Seek Returns

MKL vs. TRV: Markel vs. Travelers Stock Comparison

How do Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV) 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 Travelers (TRV) 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 Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV)
Profile ItemMKLTRV
NameMarkel Group Inc.The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty InsuranceProperty & Casualty Insurance
Market Capitalization23.71 billion USD80.98 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 12, 1986November 17, 1975
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MKL
TRV
GSPC
Loading price history…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV)
MetricMKLTRV
Total Return (1Y)-4.35%43.06%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)13.21%35.01%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.36%22.46%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MKL
TRV
GSPC
Loading price history…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Travelers (TRV) trades around 1.46M 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 Travelers (TRV)
MetricMKLTRV
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.61%20.86%
Beta (5Y)0.570.39
Max Drawdown (5Y)-28.87%-18.90%
Avg. Volume (3M)66.79K1.46M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
MKL and TRV 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 Travelers (TRV)
MetricMKLTRV
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.461.86
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.603.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Travelers (TRV) at 27.50% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Markel (MKL) at 9.75% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for TRV.

MKL

Insurance industry group

9.75%

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

TRV

Insurance industry group

27.50%

Max
41.68%
TRV
27.50%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Markel (MKL) at 11.13% and Travelers (TRV) at 17.03% 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%

TRV

Insurance industry group

17.03%

Max
29.92%
TRV
17.03%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): 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 Travelers (TRV) 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 Travelers (TRV)
MetricMKLTRV
ROE (TTM)9.75%27.50%
ROA (TTM)2.21%4.73%
Net Margin (TTM)11.13%17.03%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Travelers (TRV) at 5.17% 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.

Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Travelers (TRV) at 27.76% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Markel (MKL) at -15.10% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV)
MetricMKLTRV
Revenue Growth (YoY)-2.49%5.17%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.40%9.79%
EPS Growth (YoY)-15.10%27.76%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--32.58%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Markel (MKL) in Insurance and Travelers (TRV) 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 Travelers (TRV) 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 Travelers (TRV)
MetricMKLTRV
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 Travelers (TRV) reports a yield of 1.17%, 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%

TRV

Insurance industry group

1.17%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
TRV
1.17%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): 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 Travelers (TRV) reports a payout of 12.36%, 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%

TRV

Insurance industry group

12.36%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
TRV
12.36%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV)
MetricMKLTRV
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%12.36%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Markel (MKL) at 13.80 and Travelers (TRV) at 10.39 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

TRV

Insurance industry group

10.39

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
TRV
10.39
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Markel (MKL) at 1.47 and Travelers (TRV) at 1.66 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

MKL

Insurance industry group

1.47

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

TRV

Insurance industry group

1.66

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
TRV
1.66
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): 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 Travelers (TRV) at 2.79 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

TRV

Insurance industry group

2.79

Max
5.07
TRV
2.79
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
Loading chart…
Markel (MKL) vs. Travelers (TRV): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Markel (MKL) and Travelers (TRV)
MetricMKLTRV
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.8010.39
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.471.66
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.282.79
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----