BNT vs. PFG: Brookfield Wealth vs. Principal Financial Stock Comparison
How do Brookfield Wealth (BNT) and Principal Financial (PFG) 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
Brookfield Wealth (BNT) and Principal Financial (PFG) are both classified in the Life & Health Insurance sub-industry within the broader Insurance industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
Principal Financial (PFG) has more than two decades of public-market history since October 23, 2001, whereas Brookfield Wealth (BNT) listed on June 28, 2021 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Brookfield Wealth Solutions Ltd. | Principal Financial Group Inc. |
| Country/Region | Bermuda | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Industry | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Life & Health Insurance | Life & Health Insurance |
| Market Capitalization | 11.34 billion USD | 23.55 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | June 28, 2021 | October 23, 2001 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -6.19% | 43.88% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 26.23% | 22.99% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 0.99% | 15.02% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Principal Financial (PFG) trades around 1.26M shares per day on average, while Brookfield Wealth (BNT) sees only 15.15K — a volume gap that can matter for position sizing, exit liquidity, and order execution.
| Metric | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 28.97% | 23.45% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.57 | 0.86 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -54.25% | -29.32% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 15.15K | 1.26M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.36 | 1.69 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.51 | 2.67 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Principal Financial (PFG) at 16.11% is around its peer norm for ROE, while Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at 1.05% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker returns on shareholders’ equity.
BNT
Insurance industry group
1.05%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- BNT
- 1.05%
- Min
- -10.66%
PFG
Insurance industry group
16.11%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- PFG
- 16.11%
- Median
- 14.81%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- Min
- -10.66%
Net Margin (TTM)
Principal Financial (PFG) at 11.89% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at 1.06% retains only a bottom-quartile share.
BNT
Insurance industry group
1.06%
- Max
- 29.92%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 10.97%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- BNT
- 1.06%
- Min
- -4.68%
PFG
Insurance industry group
11.89%
- Max
- 29.92%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- PFG
- 11.89%
- Median
- 10.97%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- Min
- -4.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Brookfield Wealth (BNT) in Insurance and Principal Financial (PFG) in Insurance, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 1.05% | 16.11% |
| ROA (TTM) | 0.44% | 0.46% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 1.06% | 11.89% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at -20.37% and Principal Financial (PFG) at -3.11% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.
EPS Growth
Both Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at -53.90% and Principal Financial (PFG) at -21.41% post bottom-quartile EPS growth versus peers, pointing to weaker earnings momentum than typical rivals.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -20.37% | -3.11% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 37.72% | -3.77% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -53.90% | -21.41% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -39.12% | -34.44% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Brookfield Wealth (BNT) in Insurance and Principal Financial (PFG) 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: Brookfield Wealth (BNT) in Insurance and Principal Financial (PFG) 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 | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Principal Financial (PFG) at 2.88% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at 0.62% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PFG the richer one.
BNT
Insurance industry group
0.62%
- Max
- 5.12%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- Median
- 0.98%
- BNT
- 0.62%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PFG
Insurance industry group
2.88%
- Max
- 5.12%
- PFG
- 2.88%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- Median
- 0.98%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at 30.95% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Principal Financial (PFG) at 36.19% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.
BNT
Insurance industry group
30.95%
- Max
- 76.67%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- BNT
- 30.95%
- Median
- 14.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PFG
Insurance industry group
36.19%
- Max
- 76.67%
- PFG
- 36.19%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.62% | 2.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 30.95% | 36.19% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Principal Financial (PFG) at 12.35 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at 49.19 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for BNT’s trailing earnings.
BNT
Insurance industry group
49.19
- BNT
- 49.19
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
PFG
Insurance industry group
12.35
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- PFG
- 12.35
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at 0.96 and Principal Financial (PFG) at 1.42 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
BNT
Insurance industry group
0.96
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.23
- BNT
- 0.96
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
PFG
Insurance industry group
1.42
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.25
- PFG
- 1.42
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Brookfield Wealth (BNT) at 0.84 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Principal Financial (PFG) at 2.00 is valued near its industry’s middle — BNT is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.
BNT
Insurance industry group
0.84
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- BNT
- 0.84
- Min
- 0.30
PFG
Insurance industry group
2.00
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- PFG
- 2.00
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.30
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | BNT | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 49.19 | 12.35 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 0.96 | 1.42 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 0.84 | 2.00 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |