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CNA vs. WTW: CNA Financial vs. Willis Towers Watson Stock Comparison

How do CNA Financial (CNA) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW) both belong to the Insurance industry, though CNA is classified under Property & Casualty Insurance while WTW falls under Insurance Brokers.

Company profile comparison for CNA Financial (CNA) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
Profile ItemCNAWTW
NameCNA Financial Corporation Common StockWillis Towers Watson Public Limited Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty InsuranceInsurance Brokers
Market Capitalization12.81 billion USD30.33 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973June 12, 2001
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CNA
WTW
GSPC
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW), 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CNA Financial (CNA) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricCNAWTW
Total Return (1Y)13.42%2.59%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.22%12.90%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)9.00%8.63%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CNA
WTW
GSPC
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW), 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricCNAWTW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.85%31.09%
Beta (5Y)0.220.42
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.67%-30.39%
Avg. Volume (3M)454.06K537.05K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CNA and WTW 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricCNAWTW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.44-0.05
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.62-0.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 9.56% and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 20.18% 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%

WTW

Insurance industry group

20.18%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
WTW
20.18%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both CNA Financial (CNA) at 6.80% and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 15.22% 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%

WTW

Insurance industry group

15.22%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
WTW
15.22%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricCNAWTW
ROE (TTM)9.56%20.18%
ROA (TTM)1.29%5.35%
Net Margin (TTM)6.80%15.22%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

CNA Financial (CNA) at 5.10% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at -2.24% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: CNA Financial (CNA) reports EPS growth of 33.24%, ranked against its industry; Willis Towers Watson (WTW) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricCNAWTW
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.10%-2.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.36%3.07%
EPS Growth (YoY)33.24%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)12.66%21.88%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: CNA Financial (CNA) in Insurance and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricCNAWTW
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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 0.29% 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%

WTW

Insurance industry group

0.29%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
WTW
0.29%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 23.34% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while CNA Financial (CNA) at 50.26% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CNA

Insurance industry group

50.26%

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

WTW

Insurance industry group

23.34%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
WTW
23.34%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricCNAWTW
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.95%0.29%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)50.26%23.34%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CNA Financial (CNA) at 12.52 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 20.20 sits in the richer quartile — WTW 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

WTW

Insurance industry group

20.20

Max
28.37
WTW
20.20
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): 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 Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 2.95 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

WTW

Insurance industry group

2.95

Max
4.03
WTW
2.95
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

CNA Financial (CNA) at 1.25 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 3.91 carries an above-peer premium to book — WTW is pricier on assets.

CNA

Insurance industry group

1.25

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

WTW

Insurance industry group

3.91

Max
5.07
WTW
3.91
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
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CNA Financial (CNA) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CNA Financial (CNA) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricCNAWTW
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.5220.20
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.842.95
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.253.91
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----