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CNA vs. MFC: CNA Financial vs. Manulife Financial Stock Comparison

How do CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC) 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

CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC) both belong to the Insurance industry, though CNA is classified under Property & Casualty Insurance while MFC falls under Life & Health Insurance.

Company profile comparison for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
Profile ItemCNAMFC
NameCNA Financial Corporation Common StockManulife Financial Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesCanada
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty InsuranceLife & Health Insurance
Market Capitalization12.81 billion USD71.43 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973September 24, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CNA
MFC
GSPC
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
MetricCNAMFC
Total Return (1Y)13.42%36.28%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.22%38.35%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)9.00%22.50%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CNA
MFC
GSPC
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
MetricCNAMFC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.85%20.87%
Beta (5Y)0.220.85
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.67%-26.99%
Avg. Volume (3M)454.06K1.92M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CNA and MFC are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
MetricCNAMFC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.441.53
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.622.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 9.56% and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 12.24% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

CNA

Insurance industry group

9.56%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
CNA
9.56%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%

MFC

Insurance industry group

12.24%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
MFC
12.24%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Manulife Financial (MFC) at 18.97% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of CNA Financial (CNA) at 6.80%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CNA

Insurance industry group

6.80%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
CNA
6.80%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%

MFC

Insurance industry group

18.97%

Max
29.92%
MFC
18.97%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their net margin against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for CNA Financial (CNA) in Insurance and Manulife Financial (MFC) in Insurance, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
MetricCNAMFC
ROE (TTM)9.56%12.24%
ROA (TTM)1.29%0.59%
Net Margin (TTM)6.80%18.97%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: CNA Financial (CNA) reports revenue growth of 5.10%, ranked against its industry; Manulife Financial (MFC) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 33.24% and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 8.10% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
MetricCNAMFC
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.10%--
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.36%29.95%
EPS Growth (YoY)33.24%8.10%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)12.66%-5.86%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: CNA Financial (CNA) in Insurance and Manulife Financial (MFC) 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: CNA Financial (CNA) in Insurance and Manulife Financial (MFC) 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

Financial strength metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
MetricCNAMFC
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 3.95% and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 4.32% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

CNA

Insurance industry group

3.95%

Max
5.12%
CNA
3.95%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MFC

Insurance industry group

4.32%

Max
5.12%
MFC
4.32%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 50.26% and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 54.30% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

CNA

Insurance industry group

50.26%

Max
76.67%
CNA
50.26%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MFC

Insurance industry group

54.30%

Max
76.67%
MFC
54.30%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
MetricCNAMFC
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.95%4.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)50.26%54.30%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 12.52 and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 17.23 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CNA

Insurance industry group

12.52

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
CNA
12.52
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32

MFC

Insurance industry group

17.23

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
MFC
17.23
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

CNA Financial (CNA) at 0.84 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Manulife Financial (MFC) at 2.11 prices around its industry’s middle — CNA costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

CNA

Insurance industry group

0.84

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
CNA
0.84
Min
0.07

MFC

Insurance industry group

2.11

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
MFC
2.11
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both CNA Financial (CNA) at 1.25 and Manulife Financial (MFC) at 2.13 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

CNA

Insurance industry group

1.25

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
CNA
1.25
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30

MFC

Insurance industry group

2.13

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
MFC
2.13
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Manulife Financial (MFC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Manulife Financial (MFC)
MetricCNAMFC
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.5217.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.842.11
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.252.13
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----