BEN vs. UNM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 22, 2025

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

Company Profile

Symbol	BEN	UNM
Company Name	Franklin Resources, Inc.	Unum Group
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Capital Markets	Insurance
Market Capitalization	12.75 billion USD	11.83 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	September 23, 1983	November 6, 1986
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of BEN and UNM 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	BEN	UNM
5-Day Price Return	-4.65%	-2.03%
13-Week Price Return	10.90%	-15.47%
26-Week Price Return	23.98%	-7.94%
52-Week Price Return	9.05%	27.38%
Month-to-Date Return	3.42%	-3.29%
Year-to-Date Return	22.33%	-4.90%
10-Day Avg. Volume	3.20M	1.29M
3-Month Avg. Volume	4.48M	1.35M
3-Month Volatility	22.75%	31.72%
Beta	1.56	0.37

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

BEN

2.61%

Capital Markets Industry

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

BEN’s Return on Equity of 2.61% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

UNM

13.67%

Insurance Industry

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

UNM’s Return on Equity of 13.67% is on par with the norm for the Insurance industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

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

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

BEN

3.73%

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, BEN’s Net Profit Margin of 3.73% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

UNM

11.77%

Insurance Industry

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

UNM’s Net Profit Margin of 11.77% 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.

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

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

BEN

4.26%

Capital Markets Industry

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

BEN’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.26% 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.

UNM

16.48%

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.

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

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	BEN	UNM
Return on Equity (TTM)	2.61%	13.67%
Return on Assets (TTM)	1.00%	2.42%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	3.73%	11.77%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	4.26%	16.48%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	36.69%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BEN

1.21

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.

UNM

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.

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

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

BEN

1.00

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.

UNM

0.33

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.

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

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

BEN

32.05

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.

UNM

12.19

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.

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

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	BEN	UNM
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.21	--
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.21	--
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	1.00	0.33
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	32.05	12.19

Growth

Revenue Growth

BEN vs. UNM: 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

BEN vs. UNM: 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)

BEN

5.29%

Capital Markets Industry

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

With a Dividend Yield of 5.29%, BEN offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Capital Markets industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

UNM

2.58%

Insurance Industry

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

UNM’s Dividend Yield of 2.58% is consistent with its peers in the Insurance industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BEN

125.85%

Capital Markets Industry

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

BEN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 125.85% is in the upper quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

UNM

20.11%

Insurance Industry

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

UNM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 20.11% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

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

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	BEN	UNM
Dividend Yield (TTM)	5.29%	2.58%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	125.85%	20.11%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

BEN

39.87

Capital Markets Industry

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

A P/E Ratio of 39.87 places BEN in the upper quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

UNM

7.79

Insurance Industry

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

In the lower quartile for the Insurance industry, UNM’s P/E Ratio of 7.79 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

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

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

BEN

1.49

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, BEN’s P/S Ratio of 1.49 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.

UNM

0.92

Insurance Industry

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

UNM’s P/S Ratio of 0.92 aligns with the market consensus for the Insurance industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

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

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

BEN

1.03

Capital Markets Industry

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

BEN’s P/B Ratio of 1.03 is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

UNM

1.24

Insurance Industry

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

UNM’s P/B Ratio of 1.24 is within the conventional range for the Insurance 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.

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

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	BEN	UNM
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	39.87	7.79
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	1.49	0.92
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	1.03	1.24
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	7.32	8.19