RLI vs. MKL

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

RLI (RLI Corp.) and MKL (Markel Corporation) are both stocks. Both operate in the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry within the Financial Services sector. Over the past 10 years, RLI returned 8.16%/yr vs 6.32%/yr for MKL. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

RLI vs. MKL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in RLI Corp. (RLI) and Markel Corporation (MKL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with RLI having a -18.06% return and MKL slightly higher at -17.31%. Over the past 10 years, RLI has outperformed MKL with an annualized return of 8.16%, while MKL has yielded a comparatively lower 6.32% annualized return.

RLI

• 1D: -1.73%
• 1M: 3.08%
• YTD: -18.06%
• 6M: -16.32%
• 1Y: -29.00%
• 3Y*: -3.56%
• 5Y*: 3.86%
• 10Y*: 8.16%

MKL

• 1D: -0.55%
• 1M: 1.50%
• YTD: -17.31%
• 6M: -13.58%
• 1Y: -9.20%
• 3Y*: 9.28%
• 5Y*: 7.68%
• 10Y*: 6.32%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

RLI vs. MKL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RLI RLI Corp.	-18.06%	-19.13%	27.57%	3.77%	24.80%	10.67%	18.08%	33.22%	16.69%	0.38%
MKL Markel Corporation	-17.31%	24.53%	21.57%	7.77%	6.77%	19.42%	-9.61%	10.13%	-8.87%	25.94%

Correlation

The correlation between RLI and MKL is 0.54, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.54
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.57
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.57
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 1990	0.35

The correlation between RLI and MKL shifts across timeframes, from 0.35 (all time) to 0.57 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

EPS RLI : $4.28 MKL : $176.96
PE Ratio RLI : 11.70 MKL : 10.05
PEG Ratio RLI : 0.53 MKL : 0.18
PS Ratio RLI : 3.05 MKL : 1.00
Total Revenue (TTM) RLI : $1.52B MKL : $16.57B
Gross Profit (TTM) RLI : $481.56M MKL : $7.80B
EBITDA (TTM) RLI : $519.11M MKL : $2.55B

Return for Risk

RLI vs. MKL — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

RLI

RLI Risk / Return Rank: 4
RLI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
RLI Sortino Ratio Rank: 3
RLI Omega Ratio Rank: 5
RLI Calmar Ratio Rank: 8
RLI Martin Ratio Rank: 3

MKL

MKL Risk / Return Rank: 19
MKL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 19
MKL Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
MKL Omega Ratio Rank: 18
MKL Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
MKL Martin Ratio Rank: 15

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

RLI vs. MKL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for RLI Corp. (RLI) and Markel Corporation (MKL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	RLI	MKL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-1.30	-0.49	-0.81
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-1.86	-0.56	-1.30
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.80	0.93	-0.13
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.84	-0.46	-0.38
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-1.66	-1.16	-0.50
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RLI vs. MKL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RLI Sharpe Ratio is -1.30, which is lower than the MKL Sharpe Ratio of -0.49. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RLI and MKL, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	RLI	MKL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-1.30	-0.49	-0.81
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.17	0.34	-0.18
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.31	0.25	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.47	0.46	+0.01

Drawdowns

RLI vs. MKL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RLI drawdown since its inception was -43.50%, smaller than the maximum MKL drawdown of -61.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RLI and MKL.

Drawdown Indicators

	RLI	MKL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-43.50%	-61.32%	+17.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-34.56%	-20.10%	-14.46%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-43.50%	-20.10%	-23.40%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-43.50%	-28.87%	-14.63%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.50%	-44.66%	+1.16%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-38.15%	-18.90%	-19.25%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.84%	-11.39%	+1.55%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	18.17%	7.97%	+10.20%

Volatility

RLI vs. MKL - Volatility Comparison

RLI Corp. (RLI) has a higher volatility of 8.36% compared to Markel Corporation (MKL) at 3.91%. This indicates that RLI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MKL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RLI	MKL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.36%	3.91%	+4.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.39%	13.04%	+4.35%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.40%	18.78%	+3.62%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.10%	22.41%	+0.69%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.50%	25.27%	+1.23%

Dividends

RLI vs. MKL - Dividend Comparison

RLI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.31%, while MKL has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MKL Markel Corporation	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
RLI RLI Corp.	9.31%	4.11%	3.12%	2.31%	6.12%	2.67%	1.87%	2.12%	2.71%	4.25%	4.42%	4.45%

Financials

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RLI and MKL in my portfolio?

RLI and MKL have a correlation of 0.54, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RLI or MKL?

RLI has higher volatility (8.36%) compared to MKL (3.91%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RLI dropped -43.50% vs MKL's -61.32%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

MKL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.49 vs -1.30), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.