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Principal Financial Group vs State Street: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Principal Financial leads structurally, with growth as the clearest single gap between the two profiles. The remaining gap is narrow enough that the comparison remains open to different readings. The market setup is broadly comparable for both — no clear directional signal from price behavior. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

The comparison is mainly decided in growth, with the rest of the profile carrying less weight.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Asset Management

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. PFG and STT share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Principal Financial and State Street each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
PFG
Principal Financial Group, Inc.
46
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
STT
State Street Corporation
40
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in growth.

Dimension spread: PFG vs STT Profitability 7 9 Stability 63 55 Valuation 73 77 Growth 50 14 PFG STT
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +36
#2 Stability +8
#3 Valuation +4
#4 Profitability +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for PFG and STT Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer PFGSTT Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup remains mixed because the stronger profile and the more supportive price setup do not sit on the same side.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where PFG and STT each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY PFG Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 0 pct gap STT Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 99th 99th
PFG (99th percentile) and STT (99th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Growth
On growth, Principal Financial Group, Inc. is positioned higher in the group, while State Street Corporation is closer to the middle.
Stability
Principal Financial Group, Inc. sits higher in the group on stability, adding to the overall structural advantage.
Growth — Dominant Gap
PFG
50
STT
14
Gap+36in favour of PFG

Earnings growth is one contributing factor within the growth lead.

What else supports the lead

Principal Financial Group, Inc. also shows lower market-fundamental divergence, which makes the lead look less detached from the underlying business picture.

What this means for the comparison

Growth answers the question more clearly than the overall score separation does.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the PFG vs STT comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar growth-driven comparisons

Explore how PFG and STT each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.