Bâloise (OTCMKTS:BLHEF – Get Free Report) and Aflac (NYSE:AFL – Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, valuation, risk, analyst recommendations, profitability and institutional ownership.
Dividends
Bâloise pays an annual dividend of $3.09 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.3%. Aflac pays an annual dividend of $2.44 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.1%. Bâloise pays out 27.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Aflac pays out 26.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Aflac has increased its dividend for 44 consecutive years. Aflac is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
32.9% of Bâloise shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 67.4% of Aflac shares are held by institutional investors. 0.8% of Aflac shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Profitability
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Bâloise | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Aflac | 26.91% | 13.27% | 3.34% |
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares Bâloise and Aflac”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Bâloise | N/A | N/A | N/A | $11.35 | 21.74 |
| Aflac | $17.16 billion | 3.41 | $3.65 billion | $9.33 | 12.50 |
Aflac has higher revenue and earnings than Bâloise. Aflac is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Bâloise, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for Bâloise and Aflac, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Bâloise | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Aflac | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2.21 |
Aflac has a consensus target price of $116.62, indicating a potential downside of 0.04%. Given Aflac’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Aflac is more favorable than Bâloise.
Summary
Aflac beats Bâloise on 13 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Bâloise
Bâloise Holding AG, together with its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the insurance and banking businesses in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg. It operates through Non-Life, Life, Asset Management & Banking, and Other Activities segments. The company offers various non-life insurance products, including accident, health, general liability, motor, fire and other property, marine, credit protection, and legal expenses insurance. It provides life insurance products, which include endowment policies, such as conventional and unit-linked life insurance; group life insurance products; term insurance; annuities; and policy riders. In addition, the company engages in the banking activities in Switzerland; and offers asset management services. Further, it has interests in equity investment companies, real-estate firms, and financing companies. It sells its products and services to individuals, small and medium sized enterprises, and industrial clients. Bâloise Holding AG was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.
About Aflac
Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, provides supplemental health and life insurance products. The company operates through Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S. segments. The Aflac Japan segment offers cancer, medical, nursing care, work leave, GIFT, and whole and term life insurance products, as well as WAYS and child endowment plans under saving type insurance products in Japan. The Aflac U.S. segment provides cancer, accident, short-term disability, critical illness, hospital indemnity, dental, vision, long-term care and disability, and term and whole life insurance products in the United States. It sells its products through sales associates, brokers, independent corporate agencies, individual agencies, and affiliated corporate agencies. Aflac Incorporated was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia.
Receive News & Ratings for Bâloise Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bâloise and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
