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JEF vs. WTW: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

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Here’s a clear look at JEF and WTW, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

SymbolJEFWTW
Company NameJefferies Financial Group Inc.Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company
CountryUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS IndustryCapital MarketsInsurance
Market Capitalization12.99 billion USD32.65 billion USD
ExchangeNYSENasdaqGS
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980June 12, 2001
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of JEF and WTW by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

JEF vs. WTW: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolJEFWTW
5-Day Price Return9.38%2.92%
13-Week Price Return16.54%8.86%
26-Week Price Return-17.65%2.38%
52-Week Price Return14.59%21.33%
Month-to-Date Return9.24%5.98%
Year-to-Date Return-19.66%6.85%
10-Day Avg. Volume1.54M0.78M
3-Month Avg. Volume1.69M0.71M
3-Month Volatility31.83%18.86%
Beta1.540.74

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

JEF

6.51%

Capital Markets Industry

Max
38.97%
Q3
21.61%
Median
13.77%
Q1
8.31%
Min
-4.25%

JEF’s Return on Equity of 6.51% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

WTW

1.73%

Insurance Industry

Max
29.03%
Q3
18.11%
Median
13.90%
Q1
10.42%
Min
-0.64%

WTW’s Return on Equity of 1.73% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

JEF

6.37%

Capital Markets Industry

Max
66.67%
Q3
35.11%
Median
23.49%
Q1
13.63%
Min
-15.18%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, JEF’s Net Profit Margin of 6.37% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

WTW

1.40%

Insurance Industry

Max
26.78%
Q3
14.06%
Median
9.15%
Q1
5.48%
Min
-7.05%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Insurance industry, WTW’s Net Profit Margin of 1.40% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

JEF

8.10%

Capital Markets Industry

Max
86.40%
Q3
46.46%
Median
32.80%
Q1
18.32%
Min
-21.87%

JEF’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.10% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

WTW

6.24%

Insurance Industry

Max
35.49%
Q3
19.49%
Median
14.35%
Q1
8.53%
Min
-5.25%

In the Insurance industry, Operating Profit Margin is often not the primary measure of operational efficiency.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolJEFWTW
Return on Equity (TTM)6.51%1.73%
Return on Assets (TTM)1.00%0.49%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)6.37%1.40%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)8.10%6.24%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)59.51%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

JEF

0.69

Capital Markets Industry

Max
3.76
Q3
1.89
Median
1.01
Q1
0.54
Min
-0.41

For the Capital Markets industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

WTW

1.13

Insurance Industry

Max
2.97
Q3
1.33
Median
0.55
Q1
0.15
Min
0.00

For the Insurance industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

JEF

3.27

Capital Markets Industry

Max
6.62
Q3
2.84
Median
1.02
Q1
0.32
Min
0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Capital Markets industry.

WTW

0.66

Insurance Industry

Max
1.25
Q3
0.65
Median
0.34
Q1
0.22
Min
0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Insurance industry.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

JEF

14.18

Capital Markets Industry

Max
126.03
Q3
60.98
Median
11.77
Q1
4.95
Min
-36.26

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Capital Markets industry.

WTW

1.41

Insurance Industry

Max
43.68
Q3
20.84
Median
9.56
Q1
3.34
Min
-5.73

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Insurance industry.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolJEFWTW
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.691.13
Quick Ratio (MRQ)0.691.11
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)3.270.66
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)14.181.41

Growth

Revenue Growth

JEF vs. WTW: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

JEF vs. WTW: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

JEF

2.72%

Capital Markets Industry

Max
10.26%
Q3
4.86%
Median
2.78%
Q1
1.22%
Min
0.00%

JEF’s Dividend Yield of 2.72% is consistent with its peers in the Capital Markets industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

WTW

1.14%

Insurance Industry

Max
8.23%
Q3
4.54%
Median
3.42%
Q1
1.97%
Min
0.00%

WTW’s Dividend Yield of 1.14% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

JEF

52.82%

Capital Markets Industry

Max
200.72%
Q3
101.92%
Median
57.97%
Q1
32.36%
Min
0.00%

JEF’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 52.82% is within the typical range for the Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

WTW

14.79%

Insurance Industry

Max
168.02%
Q3
85.57%
Median
50.71%
Q1
22.04%
Min
0.00%

WTW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 14.79% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolJEFWTW
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.72%1.14%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)52.82%14.79%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

JEF

19.41

Capital Markets Industry

Max
58.89
Q3
31.00
Median
18.54
Q1
12.09
Min
5.24

JEF’s P/E Ratio of 19.41 is within the middle range for the Capital Markets industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

WTW

227.81

Insurance Industry

Max
28.91
Q3
17.76
Median
13.63
Q1
10.02
Min
2.89

At 227.81, WTW’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Insurance industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

JEF

1.24

Capital Markets Industry

Max
14.49
Q3
7.41
Median
4.68
Q1
2.25
Min
0.04

In the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, JEF’s P/S Ratio of 1.24 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

WTW

3.18

Insurance Industry

Max
3.72
Q3
1.98
Median
1.23
Q1
0.81
Min
0.23

WTW’s P/S Ratio of 3.18 is in the upper echelon for the Insurance industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

JEF

0.97

Capital Markets Industry

Max
9.48
Q3
4.94
Median
2.42
Q1
1.21
Min
0.38

JEF’s P/B Ratio of 0.97 is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

WTW

3.75

Insurance Industry

Max
4.37
Q3
2.48
Median
1.68
Q1
1.19
Min
0.19

WTW’s P/B Ratio of 3.75 is in the upper tier for the Insurance industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

JEF vs. WTW: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Insurance industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolJEFWTW
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)19.41227.81
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)1.243.18
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)0.973.75
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)7.8524.67