Stock fact sheet · data as of
Markel Corporation (MKL): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Ticker symbol MKL · Financial Services · Insurance - Property & Casualty · United States · Blend
Is MKL undervalued?
Markel Corporation (MKL) closed at 1,954.51 on 5 Nov 2026. The GLS average fair value - the simple average of the 8 valuation models that produced a positive number - is 4,032.71, which puts the price 52% below it. 6 of the 8 models value the shares above the current price. A gap this wide is rare in our universe of ~7,400 US stocks and is exactly what the Value part of the Wheel Score rewards; it is also where the question "why is it this cheap?" matters most.
The 8 models disagree widely: Lynch gives 1,455.32 while GLS Growth gives 8,846.77. A spread that wide means the average is sensitive to which methods you trust; the model table below shows where each one lands, and the Quote page lets you switch any of them off.
Ranked against every other company we cover, neither cheapness nor growth clearly wins for MKL, so the nightly engine files it under Blend (value score 64, growth score 53, out of 100).
Nine valuation models for MKL
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 4,544.94 | +133% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 2,202.47 | +13% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 4,046.99 | +107% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 1,455.32 | -26% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 8,846.77 | +353% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 3,808.27 | +95% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 5,751.31 | +194% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | - | - | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend; no value tonight |
| EPV | 1,605.64 | -18% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -1,347.41 | -169% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 1,708.33 | -13% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
On financial health MKL scores 7/9 (Piotroski): most of the nine tests - positive earnings and cash flow, falling debt, rising margins and turnover - are passed, which is the kind of balance sheet a wheel trader is happy to be assigned. The GLS Moat score is 6.5 out of 10: a record that is solid on some of the four parts the score weighs (returns on capital, pricing power, lasting growth, balance sheet) and weaker on others.
Returns on capital are moderate - ROIC 9.2%, ROE 11.3%, ROA 3.1% - with debt at 0.23 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 7.5%.
Markel Corporation pays no dividend, so the DDM model does not apply and a covered-call holder earns only the premium and any price gain. Revenue comes mainly from Markel Ventures 100% (quarter Q2 FY2025).
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 5/10 and Congressional trading 1/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 7 / 9 | ROIC | 9.2% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 6.5 / 10 | ROE | 11.3% |
| Debt / equity | 0.23 | ROA | 3.1% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 7.5% | Payout ratio | 33% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 5 · 1 / 10 |
Wheel Score 41: Weak
MKL scores 41 out of 100 on the Wheel Score, in the Weak band (under 50): it fails filter 1, options that actually trade - options too quiet (804 open interest, 544 a day); and filter 7, a premium worth selling - implied volatility 18% (under 25%), and the parts are thin too - value strong, premium weak, moat good, health good, red flags strong, option trading weak, stability strong. The score is not a judgement on the company; it says the price, quality and premium do not line up for selling puts on it today.
Implied volatility on the near-the-money contracts is 18%, below the 25% the Wheel Trade Filter on premium asks for: a put pays too little to be worth selling. Chain open interest is thin - 804 contracts across every expiry - so fills at a fair price are not guaranteed; a 30-45-day put may not exist at a usable strike.
Volume runs at 68k shares a day on a market cap of $23.9B, with a beta of 0.60 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score rates that strong.
| Filter | Wheel Trade Filter | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Options that actually trade | Fails | options too quiet (804 open interest, 544 a day) |
| 2 | A real business, not a gamble | Passes | Profitable over the last twelve months - not a speculative stock, fund or note |
| 3 | Below fair value | Passes | Trading below the nine-model average fair value (margin of safety above 0) |
| 4 | Financially healthy | Passes | Piotroski F-score 6 or more out of 9 (a company with no score on file passes) |
| 5 | Can repay its debt | Passes | Long-term debt repaid from 3 years of operating cash flow or less (6 for real estate and utilities; banks and insurers are not judged on it) |
| 6 | No serious red flags | Passes | Red Flags score 60 or more out of 100 (earnings, margins, debt, analysts, filings and price checked the same way for every stock) |
| 7 | A premium worth selling | Fails | implied volatility 18% (under 25%) |
| 8 | Big enough | Passes | Market cap $1 billion or more |
| 9 | Not a penny stock | Passes | Share price $5 or more |
| How it ranks | Rating | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | Strong | 52% below fair value | |
| Premium | Weak | implied volatility 18% | |
| Moat | Good | moat 6.5/10 | |
| Health | Good | Piotroski 7/9 | |
| Red Flags | Strong | Red Flags score 90/100 | |
| Option trading | Weak | 544 contracts a day, 804 open interest | |
| Stability | Strong | beta 0.60, $23.9B company |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls: a stock must pass all 9 Wheel Trade Filters to score 70, and the score then ranks the ones that pass; the Sunday Scan is the top 10. It is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. How the Wheel Score works · the walkthrough lesson shows how it fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
The next earnings report is due on 3 Feb 2027, 90 days away - outside the window of a 30-45-day put sold today.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Insurance - Property & Casualty
The 12 companies below are the closest to Markel Corporation by market cap within the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L Loews Corporation | 111.67 | 209.81 | +47% | 48Weak | $22.6B |
| WRB W. R. Berkley Corporation | 76.71 | 88.33 | +13% | 40Weak | $28.5B |
| CINF Cincinnati Financial Corporation | 190.48 | 375.36 | +49% | 43Weak | $29.2B |
| AIZ Assurant, Inc. | 308.52 | 518.65 | +41% | 48Weak | $15.2B |
| AIZN Assurant, Inc. 5.25% Subordinat | 16.91 | 153.03 | +89% | 29No options | $15.2B |
| CNA CNA Financial Corporation | 48.02 | 113.38 | +58% | 53Fair | $13.0B |
| ERIE Erie Indemnity Company | 279.96 | 237.17 | -18% | 42Weak | $12.9B |
| AFG American Financial Group, Inc. | 154.77 | 185.90 | +17% | 38Weak | $12.8B |
| ORI Old Republic International Corporation | 39.96 | 56.77 | +30% | 39Weak | $9.6B |
| KNSL Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. | 391.73 | 618.66 | +37% | 82Good | $8.8B |
| THG The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. | 249.93 | 573.77 | +56% | 75Good | $8.6B |
| ALL The Allstate Corporation | 269.06 | 790.94 | +66% | 84Good | $68.0B |
⚖ Compare MKL with 7 of them All Financial Services stocks →
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about MKL
Is MKL undervalued right now?
By the GLS models, yes: at 1,954.51 the stock is 52% below the average fair value of 4,032.71 (data as of 5 Nov 2026). Whether the discount is deserved is the question to research next.
What is the Wheel Score of MKL and what does it mean?
MKL scores 41 out of 100 (Weak) - it fails Wheel Trade Filters 1, 7. The Wheel Score ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned - in two parts: the 9 pass/fail Wheel Trade Filters (busy options, a real business, below fair value, Piotroski 6 or more, debt it can repay, a Red Flags score of 60 or more, implied volatility of 25-80%, a $1 billion company, $5 a share) and a ranking of how strongly a stock passes on value, premium, moat, health, red flags, option trading and stability. A stock that fails any filter stays under 70; 70-84 is Good, 85 and above is Prime. The Sunday Scan is the top 10 that pass, sorted by Wheel Score.
What is the GLS fair value for MKL?
4,032.71 per share as of 5 Nov 2026 - the simple average of the 8 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Markel Corporation report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 3 Feb 2027, 90 days from the data date of 5 Nov 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does MKL have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 334 listed contracts with 804 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 18% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.