Analyzing Arch Capital Group (NASDAQ:ACGL) and Sampo (OTCMKTS:SAXPY)

Arch Capital Group (NASDAQ:ACGL) and Sampo (OTCMKTS:SAXPY) are both large-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, risk, profitability, valuation and earnings.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Arch Capital Group and Sampo”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Arch Capital Group	$17.44 billion	1.92	$4.31 billion	$9.69	9.28
Sampo	$2.47 billion	49.45	$1.25 billion	$1.01	22.46

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

Risk and Volatility

Arch Capital Group has a beta of 0.49, suggesting that its stock price is 51% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Sampo has a beta of 0.57, suggesting that its stock price is 43% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Arch Capital Group and Sampo’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Arch Capital Group	19.49%	15.33%	4.33%
Sampo	N/A	19.63%	5.61%

Insider and Institutional Ownership

89.1% of Arch Capital Group shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.0% of Sampo shares are owned by institutional investors. 4.1% of Arch Capital Group shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for Arch Capital Group and Sampo, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Arch Capital Group	0	7	9	0	2.56
Sampo	0	0	0	1	4.00

Arch Capital Group currently has a consensus target price of $113.0667, indicating a potential upside of 25.76%. Given Arch Capital Group’s higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Arch Capital Group is more favorable than Sampo.

Summary

Arch Capital Group beats Sampo on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Arch Capital Group

Arch Capital Group Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance, reinsurance, and mortgage insurance products worldwide. The company's Insurance segment offers primary and excess casualty coverages; loss sensitive primary casualty insurance programs; directors' and officers' liability, errors and omissions liability, employment practices and fiduciary liability, crime, professional indemnity, and other financial related coverages; medical professional and general liability insurance coverages; and workers' compensation and umbrella liability, as well as commercial automobile and inland marine products. It also provides property, energy, marine, and aviation insurance; travel insurance; accident, disability, and medical plan insurance coverages; captive insurance programs; employer's liability; contract and commercial surety coverages; and collateral protection, debt cancellation, and service contract reimbursement products. This segment markets its products through a group of licensed independent retail and wholesale brokers. Its Reinsurance segment provides casualty reinsurance for third party liability exposures; marine and aviation; motor reinsurance, whole account multi-line treaties, cyber, trade credit, surety, accident and health, workers' compensation catastrophe, agriculture, trade credit, and political risk products; reinsurance protection for catastrophic losses, and personal lines and commercial property exposures; life reinsurance; casualty clash; and risk management solutions. This segment markets its reinsurance products through brokers. The company's Mortgage segment offers direct mortgage insurance and mortgage reinsurance. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.

About Sampo

Sampo Oyj, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of non-life insurance products and services in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and the United Kingdom. The company operates through If, Topdanmark, Hastings, Mandatum, and Holding segments. It offers property, casualty, liability, accident, sickness, household, homeowner, motor, travel, marine, aviation, transport, forest, livestock, health, workers compensation, car, van, and bike insurance services, as well as reinsurance services. The company was founded in 1909 and is based in Helsinki, Finland.