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MKL vs. PRU: Markel vs. Prudential Financial Stock Comparison

How do Markel (MKL) 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

Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU) both belong to the Insurance industry, though MKL is classified under Property & Casualty Insurance while PRU falls under Life & Health Insurance.

Company profile comparison for Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
Profile ItemMKLPRU
NameMarkel Group Inc.Prudential Financial, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty InsuranceLife & Health Insurance
Market Capitalization23.71 billion USD40.90 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 12, 1986December 13, 2001
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MKL
PRU
GSPC
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Markel (MKL) 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 Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMKLPRU
Total Return (1Y)-4.35%22.01%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)13.21%16.20%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.36%7.56%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MKL
PRU
GSPC
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Markel (MKL) 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 Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Prudential Financial (PRU) trades around 1.65M 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 Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMKLPRU
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.61%23.92%
Beta (5Y)0.570.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)-28.87%-33.11%
Avg. Volume (3M)66.79K1.65M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MKL 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 Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMKLPRU
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.460.74
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.601.05

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Markel (MKL) at 9.75% 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.

MKL

Insurance industry group

9.75%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
MKL
9.75%
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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Markel (MKL) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Markel (MKL) at 11.13% 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.

MKL

Insurance industry group

11.13%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
MKL
11.13%
Median
10.97%
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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Markel (MKL) 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 Markel (MKL) 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 Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMKLPRU
ROE (TTM)9.75%11.86%
ROA (TTM)2.21%0.42%
Net Margin (TTM)11.13%6.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Markel (MKL) at -2.49% and Prudential Financial (PRU) at -13.74% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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

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Markel (MKL) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMKLPRU
Revenue Growth (YoY)-2.49%-13.74%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.40%2.28%
EPS Growth (YoY)-15.10%33.20%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)----

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Markel (MKL) 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: Markel (MKL) 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 Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMKLPRU
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 Prudential Financial (PRU) reports a yield of 4.53%, 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%

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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Markel (MKL) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) reports a payout of 50.55%, 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%

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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Markel (MKL) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMKLPRU
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%4.53%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%50.55%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Markel (MKL) at 13.80 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.

MKL

Insurance industry group

13.80

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
MKL
13.80
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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Markel (MKL) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Prudential Financial (PRU) at 0.66 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Markel (MKL) at 1.47 prices around its industry’s middle — PRU costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

MKL

Insurance industry group

1.47

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
MKL
1.47
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
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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Markel (MKL) 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 Markel (MKL) at 1.28 and Prudential Financial (PRU) at 1.39 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

MKL

Insurance industry group

1.28

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
MKL
1.28
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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Markel (MKL) vs. Prudential Financial (PRU): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Markel (MKL) and Prudential Financial (PRU)
MetricMKLPRU
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.8010.86
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.470.66
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.281.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----