AFL vs. SLF: Aflac vs. Sun Life Financial Stock Comparison
How do Aflac (AFL) and Sun Life Financial (SLF) 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 Sun Life Financial (SLF) 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 | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Aflac Incorporated | Sun Life Financial Inc. |
| 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 | 39.73 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | March 23, 2000 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AFL | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 12.21% | 30.02% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 18.21% | 20.05% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 20.06% | 9.37% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AFL | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 17.13% | 21.39% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.55 | 0.88 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -19.86% | -30.77% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.93M | 666.75K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AFL | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.46 | 1.20 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.68 | 1.61 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 12.17% and Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 11.55% 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%
SLF
Insurance industry group
11.55%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- SLF
- 11.55%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- Min
- -10.66%
Net Margin (TTM)
Aflac (AFL) at 21.24% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 8.63%, 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%
SLF
Insurance industry group
8.63%
- Max
- 29.92%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 10.97%
- SLF
- 8.63%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- Min
- -4.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Sun Life Financial (SLF) in Insurance, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AFL | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 12.17% | 11.55% |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.39% | 0.74% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 21.24% | 8.63% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 11.50% 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
Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 16.92% 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 | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -9.27% | 11.50% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | -3.23% | 123.82% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -29.18% | 16.92% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -0.53% | 5.68% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Sun Life Financial (SLF) 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 Sun Life Financial (SLF) 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 | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 5.12% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Aflac (AFL) at 1.91% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, SLF 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%
SLF
Insurance industry group
5.12%
- SLF
- 5.12%
- Max
- 5.12%
- 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 Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 70.41% 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%
SLF
Insurance industry group
70.41%
- Max
- 76.67%
- SLF
- 70.41%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AFL | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.91% | 5.12% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 35.18% | 70.41% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Aflac (AFL) at 18.11 and Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 18.58 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
SLF
Insurance industry group
18.58
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- SLF
- 18.58
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 1.12 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
SLF
Insurance industry group
1.12
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.23
- SLF
- 1.12
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Aflac (AFL) at 2.10 and Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 2.26 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
SLF
Insurance industry group
2.26
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- SLF
- 2.26
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.30
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AFL | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 18.11 | 18.58 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.70 | 1.12 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 2.10 | 2.26 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |