BRO vs. PFG: Brown & Brown vs. Principal Financial Stock Comparison
How do Brown & Brown (BRO) 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
Brown & Brown (BRO) and Principal Financial (PFG) both belong to the Insurance industry, though BRO is classified under Insurance Brokers while PFG falls under Life & Health Insurance.
| Profile Item | BRO | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Brown & Brown Inc. | Principal Financial Group Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Industry | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Insurance Brokers | Life & Health Insurance |
| Market Capitalization | 23.92 billion USD | 23.55 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | February 11, 1981 | October 23, 2001 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | BRO | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -8.59% | 43.88% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 0.40% | 22.99% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 3.19% | 15.02% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | BRO | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 32.50% | 23.45% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.51 | 0.86 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -55.85% | -29.32% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.25M | 1.26M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | BRO | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.40 | 1.69 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.57 | 2.67 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Brown & Brown (BRO) at 9.80% and Principal Financial (PFG) at 16.11% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
BRO
Insurance industry group
9.80%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- Median
- 14.81%
- BRO
- 9.80%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- 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)
Brown & Brown (BRO) at 17.88% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Principal Financial (PFG) at 11.89%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.
BRO
Insurance industry group
17.88%
- Max
- 29.92%
- BRO
- 17.88%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 10.97%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- 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 Brown & Brown (BRO) 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 | BRO | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 9.80% | 16.11% |
| ROA (TTM) | 3.89% | 0.46% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 17.88% | 11.89% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Brown & Brown (BRO) at 22.49% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Principal Financial (PFG) at -3.11% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
Brown & Brown (BRO) at -8.67% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Principal Financial (PFG) at -21.41% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | BRO | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 22.49% | -3.11% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 17.38% | -3.77% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -8.67% | -21.41% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 10.06% | -34.44% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Brown & Brown (BRO) 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: Brown & Brown (BRO) 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 | BRO | 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 Brown & Brown (BRO) at 0.89% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PFG the richer one.
BRO
Insurance industry group
0.89%
- Max
- 5.12%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- Median
- 0.98%
- BRO
- 0.89%
- 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)
Brown & Brown (BRO) at 20.89% 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.
BRO
Insurance industry group
20.89%
- Max
- 76.67%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- BRO
- 20.89%
- 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 | BRO | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.89% | 2.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 20.89% | 36.19% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Principal Financial (PFG) at 12.35 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Brown & Brown (BRO) at 22.82 sits in the richer quartile — BRO needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.
BRO
Insurance industry group
22.82
- Max
- 28.37
- BRO
- 22.82
- 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)
Principal Financial (PFG) at 1.42 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Brown & Brown (BRO) at 3.51 sits in the pricier quartile — BRO costs more per dollar of sales.
BRO
Insurance industry group
3.51
- Max
- 4.03
- BRO
- 3.51
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.23
- 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)
On P/B ratio, both Brown & Brown (BRO) at 1.87 and Principal Financial (PFG) at 2.00 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
BRO
Insurance industry group
1.87
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- BRO
- 1.87
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- 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 | BRO | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 22.82 | 12.35 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.51 | 1.42 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.87 | 2.00 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |