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L vs. MET: Loews vs. MetLife Stock Comparison

How do Loews (L) and MetLife (MET) 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

Loews (L) and MetLife (MET) both belong to the Insurance industry, though L is classified under Property & Casualty Insurance while MET falls under Life & Health Insurance.

Company profile comparison for Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
Profile ItemLMET
NameLoews Corp.MetLife, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty InsuranceLife & Health Insurance
Market Capitalization22.19 billion USD61.76 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980April 5, 2000
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

L
MET
GSPC
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET), 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 Loews (L) and MetLife (MET). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Loews (L) and MetLife (MET). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
MetricLMET
Total Return (1Y)7.24%38.57%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.27%23.59%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)14.13%13.62%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

L
MET
GSPC
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET), 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 Loews (L) and MetLife (MET). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
MetricLMET
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)16.13%24.21%
Beta (5Y)0.490.77
Max Drawdown (5Y)-26.11%-35.09%
Avg. Volume (3M)805.54K3.05M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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L and MET 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 Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
MetricLMET
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.181.42
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.262.10

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

MetLife (MET) at 19.92% is around its peer norm for ROE, while Loews (L) at 8.21% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker returns on shareholders’ equity.

L

Insurance industry group

8.21%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
L
8.21%
Min
-10.66%

MET

Insurance industry group

19.92%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
MET
19.92%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Loews (L) at 7.93% and MetLife (MET) at 6.21% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

L

Insurance industry group

7.93%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
L
7.93%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%

MET

Insurance industry group

6.21%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
MET
6.21%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their net margin against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Loews (L) in Insurance and MetLife (MET) 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 Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
MetricLMET
ROE (TTM)8.21%19.92%
ROA (TTM)1.71%0.60%
Net Margin (TTM)7.93%6.21%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Loews (L) at 5.44% and MetLife (MET) at 7.88% 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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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Loews (L) at 24.34% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while MetLife (MET) at -21.04% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
MetricLMET
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.44%7.88%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)8.96%3.92%
EPS Growth (YoY)24.34%-21.04%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)33.10%18.50%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Loews (L) in Insurance and MetLife (MET) 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: Loews (L) in Insurance and MetLife (MET) 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 Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
MetricLMET
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Loews (L) at 0.23% and MetLife (MET) at 0.57% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

L

Insurance industry group

0.23%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
L
0.23%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MET

Insurance industry group

0.57%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
MET
0.57%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Loews (L) at 3.46% and MetLife (MET) at 30.33% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

L

Insurance industry group

3.46%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
L
3.46%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MET

Insurance industry group

30.33%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
MET
30.33%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
MetricLMET
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.23%0.57%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)3.46%30.33%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Loews (L) at 15.17 and MetLife (MET) at 12.85 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

L

Insurance industry group

15.17

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
L
15.17
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32

MET

Insurance industry group

12.85

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
MET
12.85
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

MetLife (MET) at 0.75 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Loews (L) at 1.18 prices around its industry’s middle — MET costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

L

Insurance industry group

1.18

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
L
1.18
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07

MET

Insurance industry group

0.75

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
MET
0.75
Min
0.07
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Loews (L) at 1.22 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while MetLife (MET) at 2.79 is valued near its industry’s middle — L is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

L

Insurance industry group

1.22

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
L
1.22
Min
0.30

MET

Insurance industry group

2.79

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
MET
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
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Loews (L) vs. MetLife (MET): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Loews (L) and MetLife (MET)
MetricLMET
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.1712.85
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.180.75
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.222.79
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----