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AFL vs. UNM: Aflac vs. Unum Stock Comparison

How do Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM) 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 Unum (UNM) are both classified in the Life & Health Insurance sub-industry within the broader Insurance industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
Profile ItemAFLUNM
NameAflac IncorporatedUnum Group
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryLife & Health InsuranceLife & Health Insurance
Market Capitalization61.36 billion USD11.89 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980November 6, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AFL
UNM
GSPC
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: 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 Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
MetricAFLUNM
Total Return (1Y)12.21%4.52%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.21%25.65%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)20.06%29.12%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AFL
UNM
GSPC
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: 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 Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
MetricAFLUNM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.13%29.31%
Beta (5Y)0.550.28
Max Drawdown (5Y)-19.86%-23.00%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.93M1.86M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AFL and UNM are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
MetricAFLUNM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.460.01
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.680.01

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Aflac (AFL) at 12.17% is around its peer norm for ROE, while Unum (UNM) at 2.25% 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%

UNM

Insurance industry group

2.25%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
UNM
2.25%
Min
-10.66%
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Aflac (AFL) at 21.24% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Unum (UNM) at 1.94% 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%

UNM

Insurance industry group

1.94%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
UNM
1.94%
Min
-4.68%
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their net margin against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Unum (UNM) in Insurance, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
MetricAFLUNM
ROE (TTM)12.17%2.25%
ROA (TTM)2.39%0.51%
Net Margin (TTM)21.24%1.94%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Aflac (AFL) at -9.27% and Unum (UNM) at 1.52% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Aflac (AFL) at -29.18% and Unum (UNM) at -54.86% post bottom-quartile EPS growth versus peers, pointing to weaker earnings momentum than typical rivals.

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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
MetricAFLUNM
Revenue Growth (YoY)-9.27%1.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-3.23%3.02%
EPS Growth (YoY)-29.18%-54.86%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.53%-13.07%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Aflac (AFL) in Insurance and Unum (UNM) 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 Unum (UNM) 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

Financial strength metrics for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
MetricAFLUNM
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Unum (UNM) at 2.61% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Aflac (AFL) at 1.91% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, UNM 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%

UNM

Insurance industry group

2.61%

Max
5.12%
UNM
2.61%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Unum (UNM) reports payout ratio above 100% at 128.23%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Aflac (AFL) reports 35.18%, ranking against industry peers normally.

AFL

Insurance industry group

35.18%

Max
76.67%
AFL
35.18%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UNM

Insurance industry group

128.23%

UNM
128.23%
Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
MetricAFLUNM
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.91%2.61%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)35.18%128.23%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Aflac (AFL) at 18.11 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Unum (UNM) at 52.21 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for UNM’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

UNM

Insurance industry group

52.21

UNM
52.21
Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Unum (UNM) at 0.95 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

UNM

Insurance industry group

0.95

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
UNM
0.95
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Unum (UNM) at 1.11 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Aflac (AFL) at 2.10 is valued near its industry’s middle — UNM 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

UNM

Insurance industry group

1.11

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
UNM
1.11
Min
0.30
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Aflac (AFL) vs. Unum (UNM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Aflac (AFL) and Unum (UNM)
MetricAFLUNM
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.1152.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.700.95
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.101.11
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----