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MET vs. PRU: MetLife vs. Prudential Financial Stock Comparison

How do MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU) 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

MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU) are both classified in the Life & Health Insurance sub-industry within the broader Insurance industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
Profile ItemMETPRU
NameMetLife, Inc.Prudential Financial, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryLife & Health InsuranceLife & Health Insurance
Market Capitalization61.76 billion USD40.90 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 5, 2000December 13, 2001
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MET
PRU
GSPC
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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU), 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 MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMETPRU
Total Return (1Y)38.57%22.01%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)23.59%16.20%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)13.62%7.56%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMETPRU
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.21%23.92%
Beta (5Y)0.770.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)-35.09%-33.11%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.05M1.65M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MET and PRU 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 MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMETPRU
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.420.74
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.101.05

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both MetLife (MET) at 19.92% and Prudential Financial (PRU) at 11.86% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

MET

Insurance industry group

19.92%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
MET
19.92%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%

PRU

Insurance industry group

11.86%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
PRU
11.86%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both MetLife (MET) at 6.21% and Prudential Financial (PRU) at 6.27% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

MET

Insurance industry group

6.21%

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

PRU

Insurance industry group

6.27%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
PRU
6.27%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their net margin against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for MetLife (MET) in Insurance and Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMETPRU
ROE (TTM)19.92%11.86%
ROA (TTM)0.60%0.42%
Net Margin (TTM)6.21%6.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

MetLife (MET) at 7.88% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Prudential Financial (PRU) at -13.74% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Prudential Financial (PRU) at 33.20% 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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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMETPRU
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.88%-13.74%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.92%2.28%
EPS Growth (YoY)-21.04%33.20%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)18.50%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: MetLife (MET) in Insurance and Prudential Financial (PRU) 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: MetLife (MET) in Insurance and Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMETPRU
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Prudential Financial (PRU) at 4.53% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while MetLife (MET) at 0.57% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PRU the richer one.

MET

Insurance industry group

0.57%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
MET
0.57%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PRU

Insurance industry group

4.53%

Max
5.12%
PRU
4.53%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

MetLife (MET) at 30.33% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Prudential Financial (PRU) at 50.55% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

MET

Insurance industry group

30.33%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
MET
30.33%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PRU

Insurance industry group

50.55%

Max
76.67%
PRU
50.55%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMETPRU
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.57%4.53%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)30.33%50.55%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both MetLife (MET) at 12.85 and Prudential Financial (PRU) at 10.86 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

MET

Insurance industry group

12.85

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
MET
12.85
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32

PRU

Insurance industry group

10.86

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
PRU
10.86
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both MetLife (MET) at 0.75 and Prudential Financial (PRU) at 0.66 fetch a relatively low price per dollar of sales, landing in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

MET

Insurance industry group

0.75

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
MET
0.75
Min
0.07

PRU

Insurance industry group

0.66

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
PRU
0.66
Min
0.07
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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both MetLife (MET) at 2.79 and Prudential Financial (PRU) at 1.39 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

MET

Insurance industry group

2.79

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
MET
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30

PRU

Insurance industry group

1.39

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
PRU
1.39
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
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MetLife (MET) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for MetLife (MET) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMETPRU
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.8510.86
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.750.66
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.791.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----