Mercury General (MCY) vs RLI (RLI)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Mercury General (MCY) has outperformed RLI (RLI) over the past year, gaining 20.0% versus a loss of 13.8%. Over five years, MCY leads with a +85.0% price change compared with +9.0% for RLI. On valuation, Mercury General trades at a lower forward P/E (8.4x vs 20.9x for RLI).
Mercury General offers the higher dividend yield (1.24% vs 1.17%). RLI converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 21.4% versus 9.0%.
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 | MCY | RLI |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $102.29 | $56.30 |
| Market cap | — | $5.17B |
| 1-day change | 0.00% | +1.37% |
| YTD return | +8.75% | -12.00% |
| 1-year return | +20.02% | -13.85% |
| 5-year return | +84.97% | +8.96% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 6.05 | 11.83 |
| Forward P/E | 8.35 | 20.89 |
| EPS (TTM) | $16.92 | $4.76 |
| Dividend yield | 1.24% | 1.17% |
| Annual dividend | $1.27 | $0.66 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $5.99B | $1.88B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +9.44% | +6.33% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $541.09M | $403.34M |
| Gross margin | 99.75% | — |
| Net margin | 9.03% | 21.43% |
| 52-week high | $113.06 | $67.12 |
| 52-week low | $74.29 | $47.26 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -9.53% | -16.12% |
| Analyst consensus | none | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +17.31% | +4.80% |
| Average volume | 293.62K | 752.61K |
| Shares outstanding | — | 91.77M |
| Employees | 4,380 | 1,193 |
| Sector | Finance | Finance |
| Industry | Property-Casualty Insurers | Property-Casualty Insurers |
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
- MCY has outperformed RLI by 33.9 percentage points over the past year.
- RLI trades at a higher earnings multiple (11.8x vs 6.0x trailing P/E).
- RLI is more profitable, keeping 21.4 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 9.0 cents for Mercury General.
About Mercury General
MCY stock →Mercury General Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in writing personal automobile insurance in the United States. It also writes homeowners, commercial automobile, commercial property, mechanical protection, and umbrella insurance products.
Finance · Property-Casualty Insurers · 4,380 employees
About RLI
RLI stock →RLI Corp., an insurance holding company, provides property, casualty, and surety insurance products. Its Casualty segment provides commercial excess, personal umbrella, general liability, transportation, and management liability coverages; professional liability and workers' compensation for office-based professional coverages; commercial automobile liability and physical damage insurance to local, intermediate and long haul truckers, public transportation entities, and other specialty commercial automobile risks; incidental related insurance coverages; inland marine coverages; directors and officers liability insurance, fiduciary liability and coverages, employment practice liability, public and private businesses risk, and home business insurance products.
Finance · Property-Casualty Insurers · 1,193 employees
MCY vs RLI FAQ
Which stock has performed better over the past year, MCY or RLI?
MCY returned +20.02% over the past 12 months, compared with -13.85% for RLI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, MCY or RLI?
MCY has the lower trailing P/E at 6.0, versus 11.8 for RLI. 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, Mercury General or RLI?
Mercury General has the higher yield at 1.24%, compared with 1.17% for RLI.
Are Mercury General and RLI in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Property-Casualty Insurers industry within the Finance sector.