Stock fact sheet · data as of
Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Ticker symbol SLF · Financial Services · Insurance - Diversified · Canada · Growth
Is SLF undervalued?
At 81.98 (close of 5 Nov 2026), SLF trades 50% below the GLS average fair value of 162.88. That average comes from 9 models run on the latest filings, and 5 of them land above the current price. Margins of safety over 30% are the exception rather than the rule across the ~7,400 stocks we value each night, so the number earns Sun Life Financial Inc. the full Value points in the Wheel Score - and a closer look at what the market is pricing in.
There is a wide gap between Lynch (38.42) and Payback Time (342.56). When the models are this far apart the "fair value" is really a range, and the margin of safety above should be read with that range in mind.
Ranked against every other company we cover, SLF is clearly faster-growing than it is cheap, so the nightly engine files it under Growth (value score 51, growth score 83, out of 100).
Nine valuation models for SLF
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 | 338.41 | +313% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 58.24 | -29% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 113.62 | +39% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 38.42 | -53% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 283.52 | +246% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 198.84 | +143% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 342.56 | +318% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | 40.87 | -50% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | 51.46 | -37% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -427.55 | -622% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 88.00 | +7% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Sun Life Financial Inc. scores 6 of 9 on the Piotroski F-score: a middling result that passes the "Piotroski 6 or more" Wheel Trade Filter. Some of the nine tests on profitability, leverage and efficiency are failed, so the accounts are worth a look before selling a put on the name. On durability SLF scores 6.7/10 on the GLS Moat - a middle reading; the Moat Score tab on the Quote page's Financials view shows which of the four parts hold it back.
Returns on capital are moderate - ROIC 8.5%, ROE 14.8%, ROA 0.9% - with debt at 0.74 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 10.2%.
The dividend yield is 3.39% at a payout ratio of 60%; for a wheel trader holding assigned shares the dividend adds to the covered-call premium, and the ex-dividend date is worth knowing before a call is sold. Revenue comes mainly from Health Insurance 65%, Life Insurance 24%, Annuities 11% (fiscal year FY2025).
Institutional ownership scores 6/10, insider activity 5/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 6 / 9 | ROIC | 8.5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 6.7 / 10 | ROE | 14.8% |
| Debt / equity | 0.74 | ROA | 0.9% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 10.2% | Payout ratio | 60% |
| Institutions | 6 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 5 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 76: Good
With a Wheel Score of 76 - the Good band - Sun Life Financial Inc. passes all 9 Wheel Trade Filters. How it ranks: value strong, premium fair, moat good, health good, red flags strong, option trading weak, stability strong. Option trading (weak) is the part keeping it out of the Prime band.
Implied volatility is 26% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out: enough to pass the 25-80% Wheel Trade Filter, but under the 35-60% sweet spot the score rewards most. Chain open interest is thin - 1,519 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 482k shares a day on a market cap of $45.6B, with a beta of 0.79 - 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 | Passes | Listed options with 1,000+ contracts of open interest and 100+ traded 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 | Passes | Implied volatility 25-80% (enough premium, not a lottery ticket) |
| 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 | 50% below fair value | |
| Premium | Fair | implied volatility 26% | |
| Moat | Good | moat 6.7/10 | |
| Health | Good | Piotroski 6/9 | |
| Red Flags | Strong | Red Flags score 90/100 | |
| Option trading | Weak | 652 contracts a day, 1,519 open interest | |
| Stability | Strong | beta 0.79, $45.6B 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
No upcoming earnings date is recorded for SLF in the nightly calendar.
Analysts upgraded SLF 1 time in the last 30 days with no downgrades; the latest action was an upgrade by Scotiabank on 27 Oct 2026.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Insurance - Diversified
The 12 companies below are the closest to Sun Life Financial Inc. by market cap within the Insurance - Diversified 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFH Prudential Financial, Inc. 4.125% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2060 | 15.42 | 141.40 | +89% | 33No options | $43.7B |
| AIG American International Group, Inc. | 81.71 | 85.67 | +5% | 70Good | $43.3B |
| ACGL Arch Capital Group Ltd. | 110.68 | 302.58 | +63% | 80Good | $37.8B |
| ACGLN Arch Capital Group Ltd. | 15.11 | 133.92 | +89% | 39No options | $37.8B |
| ACGLO Arch Capital Group Ltd. | 18.33 | 141.94 | +87% | 39No options | $37.8B |
| HIG The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. | 138.11 | 378.41 | +64% | 73Good | $36.9B |
| BNT Brookfield Wealth Solutions Ltd. | 43.08 | 55.05 | +22% | 40Weak | $14.3B |
| AEFC Aegon Funding Company LLC | 17.80 | 22.69 | +22% | 25No options | $13.8B |
| AEG Aegon Ltd. | 8.58 | 10.13 | +15% | 70Good | $13.0B |
| AXS AXIS Capital Holdings Limited | 107.78 | 470.12 | +77% | 46Weak | $7.7B |
| WTM White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. | 2,376.30 | 8,914.92 | +73% | 34No options | $5.7B |
| GNW Genworth Financial, Inc. | 9.19 | 14.89 | +38% | 76Good | $3.5B |
⚖ Compare SLF with 7 of them All Financial Services stocks →
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A free GLS Equity account gets you nightly fair value and the Wheel Score on ~7,400 US stocks, a watchlist, the scanner preview and the Sunday Scan - the top 10 stocks that pass all 9 Wheel Trade Filters, emailed every week. Pro adds the full put and call scanners, unlimited watchlists with alerts and the trade journal.
Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about SLF
Is SLF undervalued right now?
By the GLS models, yes: at 81.98 the stock is 50% below the average fair value of 162.88 (data as of 5 Nov 2026). Whether the discount is deserved is the question to research next.
What is the Wheel Score of SLF and what does it mean?
SLF scores 76 out of 100 (Good). 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 SLF?
162.88 per share as of 5 Nov 2026 - the simple average of the 9 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 Sun Life Financial Inc. report earnings next?
No upcoming earnings date is recorded for SLF in our calendar as of 5 Nov 2026; the Calendars page is refreshed every morning.
Does SLF have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 72 listed contracts with 1,519 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 26% 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.