Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) vs. Manulife Financial (NYSE:MFC) Head-To-Head Comparison

Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) and Manulife Financial (NYSE:MFC) are both large-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership and valuation.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Markel Group and Manulife Financial, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Markel Group	1	3	1	0	2.00
Manulife Financial	0	1	4	2	3.14

Markel Group presently has a consensus price target of $2,025.00, indicating a potential upside of 9.04%. Manulife Financial has a consensus price target of $58.75, indicating a potential upside of 33.23%. Given Manulife Financial’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Manulife Financial is more favorable than Markel Group.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Markel Group and Manulife Financial”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Markel Group	$16.67 billion	1.38	$2.11 billion	$181.86	10.21
Manulife Financial	$43.63 billion	1.68	$4.14 billion	$2.68	16.45

Manulife Financial has higher revenue and earnings than Markel Group. Markel Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Manulife Financial, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Risk and Volatility

Markel Group has a beta of 0.64, suggesting that its stock price is 36% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Manulife Financial has a beta of 0.84, suggesting that its stock price is 16% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

77.1% of Markel Group shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 52.6% of Manulife Financial shares are held by institutional investors. 1.1% of Markel Group shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.0% of Manulife Financial shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Markel Group and Manulife Financial’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Markel Group	13.53%	7.16%	1.91%
Manulife Financial	9.99%	16.68%	0.75%

Summary

Manulife Financial beats Markel Group on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Markel Group

Markel Group Inc., a diverse holding company, engages in marketing and underwriting specialty insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The company offers general and professional liability, personal lines, marine and energy, specialty programs, and workers' compensation insurance products; and property coverages that include fire, allied lines, and other specialized property coverages, including catastrophe-exposed property risks, such as earthquake and wind. It also offers credit and surety products, and collateral protection insurance products. In addition, the company offers transaction, directors and officers, and healthcare liability reinsurance; and specialty treaty reinsurance products comprising credit and surety, workers' compensation, marine and energy, public entity, mortgage default, aviation and space, agriculture, and discrete political violence and national terror pools. Further, it provides construction services, consumer and building products, transportation-related products, consulting services, and equipment manufacturing products, as well as healthcare, leasing, and investment services. Additionally, the company operates as an insurance and investment fund manager offering a range of investment products, including insurance-linked securities, catastrophe bonds, insurance swaps, traditional reinsurance contracts, industry loss warranties and other financial instruments; and program services. It also manages funds with third parties. The company was formerly known as Markel Corporation and changed its name to Markel Group Inc. in May 2023. Markel Group Inc. was founded in 1930 and is based in Glen Allen, Virginia.

About Manulife Financial

Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in the United States, Canada, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; and Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment offers investment advice and solutions to retirement, retail, and institutional clients through multiple distribution channels, including agents and brokers affiliated with the company, independent securities brokerage firms and financial advisors pension plan consultants, and banks. The Insurance and Annuity Products segment provides deposit and credit products; and individual life insurance, individual and group long-term care insurance, and guaranteed and partially guaranteed annuity products through multiple distribution channels, including insurance agents, brokers, banks, financial planners, and direct marketing. The Corporate and Other segment is involved in the property and casualty reinsurance businesses; and run-off reinsurance operations, including variable annuities, and accident and health. The company also manages timberland and agricultural portfolios; and engages in insurance agency, investment counseling and dealer, portfolio and mutual fund management, property and casualty insurance, and mutual fund dealer businesses. In addition, it provides integrated banking products and services. The company was incorporated in 1887 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.