AJG vs. SF: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 22, 2025

Here’s a clear look at AJG and SF, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	AJG	SF
Company Name	Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.	Stifel Financial Corp.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Insurance	Capital Markets
Market Capitalization	77.59 billion USD	11.34 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	June 20, 1984	July 19, 1983
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of AJG and SF by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

AJG vs. SF: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	AJG	SF
5-Day Price Return	1.99%	-4.24%
13-Week Price Return	-12.06%	12.69%
26-Week Price Return	-7.28%	2.03%
52-Week Price Return	5.58%	29.66%
Month-to-Date Return	4.78%	-2.74%
Year-to-Date Return	6.03%	4.63%
10-Day Avg. Volume	1.52M	0.62M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.42M	0.76M
3-Month Volatility	22.99%	22.46%
Beta	0.74	1.17

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

AJG

8.45%

Insurance Industry

Max: 29.03%
Q3: 18.11%
Median: 13.90%
Q1: 10.42%
Min: -0.64%

AJG’s Return on Equity of 8.45% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

SF

10.91%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 38.97%
Q3: 21.61%
Median: 13.77%
Q1: 8.31%
Min: -4.25%

SF’s Return on Equity of 10.91% is on par with the norm for the Capital Markets industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

AJG

13.16%

Insurance Industry

Max: 26.78%
Q3: 14.06%
Median: 9.15%
Q1: 5.48%
Min: -7.05%

AJG’s Net Profit Margin of 13.16% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Insurance industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

SF

10.13%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 66.67%
Q3: 35.11%
Median: 23.49%
Q1: 13.63%
Min: -15.18%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, SF’s Net Profit Margin of 10.13% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

AJG

21.19%

Insurance Industry

Max: 35.49%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 14.35%
Q1: 8.53%
Min: -5.25%

In the Insurance industry, Operating Profit Margin is often not the primary measure of operational efficiency.

SF

12.61%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 86.40%
Q3: 46.46%
Median: 32.80%
Q1: 18.32%
Min: -21.87%

SF’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.61% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	AJG	SF
Return on Equity (TTM)	8.45%	10.91%
Return on Assets (TTM)	2.38%	1.54%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	13.16%	10.13%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	21.19%	12.61%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	46.51%	98.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

AJG

1.36

Insurance Industry

Max: 2.97
Q3: 1.33
Median: 0.55
Q1: 0.15
Min: 0.00

For the Insurance industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

SF

0.10

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 3.76
Q3: 1.89
Median: 1.01
Q1: 0.54
Min: -0.41

For the Capital Markets industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

AJG

0.56

Insurance Industry

Max: 1.25
Q3: 0.65
Median: 0.34
Q1: 0.22
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Insurance industry.

SF

5.52

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 6.62
Q3: 2.84
Median: 1.02
Q1: 0.32
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Capital Markets industry.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

AJG

5.92

Insurance Industry

Max: 43.68
Q3: 20.84
Median: 9.56
Q1: 3.34
Min: -5.73

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Insurance industry.

SF

2.08

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 126.03
Q3: 60.98
Median: 11.77
Q1: 4.95
Min: -36.26

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Capital Markets industry.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	AJG	SF
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.36	0.10
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.36	0.10
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.56	5.52
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	5.92	2.08

Growth

Revenue Growth

AJG vs. SF: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

AJG vs. SF: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

AJG

0.77%

Insurance Industry

Max: 8.23%
Q3: 4.54%
Median: 3.42%
Q1: 1.97%
Min: 0.00%

AJG’s Dividend Yield of 0.77% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

SF

2.13%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 10.26%
Q3: 4.86%
Median: 2.78%
Q1: 1.22%
Min: 0.00%

SF’s Dividend Yield of 2.13% is consistent with its peers in the Capital Markets industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AJG

36.32%

Insurance Industry

Max: 168.02%
Q3: 85.57%
Median: 50.71%
Q1: 22.04%
Min: 0.00%

AJG’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 36.32% is within the typical range for the Insurance industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

SF

39.56%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 200.72%
Q3: 101.92%
Median: 57.97%
Q1: 32.36%
Min: 0.00%

SF’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 39.56% is within the typical range for the Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	AJG	SF
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.77%	2.13%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	36.32%	39.56%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

AJG

47.03

Insurance Industry

Max: 28.91
Q3: 17.76
Median: 13.63
Q1: 10.02
Min: 2.89

At 47.03, AJG’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Insurance industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.

SF

18.61

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 58.89
Q3: 31.00
Median: 18.54
Q1: 12.09
Min: 5.24

SF’s P/E Ratio of 18.61 is within the middle range for the Capital Markets industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

AJG

6.19

Insurance Industry

Max: 3.72
Q3: 1.98
Median: 1.23
Q1: 0.81
Min: 0.23

With a P/S Ratio of 6.19, AJG trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Insurance industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

SF

1.89

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 14.49
Q3: 7.41
Median: 4.68
Q1: 2.25
Min: 0.04

In the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, SF’s P/S Ratio of 1.89 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

AJG

3.56

Insurance Industry

Max: 4.37
Q3: 2.48
Median: 1.68
Q1: 1.19
Min: 0.19

AJG’s P/B Ratio of 3.56 is in the upper tier for the Insurance industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

SF

1.91

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 9.48
Q3: 4.94
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.21
Min: 0.38

SF’s P/B Ratio of 1.91 is within the conventional range for the Capital Markets industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

AJG vs. SF: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Insurance and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	AJG	SF
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	47.03	18.61
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	6.19	1.89
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	3.56	1.91
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	30.56	7.81