Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) vs Sun Life Financial (SLF)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Sun Life Financial (SLF) has outperformed Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) over the past year, gaining 23.7% versus a gain of 2.2%. Over five years, BRK.B leads with a +79.8% price change compared with +37.2% for SLF. Berkshire Hathaway is the larger company by market cap ($1.09 trillion vs $42.62 billion), about 25.7 times the size.
On valuation, Sun Life Financial trades at a lower forward P/E (12.6x vs 23.6x for Berkshire Hathaway). Sun Life Financial pays a dividend yielding 4.80%, while Berkshire Hathaway does not currently pay one.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BRK.B | SLF |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $511.05 | $76.65 |
| Market cap | $1.09T | $42.62B |
| 1-day change | +0.95% | +1.09% |
| YTD return | +1.67% | +22.84% |
| 1-year return | +2.24% | +23.71% |
| 5-year return | +79.81% | +37.19% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 12.85 | 17.91 |
| Forward P/E | 23.61 | 12.64 |
| EPS (TTM) | $39.76 | $4.28 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 4.80% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $3.68 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $371.44B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +0.00% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $66.97B | — |
| Net margin | 18.03% | — |
| 52-week high | $537.74 | $84.38 |
| 52-week low | $464.01 | $57.22 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -4.96% | -9.16% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +7.17% | -16.57% |
| Average volume | 4.32M | 758.44K |
| Shares outstanding | 1.41B | 556.03M |
| Employees | 387,800 | 32,151 |
| Sector | Financial Services | Finance |
| Industry | Insurance - Diversified | Life Insurance |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Berkshire Hathaway is about 25.7 times larger than Sun Life Financial by market value ($1.09T vs $42.62B).
- SLF has outperformed BRK.B by 21.5 percentage points over the past year.
- Sun Life Financial trades at a higher earnings multiple (17.9x vs 12.9x trailing P/E).
- Sun Life Financial offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (4.80% vs 0.00%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Berkshire Hathaway in Financial Services and Sun Life Financial in Finance.
About Berkshire Hathaway
BRK.B stock →Berkshire Hathaway Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the insurance, freight rail transportation, and utility businesses. The company provides property, casualty, life, accident, and health insurance and reinsurance; operates railroad systems in North America; generates, transmits, stores, and distributes electricity from natural gas, coal, wind, solar, hydroelectric, nuclear, and geothermal sources; operates natural gas distribution and storage facilities, interstate pipelines, liquefied natural gas facilities, and compressor and meter stations; and holds interest in coal mining assets.
Financial Services · Insurance - Diversified · 387,800 employees
About Sun Life Financial
SLF stock →Sun Life Financial Inc., a financial services company, provides asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional customers in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Bermuda. It offers various insurance products, such as term and permanent life; personal health, which includes prescription drugs, dental, and vision care; critical illness; long-term care; and disability.
Finance · Life Insurance · 32,151 employees
BRK.B vs SLF FAQ
Which is bigger, Berkshire Hathaway or Sun Life Financial?
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.09T compared with $42.62B for Sun Life Financial (SLF).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BRK.B or SLF?
SLF returned +23.71% over the past 12 months, compared with +2.24% for BRK.B (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BRK.B or SLF?
BRK.B has the lower trailing P/E at 12.9, versus 17.9 for SLF. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Berkshire Hathaway or Sun Life Financial?
Sun Life Financial pays a dividend yielding 4.80%, while Berkshire Hathaway does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Berkshire Hathaway and Sun Life Financial in the same industry?
No. Berkshire Hathaway is in the Financial Services sector, while Sun Life Financial is in Finance.