC
Insurance industry group
17.23
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- MFC
- 17.23
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Manulife Financial (MFC) at 2.11 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
MFC
Insurance industry group
2.11
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.25
- MFC
- 2.11
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Aflac (AFL) at 2.10 and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 2.13 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
AFL
Insurance industry group
2.10
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- AFL
- 2.10
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.30
MFC
Insurance industry group
2.13
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- MFC
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.30
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AFL | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 18.11 | 17.23 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.70 | 2.11 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 2.10 | 2.13 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |