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PRU vs. WRB: Prudential Financial vs. W. R. Berkley Stock Comparison

How do Prudential Financial (PRU) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
Profile ItemPRUWRB
NamePrudential Financial, Inc.W. R. Berkley Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryLife & Health InsuranceProperty & Casualty Insurance
Market Capitalization40.90 billion USD27.95 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 13, 2001October 23, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PRU
WRB
GSPC
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Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPRUWRB
Total Return (1Y)22.01%4.12%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)16.20%21.96%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)7.56%18.80%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PRU
WRB
GSPC
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Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPRUWRB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.92%22.41%
Beta (5Y)0.820.21
Max Drawdown (5Y)-33.11%-26.29%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.65M2.52M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PRU 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPRUWRB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.74-0.01
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.05-0.01

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Prudential Financial (PRU) at 11.86% 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.

PRU

Insurance industry group

11.86%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
PRU
11.86%
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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Prudential Financial (PRU) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Prudential Financial (PRU) at 6.27% 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.

PRU

Insurance industry group

6.27%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
PRU
6.27%
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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Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPRUWRB
ROE (TTM)11.86%19.26%
ROA (TTM)0.42%3.43%
Net Margin (TTM)6.27%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 Prudential Financial (PRU) at -13.74% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Both Prudential Financial (PRU) at 33.20% and W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 2.06% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPRUWRB
Revenue Growth (YoY)-13.74%6.93%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.28%9.28%
EPS Growth (YoY)33.20%2.06%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--10.55%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Prudential Financial (PRU) 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: Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPRUWRB
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Prudential Financial (PRU) at 4.53% 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, PRU the richer one.

PRU

Insurance industry group

4.53%

Max
5.12%
PRU
4.53%
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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Prudential Financial (PRU) 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 Prudential Financial (PRU) at 50.55% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

PRU

Insurance industry group

50.55%

Max
76.67%
PRU
50.55%
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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Prudential Financial (PRU) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPRUWRB
Dividend Yield (TTM)4.53%0.49%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)50.55%8.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Prudential Financial (PRU) at 10.86 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.

PRU

Insurance industry group

10.86

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
PRU
10.86
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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Prudential Financial (PRU) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): 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 W. R. Berkley (WRB) at 1.88 prices around its industry’s middle — PRU costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

PRU

Insurance industry group

0.66

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
PRU
0.66
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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Prudential Financial (PRU) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Prudential Financial (PRU) at 1.39 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.

PRU

Insurance industry group

1.39

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
PRU
1.39
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
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Prudential Financial (PRU) vs. W. R. Berkley (WRB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Prudential Financial (PRU) and W. R. Berkley (WRB)
MetricPRUWRB
P/E Ratio (TTM)10.8615.90
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.661.88
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.393.04
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----