L vs. PFG: Loews vs. Principal Financial Stock Comparison
How do Loews (L) and Principal Financial (PFG) 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 Principal Financial (PFG) both belong to the Insurance industry, though L is classified under Property & Casualty Insurance while PFG falls under Life & Health Insurance.
| Profile Item | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Loews Corp. | Principal Financial Group Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Industry | Insurance | Insurance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Property & Casualty Insurance | Life & Health Insurance |
| Market Capitalization | 22.19 billion USD | 23.55 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | October 23, 2001 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 7.24% | 43.88% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 19.27% | 22.99% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 14.13% | 15.02% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 16.13% | 23.45% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.49 | 0.86 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -26.11% | -29.32% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 805.54K | 1.26M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.18 | 1.69 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.26 | 2.67 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Principal Financial (PFG) at 16.11% 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%
PFG
Insurance industry group
16.11%
- Max
- 41.68%
- Q3
- 22.04%
- PFG
- 16.11%
- Median
- 14.81%
- Q1
- 8.79%
- Min
- -10.66%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Loews (L) at 7.93% and Principal Financial (PFG) at 11.89% 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%
PFG
Insurance industry group
11.89%
- Max
- 29.92%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- PFG
- 11.89%
- Median
- 10.97%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- Min
- -4.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Loews (L) in Insurance and Principal Financial (PFG) in Insurance, funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 8.21% | 16.11% |
| ROA (TTM) | 1.71% | 0.46% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 7.93% | 11.89% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Loews (L) at 5.44% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Principal Financial (PFG) at -3.11% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.
EPS Growth
Loews (L) at 24.34% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Principal Financial (PFG) at -21.41% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 5.44% | -3.11% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 8.96% | -3.77% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 24.34% | -21.41% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 33.10% | -34.44% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Loews (L) in Insurance and Principal Financial (PFG) 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 Principal Financial (PFG) 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
| Metric | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Principal Financial (PFG) at 2.88% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Loews (L) at 0.23% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PFG the richer one.
L
Insurance industry group
0.23%
- Max
- 5.12%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- Median
- 0.98%
- L
- 0.23%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PFG
Insurance industry group
2.88%
- Max
- 5.12%
- PFG
- 2.88%
- Q3
- 2.15%
- Median
- 0.98%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Loews (L) at 3.46% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Principal Financial (PFG) at 36.19% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.
L
Insurance industry group
3.46%
- Max
- 76.67%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- L
- 3.46%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PFG
Insurance industry group
36.19%
- Max
- 76.67%
- PFG
- 36.19%
- Q3
- 35.18%
- Median
- 14.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.23% | 2.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 3.46% | 36.19% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Loews (L) at 15.17 and Principal Financial (PFG) at 12.35 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
PFG
Insurance industry group
12.35
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 18.75
- PFG
- 12.35
- Median
- 12.23
- Q1
- 9.08
- Min
- 2.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Loews (L) at 1.18 and Principal Financial (PFG) at 1.42 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
PFG
Insurance industry group
1.42
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.25
- PFG
- 1.42
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.07
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Loews (L) at 1.22 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Principal Financial (PFG) at 2.00 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
PFG
Insurance industry group
2.00
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.79
- PFG
- 2.00
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.30
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | L | PFG |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 15.17 | 12.35 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 1.18 | 1.42 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.22 | 2.00 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |