Aflac Incorporated (AFL)
Aflac sells supplemental health and life insurance, with major operations in the US and Japan.
Financials stock comparison
AFL vs MET: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare Aflac Incorporated with MetLife, Inc. using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
- Sector
- Financials
- Industry
- Different SIC
- Shared themes
- 2
- Updated
- 2026-02-25
AFL vs MET: quick comparison
| Company fact | AFL | MET |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Aflac Incorporated | MetLife, Inc. |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Headquarters | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Founded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| SEC industry | Accident & Health Insurance | Life Insurance |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-25 | 10-K · 2026-02-19 |
How the businesses differ
MetLife, Inc. (MET)
MetLife provides life insurance, annuities, and employee-benefits products across global markets.
The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. AFL is classified by the SEC as Accident & Health Insurance, while MET is classified as Life Insurance. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.
Which thesis does each company fit?
Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.
Study AFL when…
- The shape of the yield curve and net interest margins
- Credit quality and loan-loss provisions
- Regulation and capital requirements
- Deal activity and market volatility
Study MET when…
- The shape of the yield curve and net interest margins
- Credit quality and loan-loss provisions
- Regulation and capital requirements
- Deal activity and market volatility
Shared research themes
US marketsRates & central banks
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.AFL's fiscal year ends December 31, while MET's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for AFLand 0 for MET. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
AFL primary filings
MET primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
More comparisons involving AFL or MET
AFL vs MET FAQs
Are AFL and MET direct competitors?
Aflac Incorporated and MetLife, Inc. sit in the same Financials sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.
Which is better, AFL or MET?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this AFL vs MET comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
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