AFL vs. RYAN: Aflac vs. Ryan Specialty Stock Comparison
How do Aflac (AFL) and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) 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 Ryan Specialty (RYAN) both belong to the Insurance industry, though AFL is classified under Life & Health Insurance while RYAN falls under Insurance Brokers.
Aflac (AFL) has more than two decades of public-market history since March 17, 1980, whereas Ryan Specialty (RYAN) listed on July 22, 2021 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | AFL | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Aflac Incorporated | Ryan Specialty Holdings Inc. |
| 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 | Insurance Brokers |
| Market Capitalization | 61.36 billion USD | 12.10 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | July 22, 2021 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AFL | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 12.21% | -17.50% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 18.21% | 2.91% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 20.06% | 5.30% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AFL | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 17.13% | 43.93% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.55 | 0.52 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -19.86% | -60.94% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.93M | 1.89M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AFL | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.46 | -0.50 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.68 | -0.67 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 25.15% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Aflac (AFL) at 12.17% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for RYAN.
AFL
Insurance industry group
12.17%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- AFL
- 12.17%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- Min
- -10.66%
RYAN
Insurance industry group
25.15%
- Max
- 41.68%
- RYAN
- 25.15%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- Min
- -10.66%
Net Margin (TTM)
Aflac (AFL) at 21.24% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 3.27% keeps a bottom-quartile 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%
RYAN
Insurance industry group
3.27%
- Max
- 29.92%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 10.97%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- RYAN
- 3.27%
- Min
- -4.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) in Insurance, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AFL | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 12.17% | 25.15% |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.39% | 3.79% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 21.24% | 3.27% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 21.28% 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
Both Aflac (AFL) at -29.18% and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at -33.80% post bottom-quartile EPS growth versus peers, pointing to weaker earnings momentum than typical rivals.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | AFL | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -9.27% | 21.28% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | -3.23% | 20.93% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -29.18% | -33.80% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -0.53% | -3.31% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) 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 Ryan Specialty (RYAN) 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 | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 1.91% and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 1.06% 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%
RYAN
Insurance industry group
1.06%
- Max
- 5.12%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- RYAN
- 1.06%
- 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 Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 63.75% 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%
RYAN
Insurance industry group
63.75%
- Max
- 76.67%
- RYAN
- 63.75%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AFL | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.91% | 1.06% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 35.18% | 63.75% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Aflac (AFL) at 18.11 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 59.66 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for RYAN’s trailing earnings.
AFL
Insurance industry group
18.11
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- AFL
- 18.11
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
RYAN
Insurance industry group
59.66
- RYAN
- 59.66
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 3.70 and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 3.78 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.
AFL
Insurance industry group
3.70
- Max
- 4.03
- AFL
- 3.70
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
RYAN
Insurance industry group
3.78
- Max
- 4.03
- RYAN
- 3.78
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Aflac (AFL) at 2.10 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 12.86 prices above its benchmark range — RYAN looks rich relative to book.
AFL
Insurance industry group
2.10
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- AFL
- 2.10
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.30
RYAN
Insurance industry group
12.86
- RYAN
- 12.86
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.30
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AFL | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 18.11 | 59.66 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.70 | 3.78 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 2.10 | 12.86 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |