AON vs. RYAN: Aon vs. Ryan Specialty Stock Comparison
How do Aon (AON) 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
Aon (AON) and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) are both classified in the Insurance Brokers sub-industry within the broader Insurance industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
Aon (AON) has more than two decades of public-market history since June 2, 1980, whereas Ryan Specialty (RYAN) listed on July 22, 2021 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Aon plc Class A | Ryan Specialty Holdings Inc. |
| Country/Region | Ireland | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Industry | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Insurance Brokers | Insurance Brokers |
| Market Capitalization | 71.03 billion USD | 12.10 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 2, 1980 | July 22, 2021 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -1.97% | -17.50% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 1.25% | 2.91% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 3.28% | 5.30% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 29.20% | 43.93% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.60 | 0.52 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -33.57% | -60.94% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.64M | 1.89M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.21 | -0.50 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.29 | -0.67 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both companies show strong equity returns, but Aon (AON) at 43.38% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 25.15% also sits in the top quartile.
AON
Insurance industry group
43.38%
- AON
- 43.38%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- 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)
Aon (AON) at 22.24% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 3.27% keeps a bottom-quartile share.
AON
Insurance industry group
22.24%
- Max
- 29.92%
- AON
- 22.24%
- 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 Aon (AON) 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 | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 43.38% | 25.15% |
| ROA (TTM) | 5.45% | 3.79% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 22.24% | 3.27% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Aon (AON) at 9.45% and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 21.28% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Aon (AON) at 36.27% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at -33.80% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 9.45% | 21.28% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 11.25% | 20.93% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 36.27% | -33.80% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 11.92% | -3.31% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Aon (AON) 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: Aon (AON) 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 | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Aon (AON) at 0.91% and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 1.06% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.
AON
Insurance industry group
0.91%
- Max
- 5.12%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- Median
- 0.98%
- AON
- 0.91%
- 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)
Aon (AON) at 17.13% 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.
AON
Insurance industry group
17.13%
- Max
- 76.67%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- AON
- 17.13%
- 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 | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.91% | 1.06% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 17.13% | 63.75% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Aon (AON) at 18.33 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.
AON
Insurance industry group
18.33
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- AON
- 18.33
- 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 Aon (AON) at 4.02 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.
AON
Insurance industry group
4.02
- Max
- 4.03
- AON
- 4.02
- 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)
Measured against book value, both Aon (AON) at 7.03 and Ryan Specialty (RYAN) at 12.86 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.
AON
Insurance industry group
7.03
- AON
- 7.03
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- 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 | AON | RYAN |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 18.33 | 59.66 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.02 | 3.78 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 7.03 | 12.86 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |