MetLife (MET): analysis in plain words
Is MetLife cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
MetLife (MET) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in insurance. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against MetLife according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
MetLife (MET) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $102.89 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 19.7x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +10.5% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 4.6% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | Not meaningful (financial company) | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 2.35% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $65.4 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The MetLife figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any MET figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How MetLife makes money
MetLife sells life, dental, disability and other insurance, annuities and retirement products. It reports Group Benefits, workplace coverage sold through U.S. employers, its biggest market; Retirement & Income Solutions; Asia, with Japan as a key country; Latin America; EMEA; and MetLife Holdings, plus MetLife Investment Management.
Over the last 12 months, MetLife brought in revenue of $79.4 billion. For every 100 it sells, MetLife keeps 24.0 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 5.5 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 46,000 full-time employees, that is about $2 million of revenue per employee.
MetLife against its sector
To know whether a MetLife figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares MetLife with the median of the 11 insurance companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | MetLife | insurance median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 19.7x | 13.1x (11) |
| Revenue growth | +10.5% | +3.0% (11) |
| Net margin | 4.6% | 11.2% (11) |
| Dividend yield | 2.35% | 2.35% (11) |
| ROE | 13.1% | 18.4% (11) |
In short, against the typical insurance company, MetLife trades on a higher P/E, grows faster and earns a thinner margin. By size, MetLife ranks number 6 of 7 insurance companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for MetLife
What works in favour of MetLife, according to its figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Analysts expect MetLife earnings to rise: its P/E on the next 12 months of estimated earnings is 9.2x, below the current 19.7x.
- MetLife grew sales +10.5% in its latest quarter against the same quarter a year earlier, while the median insurance company Fintols tracks grew +3.0%.
The main risk for MetLife
The price already assumes a lot: MetLife trades at 19.7x its last 12 months of earnings, against 13.1x for the insurance median. If growth disappoints, the multiple can shrink and the share price with it.
On top of that: metLife runs on a thin net margin (4.6%, against a insurance median of 11.2%): a rise in costs can easily wipe out profit.
And, like the rest of insurance, MetLife is exposed to natural catastrophes and claims above plan, plus swings in the markets where it invests premiums.
Frequently asked questions about MetLife
Is it a good time to buy MetLife stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell MetLife, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, MetLife stock trades at $102.89, 1% below its 52-week high ($103.65) and 53% above its low ($67.33). Its P/E is 19.7x against a insurance median of 13.1x, and 9.2x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With MetLife, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does MetLife pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, MetLife pays $2.37 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 2.35%. It uses 44% of its profit to pay it, which leaves room to keep paying it if profit dips. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 2.88%. The insurance median on Fintols is 2.35%.
Is MetLife stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, MetLife trades at 19.7x its last 12 months of earnings: more expensive than the insurance median (13.1x). For a financial company you also look at price to book value: 2.4x (insurance median: 2.2x). A high P/E alone does not make MetLife expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are MetLife's competitors?
On Fintols we compare MetLife with Travelers, Aon and Marsh McLennan, which are also in insurance. As of November 4, 2026, Travelers is worth $83.9 billion and trades on a P/E of 10.8; Aon is worth $73.1 billion and trades on a P/E of 18.9. Each has a side-by-side comparison with MetLife below.
MetLife competitors
- Travelers (TRV) analysis · MetLife vs Travelers comparison
- Aon (AON) analysis · MetLife vs Aon comparison
- Marsh McLennan (MMC) analysis · MetLife vs Marsh McLennan comparison
To understand MetLife better
- How to Read a Balance Sheet: A Beginner's Guide
- P/E Ratio and EPS Explained: How to Read Them Without Traps
More companies like MetLife: insurance stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full MET analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about MetLife, not investment advice.