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PFG vs. WRB: Principal Financial vs. W. R. Berkley Stock Comparison

How do Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB) 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 W. R. Berkley (WRB) both belong to the Insurance industry, though PFG is classified under Life & Health Insurance while WRB falls under Property & Casualty Insurance.

Company profile comparison for Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
Profile ItemPFGWRB
NamePrincipal Financial Group Inc.W. R. Berkley Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryLife & Health InsuranceProperty & Casualty Insurance
Market Capitalization23.55 billion USD27.95 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateOctober 23, 2001October 23, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PFG
WRB
GSPC
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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB), 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 Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPFGWRB
Total Return (1Y)43.88%4.12%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)22.99%21.96%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)15.02%18.80%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PFG
WRB
GSPC
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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB), 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 Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPFGWRB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.45%22.41%
Beta (5Y)0.860.21
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.32%-26.29%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.26M2.52M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PFG and WRB 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 W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPFGWRB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.69-0.01
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.67-0.01

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Principal Financial (PFG) at 16.11% and W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 19.26% 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%

WRB

Insurance industry group

19.26%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
WRB
19.26%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Principal Financial (PFG) at 11.89% and W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 12.53% 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%

WRB

Insurance industry group

12.53%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
WRB
12.53%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): 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 W. R. Berkley (WRB) 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 W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPFGWRB
ROE (TTM)16.11%19.26%
ROA (TTM)0.46%3.43%
Net Margin (TTM)11.89%12.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 6.93% 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.

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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 2.06% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Principal Financial (PFG) at -21.41% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPFGWRB
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.11%6.93%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-3.77%9.28%
EPS Growth (YoY)-21.41%2.06%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-34.44%10.55%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Principal Financial (PFG) in Insurance and W. R. Berkley (WRB) 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 W. R. Berkley (WRB) 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 W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPFGWRB
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 W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 0.49% 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%

WRB

Insurance industry group

0.49%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
WRB
0.49%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 8.03% 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%

WRB

Insurance industry group

8.03%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
WRB
8.03%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPFGWRB
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.88%0.49%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)36.19%8.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Principal Financial (PFG) at 12.35 and W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 15.90 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

WRB

Insurance industry group

15.90

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
WRB
15.90
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Principal Financial (PFG) at 1.42 and W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 1.88 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

PFG

Insurance industry group

1.42

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

WRB

Insurance industry group

1.88

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
WRB
1.88
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
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Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Principal Financial (PFG) at 2.00 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 3.04 carries an above-peer premium to book — WRB is pricier on assets.

PFG

Insurance industry group

2.00

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

WRB

Insurance industry group

3.04

Max
5.07
WRB
3.04
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
Loading chart…
Principal Financial (PFG) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Principal Financial (PFG) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPFGWRB
P/E Ratio (TTM)12.3515.90
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.421.88
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.003.04
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----