Reviewing GAINSCO (OTCMKTS:GANS) & Markel Group (NYSE:MKL)

GAINSCO (OTCMKTS:GANS) and Markel Group (NYSE:MKL) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, earnings, valuation, risk, profitability, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for GAINSCO and Markel Group, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
GAINSCO	0	0	0	0	0.00
Markel Group	1	3	0	0	1.75

Markel Group has a consensus target price of $1,727.75, suggesting a potential downside of 9.23%. Given GAINSCO’s higher probable upside, equities analysts clearly believe GAINSCO is more favorable than Markel Group.

Profitability

This table compares GAINSCO and Markel Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
GAINSCO	N/A	N/A	N/A
Markel Group	16.34%	7.55%	1.99%

Insider & Institutional Ownership

77.1% of Markel Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 73.5% of GAINSCO shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 1.7% of Markel Group shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares GAINSCO and Markel Group”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
GAINSCO	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Markel Group	$15.56 billion	1.55	$2.64 billion	$135.69	14.03

Markel Group has higher revenue and earnings than GAINSCO.

Summary

Markel Group beats GAINSCO on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About GAINSCO

GAINSCO, Inc. operates as a property and casualty insurance holding company. The company offers non-standard personal auto products, including coverage for third party liability, bodily injury, and physical damage, as well as collision and coverage for theft, physical damage, and other perils for an insured's vehicle. It is also involved in automotive sales and service, auto racing, and investment activities. The company offers its automobile insurance products under the GAINSCO Auto Insurance brand through independent partner agents and Website comparison shopping places. GAINSCO, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

About Markel Group

Markel Group Inc., a diverse holding company, engages in marketing and underwriting specialty insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The company offers general and professional liability, personal lines, marine and energy, specialty programs, and workers' compensation insurance products; and property coverages that include fire, allied lines, and other specialized property coverages, including catastrophe-exposed property risks, such as earthquake and wind. It also offers credit and surety products, and collateral protection insurance products. In addition, the company offers transaction, directors and officers, and healthcare liability reinsurance; and specialty treaty reinsurance products comprising credit and surety, workers' compensation, marine and energy, public entity, mortgage default, aviation and space, agriculture, and discrete political violence and national terror pools. Further, it provides construction services, consumer and building products, transportation-related products, consulting services, and equipment manufacturing products, as well as healthcare, leasing, and investment services. Additionally, the company operates as an insurance and investment fund manager offering a range of investment products, including insurance-linked securities, catastrophe bonds, insurance swaps, traditional reinsurance contracts, industry loss warranties and other financial instruments; and program services. It also manages funds with third parties. The company was formerly known as Markel Corporation and changed its name to Markel Group Inc. in May 2023. Markel Group Inc. was founded in 1930 and is based in Glen Allen, Virginia.