Critical Comparison: Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO) vs. Detwiler Fenton Group (OTCMKTS:DMCD)

Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO) and Detwiler Fenton Group (OTCMKTS:DMCD) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings, valuation, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Brown & Brown and Detwiler Fenton Group”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Brown & Brown	$4.85 billion	6.38	$993.00 million	$3.59	30.09
Detwiler Fenton Group	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Brown & Brown has higher revenue and earnings than Detwiler Fenton Group.

Profitability

This table compares Brown & Brown and Detwiler Fenton Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Brown & Brown	20.84%	17.77%	6.76%
Detwiler Fenton Group	N/A	N/A	N/A

Institutional and Insider Ownership

71.0% of Brown & Brown shares are owned by institutional investors. 17.0% of Brown & Brown shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 40.5% of Detwiler Fenton Group shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Brown & Brown and Detwiler Fenton Group, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Brown & Brown	1	6	7	0	2.43
Detwiler Fenton Group	0	0	0	0	0.00

Brown & Brown currently has a consensus price target of $118.23, suggesting a potential upside of 9.46%. Given Brown & Brown’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe Brown & Brown is more favorable than Detwiler Fenton Group.

Summary

Brown & Brown beats Detwiler Fenton Group on 8 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Brown & Brown

Brown & Brown, Inc. is an insurance agency, wholesale brokerage, insurance program and service organization. It engages in the provision of insurance brokerage services and casualty insurance underwriting services. It operates through the following segments: Retail, National Programs, Wholesale Brokerage, and Services. The Retail Segment receives fees in lieu of commissions. The National Programs segment acts as a managing general agent and provides professional liability and related package products for certain professionals, a range of insurance products for individuals, flood coverage, and targeted products and services designated for specific industries, trade groups, governmental entities and market niches. The Wholesale Brokerage segment markets and sells excess and surplus commercial and personal lines insurance, primarily through independent agents and brokers, as well as the company’s retail agents. The Services segment provides insurance-related services, including third-party claims administration and comprehensive medical utilization management services in both the workers’ compensation and all-lines liability arenas, as well as Medicare Set-aside services, social security disability and Medicare benefits advocacy services and claims adjusting services. The company was founded by J. Adrian Brown and Charles Covington Owen in 1939 and is headquartered in Daytona Beach, FL.

About Detwiler Fenton Group

Detwiler Fenton Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides financial services to institutional and individual investors primarily in the United States. The company offers institutional channel research and wealth management/investment brokerage services to high net worth and other individuals. It also markets annuities and life insurance, health insurance, and long term care products, as well as mutual funds. The company, formerly known as Detwiler, Mitchell & Co., was founded in 1983 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.