AON vs. UPST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AON and UPST, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AON’s market capitalization of 76.61 billion USD is substantially larger than UPST’s 7.02 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
UPST carries a higher beta at 2.30, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while AON (beta: 0.86) exhibits greater stability.
| Symbol | AON | UPST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Aon plc | Upstart Holdings, Inc. |
| Country | IE | US |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Insurance - Brokers | Financial - Credit Services |
| CEO | Gregory Clarence Case | David J. Girouard |
| Price | 354.76 USD | 73.82 USD |
| Market Cap | 76.61 billion USD | 7.02 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.86 | 2.30 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | June 2, 1980 | December 16, 2020 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AON and UPST 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.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AON
40.40%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 40.40%
- Q3
- 30.52%
- Median
- 22.48%
- Q1
- 4.38%
- Min
- -5.38%
In the upper quartile for the Insurance - Brokers industry, AON’s Return on Equity of 40.40% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
UPST
-10.63%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 34.05%
- Q3
- 18.70%
- Median
- 10.57%
- Q1
- 3.55%
- Min
- -12.12%
UPST has a negative Return on Equity of -10.63%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Return on Invested Capital
AON
10.73%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 11.62%
- Q3
- 11.18%
- Median
- 8.38%
- Q1
- 2.57%
- Min
- -1.51%
AON’s Return on Invested Capital of 10.73% is in line with the norm for the Insurance - Brokers industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
UPST
-4.85%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 68.11%
- Q3
- 32.26%
- Median
- 9.52%
- Q1
- 3.37%
- Min
- -7.03%
Return on Invested Capital is often not a primary measure of capital efficiency in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
Net Profit Margin
AON
15.58%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 21.33%
- Q3
- 15.86%
- Median
- 10.63%
- Q1
- 1.06%
- Min
- -2.28%
AON’s Net Profit Margin of 15.58% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Insurance - Brokers industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
UPST
-9.21%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 39.42%
- Q3
- 20.10%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 5.82%
- Min
- -14.80%
UPST has a negative Net Profit Margin of -9.21%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
Operating Profit Margin
AON
23.42%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 28.73%
- Q3
- 23.24%
- Median
- 21.46%
- Q1
- 10.89%
- Min
- 5.35%
An Operating Profit Margin of 23.42% places AON in the upper quartile for the Insurance - Brokers industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
UPST
-14.94%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 77.26%
- Q3
- 42.86%
- Median
- 17.99%
- Q1
- 10.82%
- Min
- -14.94%
UPST has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -14.94%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AON | UPST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 40.40% | -10.63% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.07% | -2.89% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 10.73% | -4.85% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.58% | -9.21% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 23.42% | -14.94% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 47.12% | 99.03% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AON
1.05
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 1.90
- Q3
- 1.76
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 1.05
AON’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Insurance - Brokers industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
UPST
4.06
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 8.15
- Q3
- 4.39
- Median
- 2.62
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.15
For the Financial - Credit Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AON
2.64
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 4.59
- Q3
- 2.12
- Median
- 0.59
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.01
AON’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Insurance - Brokers industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.64. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
UPST
2.04
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 4.69
- Q3
- 2.55
- Median
- 1.20
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.00
UPST’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.04 is typical for the Financial - Credit Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AON
4.51
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 29.40
- Q3
- 16.65
- Median
- 7.25
- Q1
- 4.20
- Min
- 1.60
AON’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 4.51 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Insurance - Brokers industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
UPST
-2.43
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 17.48
- Q3
- 7.42
- Median
- 1.59
- Q1
- 0.38
- Min
- -7.77
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AON | UPST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.05 | 4.06 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.05 | 4.06 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 2.64 | 2.04 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.37 | 0.60 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 3.41 | -13.68 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 4.51 | -2.43 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AON and UPST. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AON
0.78%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 2.63%
- Q3
- 1.34%
- Median
- 0.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AON’s Dividend Yield of 0.78% is consistent with its peers in the Insurance - Brokers industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
UPST
0.00%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 14.68%
- Q3
- 2.97%
- Median
- 1.03%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UPST currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AON
23.00%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 45.22%
- Q3
- 39.19%
- Median
- 29.49%
- Q1
- 3.85%
- Min
- 0.00%
AON’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 23.00% is within the typical range for the Insurance - Brokers industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
UPST
0.00%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 169.58%
- Q3
- 38.15%
- Median
- 18.30%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UPST has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AON | UPST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.78% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 23.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AON
30.13
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 45.50
- Q3
- 35.20
- Median
- 30.00
- Q1
- 28.34
- Min
- 26.42
AON’s P/E Ratio of 30.13 is within the middle range for the Insurance - Brokers industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
UPST
-104.76
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 42.04
- Q3
- 25.88
- Median
- 12.28
- Q1
- 9.55
- Min
- 3.09
UPST has a negative P/E Ratio of -104.76. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AON
2.89
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 3.00
- Median
- 2.77
- Q1
- 2.41
- Min
- 2.09
AON’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.89 is within the middle range of its peers in the Insurance - Brokers industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
UPST
-2.82
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 2.76
- Q3
- 1.57
- Median
- 0.82
- Q1
- 0.51
- Min
- 0.06
UPST has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -2.82. This typically results from negative earnings or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AON
4.68
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 7.38
- Q3
- 5.34
- Median
- 4.27
- Q1
- 2.32
- Min
- 0.27
AON’s P/S Ratio of 4.68 aligns with the market consensus for the Insurance - Brokers industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
UPST
9.74
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 6.24
- Q3
- 3.02
- Median
- 1.54
- Q1
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.32
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AON
10.96
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 10.90
- Q3
- 8.10
- Median
- 6.93
- Q1
- 4.15
- Min
- 1.12
At 10.96, AON’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Insurance - Brokers industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
UPST
10.29
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 3.58
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.28
- Q1
- 0.84
- Min
- 0.07
At 10.29, UPST’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Financial - Credit Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AON | UPST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 30.13 | -104.76 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.89 | -2.82 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 4.68 | 9.74 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 10.96 | 10.29 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 29.02 | 66.37 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 18.30 | -137.40 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 5.76 | 10.81 |