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MKL vs. MRSH: Markel vs. Marsh & McLennan Stock Comparison

How do Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) 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

Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) both belong to the Insurance industry, though MKL is classified under Property & Casualty Insurance while MRSH falls under Insurance Brokers.

Company profile comparison for Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
Profile ItemMKLMRSH
NameMarkel Group Inc.Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty InsuranceInsurance Brokers
Market Capitalization23.71 billion USD97.39 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 12, 1986February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MKL
MRSH
GSPC
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH), 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 Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricMKLMRSH
Total Return (1Y)-4.35%16.87%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)13.21%3.11%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.36%6.23%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MKL
MRSH
GSPC
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH), 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 Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) trades around 2.43M shares per day on average, while Markel (MKL) sees only 66.79K — a volume gap that can matter for position sizing, exit liquidity, and order execution.

Risk profile metrics for Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricMKLMRSH
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.61%26.15%
Beta (5Y)0.570.51
Max Drawdown (5Y)-28.87%-34.36%
Avg. Volume (3M)66.79K2.43M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MKL and MRSH 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 Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricMKLMRSH
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.460.48
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.600.74

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 27.24% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Markel (MKL) at 9.75% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for MRSH.

MKL

Insurance industry group

9.75%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
MKL
9.75%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%

MRSH

Insurance industry group

27.24%

Max
41.68%
MRSH
27.24%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Markel (MKL) at 11.13% and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 14.20% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

MKL

Insurance industry group

11.13%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
MKL
11.13%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%

MRSH

Insurance industry group

14.20%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
MRSH
14.20%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their net margin against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Markel (MKL) in Insurance and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) 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 Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricMKLMRSH
ROE (TTM)9.75%27.24%
ROA (TTM)2.21%7.35%
Net Margin (TTM)11.13%14.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 10.32% 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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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 3.06% 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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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricMKLMRSH
Revenue Growth (YoY)-2.49%10.32%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.40%9.20%
EPS Growth (YoY)-15.10%3.06%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--11.75%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Markel (MKL) in Insurance and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) 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: Markel (MKL) in Insurance and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) 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 Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricMKLMRSH
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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) reports a yield of 1.80%, ranking against industry peers normally.

MKL

Insurance industry group

0.00%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
MKL
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MRSH

Insurance industry group

1.80%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
MRSH
1.80%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): 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 Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) reports a payout of 44.14%, ranking against industry peers normally.

MKL

Insurance industry group

0.00%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
MKL
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MRSH

Insurance industry group

44.14%

Max
76.67%
MRSH
44.14%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricMKLMRSH
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.80%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%44.14%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Markel (MKL) at 13.80 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 24.50 sits in the richer quartile — MRSH needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

MKL

Insurance industry group

13.80

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
MKL
13.80
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32

MRSH

Insurance industry group

24.50

Max
28.37
MRSH
24.50
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Markel (MKL) at 1.47 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 3.42 sits in the pricier quartile — MRSH costs more per dollar of sales.

MKL

Insurance industry group

1.47

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
MKL
1.47
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07

MRSH

Insurance industry group

3.42

Max
4.03
MRSH
3.42
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Markel (MKL) at 1.28 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Marsh & McLennan (MRSH) at 6.64 prices above its benchmark range — MRSH looks rich relative to book.

MKL

Insurance industry group

1.28

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
MKL
1.28
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30

MRSH

Insurance industry group

6.64

MRSH
6.64
Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
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Markel (MKL) vs. Marsh & McLennan (MRSH): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Markel (MKL) and Marsh & McLennan (MRSH)
MetricMKLMRSH
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.8024.50
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.473.42
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.286.64
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----