Analyzing CNA Financial (CNA) and Its Competitors
by Michael Walen · The Markets DailyCNA Financial (NYSE:CNA – Get Free Report) is one of 311 public companies in the “Insurance” industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare CNA Financial to similar businesses based on the strength of its analyst recommendations, valuation, dividends, profitability, institutional ownership, earnings and risk.
Dividends
CNA Financial pays an annual dividend of $1.92 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.0%. CNA Financial pays out 50.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, “Insurance” companies pay a dividend yield of 2.9% and pay out 31.1% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. CNA Financial has raised its dividend for 9 consecutive years.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
98.5% of CNA Financial shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 55.8% of shares of all “Insurance” companies are held by institutional investors. 0.3% of CNA Financial shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 13.5% of shares of all “Insurance” companies are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Profitability
This table compares CNA Financial and its competitors’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| CNA Financial | 6.80% | 9.74% | 1.55% |
| CNA Financial Competitors | 8.69% | -9.86% | 4.10% |
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for CNA Financial and its competitors, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| CNA Financial | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.50 |
| CNA Financial Competitors | 3341 | 15701 | 16545 | 743 | 2.40 |
As a group, “Insurance” companies have a potential upside of 4.80%. Given CNA Financial’s competitors higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe CNA Financial has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors.
Volatility & Risk
CNA Financial has a beta of 0.22, suggesting that its stock price is 78% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, CNA Financial’s competitors have a beta of -1.59, suggesting that their average stock price is 259% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares CNA Financial and its competitors top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Net Income | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| CNA Financial | $14.99 billion | $1.28 billion | 12.69 |
| CNA Financial Competitors | $15.41 billion | $1.70 billion | 33.62 |
CNA Financial’s competitors have higher revenue and earnings than CNA Financial. CNA Financial is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.
Summary
CNA Financial competitors beat CNA Financial on 9 of the 15 factors compared.
About CNA Financial
CNA Financial Corporation is a commercial property and casualty insurance company headquartered in Chicago. It provides coverage and related risk-management services to businesses and organizations, with offerings that include property, casualty, workers’ compensation, professional liability and surety insurance. The company serves customers across the United States and in select international markets. Its products are distributed through independent agents and brokers, and its specialty insurance operations address the needs of businesses in a range of industries.