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CNA vs. MRSH: CNA Financial vs. Marsh & McLennan Stock Comparison

How do CNA Financial (CNA) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) both belong to the Insurance industry, though CNA is classified under Property & Casualty Insurance while MRSH falls under Insurance Brokers.

Company profile comparison for CNA Financial (CNA) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
Profile ItemCNAMRSH
NameCNA Financial Corporation Common StockMarsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty InsuranceInsurance Brokers
Market Capitalization12.81 billion USD97.39 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CNA
MRSH
GSPC
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH), 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CNA Financial (CNA) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricCNAMRSH
Total Return (1Y)13.42%16.87%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.22%3.11%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)9.00%6.23%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CNA
MRSH
GSPC
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH), 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricCNAMRSH
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.85%26.15%
Beta (5Y)0.220.51
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.67%-34.36%
Avg. Volume (3M)454.06K2.43M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CNA and MRSH 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricCNAMRSH
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.440.48
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.620.74

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 27.24% sits in the top ROE quartile, while CNA Financial (CNA) at 9.56% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for MRSH.

CNA

Insurance industry group

9.56%

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

MRSH

Insurance industry group

27.24%

Max
41.68%
MRSH
27.24%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 6.80% and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 14.20% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

CNA

Insurance industry group

6.80%

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

MRSH

Insurance industry group

14.20%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
MRSH
14.20%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricCNAMRSH
ROE (TTM)9.56%27.24%
ROA (TTM)1.29%7.35%
Net Margin (TTM)6.80%14.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 5.10% and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 10.32% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 33.24% and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 3.06% 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. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricCNAMRSH
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.10%10.32%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.36%9.20%
EPS Growth (YoY)33.24%3.06%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)12.66%11.75%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: CNA Financial (CNA) in Insurance and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricCNAMRSH
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

CNA Financial (CNA) at 3.95% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 1.80% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, CNA the richer one.

CNA

Insurance industry group

3.95%

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

MRSH

Insurance industry group

1.80%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
MRSH
1.80%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 50.26% and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 44.14% 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%

MRSH

Insurance industry group

44.14%

Max
76.67%
MRSH
44.14%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricCNAMRSH
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.95%1.80%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)50.26%44.14%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CNA Financial (CNA) at 12.52 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 24.50 sits in the richer quartile — MRSH needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

CNA

Insurance industry group

12.52

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

MRSH

Insurance industry group

24.50

Max
28.37
MRSH
24.50
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

CNA Financial (CNA) at 0.84 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 3.42 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

CNA

Insurance industry group

0.84

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

MRSH

Insurance industry group

3.42

Max
4.03
MRSH
3.42
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

CNA Financial (CNA) at 1.25 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 6.64 prices above its benchmark range — MRSH looks rich relative to book.

CNA

Insurance industry group

1.25

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

MRSH

Insurance industry group

6.64

MRSH
6.64
Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricCNAMRSH
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.5224.50
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.843.42
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.256.64
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----