Reviewing The Baldwin Insurance Group (NASDAQ:BWIN) and Equitable (NYSE:EQH)

The Baldwin Insurance Group (NASDAQ:BWIN) and Equitable (NYSE:EQH) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, risk, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation and institutional ownership.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

77.5% of The Baldwin Insurance Group shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 92.7% of Equitable shares are held by institutional investors. 20.1% of The Baldwin Insurance Group shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.1% of Equitable shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares The Baldwin Insurance Group and Equitable’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
The Baldwin Insurance Group	-2.89%	10.57%	3.10%
Equitable	10.51%	85.70%	0.69%

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares The Baldwin Insurance Group and Equitable”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
The Baldwin Insurance Group	$1.38 billion	3.49	-$90.14 million	($0.39)	-104.60
Equitable	$12.44 billion	1.27	$1.31 billion	$3.82	13.46

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

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for The Baldwin Insurance Group and Equitable, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
The Baldwin Insurance Group	1	1	4	1	2.71
Equitable	0	2	10	0	2.83

The Baldwin Insurance Group presently has a consensus target price of $43.50, indicating a potential upside of 6.63%. Equitable has a consensus target price of $57.17, indicating a potential upside of 11.15%. Given Equitable’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Equitable is more favorable than The Baldwin Insurance Group.

Risk & Volatility

The Baldwin Insurance Group has a beta of 1.63, meaning that its share price is 63% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Equitable has a beta of 1.39, meaning that its share price is 39% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Equitable beats The Baldwin Insurance Group on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About The Baldwin Insurance Group

The Baldwin Insurance Group, Inc. operates as an independent insurance distribution firm that delivers insurance and risk management solutions in the United States. It operates through three segments: Insurance Advisory Solutions; Underwriting, Capacity & Technology Solutions; and Mainstreet Insurance Solutions. The Insurance Advisory Solutions segment provides commercial risk management, employee benefits, and private risk management solutions for businesses and high-net-worth individuals, as well as their families. The Underwriting, Capacity & Technology Solutions segment offers Future platform, that manufactures technology-enabled insurance products suite comprises personal, commercial, and specialty lines; specialty wholesale broker business that delivers professionals, individuals, and niche industry businesses; and reinsurance brokerage services. The Mainstreet Insurance Solutions segment provides personal insurance, commercial insurance, and life and health solutions to individuals and businesses in communities. The company was formerly known as BRP Group, Inc. and changed its name to The Baldwin Insurance Group, Inc. in May 2024. The Baldwin Insurance Group, Inc. was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

About Equitable

Equitable Holdings, Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries, operates as a diversified financial services company worldwide. The company operates through six segments: Individual Retirement, Group Retirement, Investment Management and Research, Protection Solutions, Wealth Management, and Legacy. The Individual Retirement segment offers a suite of variable annuity products primarily to affluent and high net worth individuals. The Group Retirement segment provides tax-deferred investment and retirement services or products to plans sponsored by educational entities, municipalities, and not-for-profit entities, as well as small and medium-sized businesses. The Investment Management and Research segment offers diversified investment management, research, and related services to various clients through institutional. The Protection Solutions segment provides life insurance products, such as VUL insurance and IUL insurance, term life, and employee benefits business, such as dental, vision, life, as well as short- and long-term disability insurance products to small and medium-sized businesses. The Wealth Management segment offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory accounts, financial planning and advice, life insurance, and annuity products. The Legacy segment consists of the capital intensive fixed-rate GMxB business that includes ROP death benefits. The company was formerly known as AXA Equitable Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Equitable Holdings, Inc. in January 2020. Equitable Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1859 and is based in New York, New York.