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SLF vs. WTW: Sun Life Financial vs. Willis Towers Watson Stock Comparison

How do Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 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

Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) both belong to the Insurance industry, though SLF is classified under Life & Health Insurance while WTW falls under Insurance Brokers.

Company profile comparison for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
Profile ItemSLFWTW
NameSun Life Financial Inc.Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company
Country/RegionCanadaUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupInsuranceInsurance
GICS IndustryInsuranceInsurance
GICS Sub-IndustryLife & Health InsuranceInsurance Brokers
Market Capitalization39.73 billion USD30.33 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 23, 2000June 12, 2001
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SLF
WTW
GSPC
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW), 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 Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricSLFWTW
Total Return (1Y)30.02%2.59%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.05%12.90%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)9.37%8.63%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

SLF
WTW
GSPC
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW), 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 Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricSLFWTW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)21.39%31.09%
Beta (5Y)0.880.42
Max Drawdown (5Y)-30.77%-30.39%
Avg. Volume (3M)666.75K537.05K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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SLF and WTW 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 Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricSLFWTW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.20-0.05
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.61-0.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 11.55% and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 20.18% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

SLF

Insurance industry group

11.55%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
Median
14.81%
SLF
11.55%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%

WTW

Insurance industry group

20.18%

Max
41.68%
Q3
22.04%
WTW
20.18%
Median
14.81%
Q1
8.79%
Min
-10.66%
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their ROE against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 8.63% and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 15.22% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

SLF

Insurance industry group

8.63%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
Median
10.97%
SLF
8.63%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%

WTW

Insurance industry group

15.22%

Max
29.92%
Q3
17.03%
WTW
15.22%
Median
10.97%
Q1
6.21%
Min
-4.68%
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their net margin against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for Sun Life Financial (SLF) in Insurance and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 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 Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricSLFWTW
ROE (TTM)11.55%20.18%
ROA (TTM)0.74%5.35%
Net Margin (TTM)8.63%15.22%
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 11.50% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at -2.24% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Sun Life Financial (SLF) reports EPS growth of 16.92%, ranked against its industry; Willis Towers Watson (WTW) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricSLFWTW
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.50%-2.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)123.82%3.07%
EPS Growth (YoY)16.92%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.68%21.88%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Sun Life Financial (SLF) in Insurance and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 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: Sun Life Financial (SLF) in Insurance and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 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 Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricSLFWTW
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 5.12% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 0.29% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, SLF the richer one.

SLF

Insurance industry group

5.12%

SLF
5.12%
Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WTW

Insurance industry group

0.29%

Max
5.12%
Q3
2.15%
Median
0.98%
WTW
0.29%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 23.34% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 70.41% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

SLF

Insurance industry group

70.41%

Max
76.67%
SLF
70.41%
Q3
35.18%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WTW

Insurance industry group

23.34%

Max
76.67%
Q3
35.18%
WTW
23.34%
Median
14.74%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricSLFWTW
Dividend Yield (TTM)5.12%0.29%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)70.41%23.34%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 18.58 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 20.20 sits in the richer quartile — WTW needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

SLF

Insurance industry group

18.58

Max
28.37
Q3
18.75
SLF
18.58
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32

WTW

Insurance industry group

20.20

Max
28.37
WTW
20.20
Q3
18.75
Median
12.23
Q1
9.08
Min
2.32
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 1.12 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 2.95 sits in the pricier quartile — WTW costs more per dollar of sales.

SLF

Insurance industry group

1.12

Max
4.03
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
SLF
1.12
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07

WTW

Insurance industry group

2.95

Max
4.03
WTW
2.95
Q3
2.25
Median
1.23
Q1
0.85
Min
0.07
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Sun Life Financial (SLF) at 2.26 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Willis Towers Watson (WTW) at 3.91 carries an above-peer premium to book — WTW is pricier on assets.

SLF

Insurance industry group

2.26

Max
5.07
Q3
2.79
SLF
2.26
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30

WTW

Insurance industry group

3.91

Max
5.07
WTW
3.91
Q3
2.79
Median
1.76
Q1
1.23
Min
0.30
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Sun Life Financial (SLF) vs. Willis Towers Watson (WTW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Insurance industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Sun Life Financial (SLF) and Willis Towers Watson (WTW)
MetricSLFWTW
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.5820.20
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.122.95
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.263.91
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----