Seek Returns

PFG vs. RGA: Principal Financial vs. Reinsurance Group of America Stock Comparison

How do Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) 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

Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) both belong to the Insurance industry, though PFG is classified under Life & Health Insurance while RGA falls under Reinsurance.

Company profile comparison for Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
Profile ItemPFGRGA
NamePrincipal Financial Group Inc.Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryLife & Health InsuranceReinsurance
Market Capitalization23.55 billion USD17.03 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateOctober 23, 2001September 12, 2008
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PFG
RGA
GSPC
Loading price history…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA), 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 Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
MetricPFGRGA
Total Return (1Y)43.88%44.56%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)22.99%22.51%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)15.02%21.95%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PFG
RGA
GSPC
Loading price history…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA), 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 Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
MetricPFGRGA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.45%22.31%
Beta (5Y)0.860.40
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.32%-27.11%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.26M391.28K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
PFG and RGA 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 Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
MetricPFGRGA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.691.81
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.673.06

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Principal Financial (PFG) at 16.11% and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 13.85% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

PFG

Insurance industry group

16.11%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
PFG
16.11%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%

RGA

Insurance industry group

13.85%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
RGA
13.85%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Principal Financial (PFG) at 11.89% and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 6.26% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

PFG

Insurance industry group

11.89%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
PFG
11.89%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%

RGA

Insurance industry group

6.26%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
RGA
6.26%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their net margin against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Principal Financial (PFG) in Insurance and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) 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 Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
MetricPFGRGA
ROE (TTM)16.11%13.85%
ROA (TTM)0.46%1.00%
Net Margin (TTM)11.89%6.26%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 7.42% 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.

Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 64.86% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Principal Financial (PFG) at -21.41% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in earnings momentum.

Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
MetricPFGRGA
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.11%7.42%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-3.77%14.25%
EPS Growth (YoY)-21.41%64.86%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-34.44%32.30%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Principal Financial (PFG) in Insurance and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) 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: Principal Financial (PFG) in Insurance and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) 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 Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
MetricPFGRGA
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 Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 1.44% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PFG the richer one.

PFG

Insurance industry group

2.88%

Max
5.12%
PFG
2.88%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RGA

Insurance industry group

1.44%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
RGA
1.44%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 14.60% 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.

PFG

Insurance industry group

36.19%

Max
76.67%
PFG
36.19%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RGA

Insurance industry group

14.60%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
RGA
14.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
MetricPFGRGA
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.88%1.44%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)36.19%14.60%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Principal Financial (PFG) at 12.35 and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 10.14 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

PFG

Insurance industry group

12.35

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
PFG
12.35
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32

RGA

Insurance industry group

10.14

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
RGA
10.14
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 0.62 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Principal Financial (PFG) at 1.42 prices around its industry’s middle — RGA costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

PFG

Insurance industry group

1.42

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
PFG
1.42
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07

RGA

Insurance industry group

0.62

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
RGA
0.62
Min
0.07
Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Principal Financial (PFG) at 2.00 and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) at 1.46 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

PFG

Insurance industry group

2.00

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
PFG
2.00
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30

RGA

Insurance industry group

1.46

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
RGA
1.46
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. Reinsurance Group of America (RGA): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and Reinsurance Group of America (RGA)
MetricPFGRGA
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.3510.14
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.420.62
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.001.46
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----