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L vs. MKL: Loews vs. Markel Stock Comparison

How do Loews (L) and Markel (MKL) 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 Markel (MKL) are both classified in the Property & Casualty Insurance sub-industry within the broader Insurance industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Loews (L) and Markel (MKL)
Profile ItemLMKL
NameLoews Corp.Markel Group Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty InsuranceProperty & Casualty Insurance
Market Capitalization22.19 billion USD23.71 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980December 12, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

L
MKL
GSPC
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Loews (L) vs. Markel (MKL), 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 Markel (MKL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Loews (L) and Markel (MKL)
MetricLMKL
Total Return (1Y)7.24%-4.35%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.27%13.21%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)14.13%8.36%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Loews (L) and Markel (MKL)
MetricLMKL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)16.13%18.61%
Beta (5Y)0.490.57
Max Drawdown (5Y)-26.11%-28.87%
Avg. Volume (3M)805.54K66.79K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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L and MKL 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 Markel (MKL)
MetricLMKL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.18-0.46
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.26-0.60

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Markel (MKL) at 9.75% 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%

MKL

Insurance industry group

9.75%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
MKL
9.75%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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Loews (L) vs. Markel (MKL): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Loews (L) at 7.93% and Markel (MKL) at 11.13% 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%

MKL

Insurance industry group

11.13%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
MKL
11.13%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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Loews (L) vs. Markel (MKL): 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 Markel (MKL) 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 Markel (MKL)
MetricLMKL
ROE (TTM)8.21%9.75%
ROA (TTM)1.71%2.21%
Net Margin (TTM)7.93%11.13%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Loews (L) at 5.44% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Markel (MKL) at -2.49% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Loews (L) vs. Markel (MKL): 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 Markel (MKL) at -15.10% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Loews (L) and Markel (MKL)
MetricLMKL
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.44%-2.49%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)8.96%11.40%
EPS Growth (YoY)24.34%-15.10%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)33.10%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

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

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Markel (MKL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Loews (L) reports a yield of 0.23%, ranking against industry peers normally.

L

Insurance industry group

0.23%

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

MKL

Insurance industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Markel (MKL) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Loews (L) reports a payout of 3.46%, ranking against industry peers normally.

L

Insurance industry group

3.46%

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

MKL

Insurance industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Loews (L) and Markel (MKL)
MetricLMKL
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.23%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)3.46%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Loews (L) at 15.17 and Markel (MKL) at 13.80 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

MKL

Insurance industry group

13.80

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
MKL
13.80
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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Loews (L) vs. Markel (MKL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Loews (L) at 1.18 and Markel (MKL) at 1.47 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

L

Insurance industry group

1.18

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

MKL

Insurance industry group

1.47

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
MKL
1.47
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
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Loews (L) vs. Markel (MKL): 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 Markel (MKL) at 1.28 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

MKL

Insurance industry group

1.28

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
MKL
1.28
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
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Loews (L) vs. Markel (MKL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Loews (L) and Markel (MKL)
MetricLMKL
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.1713.80
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.181.47
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.221.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----