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China Life Insurance CoSTU:CHL +0.82%65 PB Ratio is 1.13 as of Jul. 21, 2026, which is 46% below its 10-year median of 2.10. GuruFocus rates STU:CHL with a GF Score™ of 65/100 and a GF Value™ of €3.51 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 498 Insurance companies, China Life Insurance Co ranks worse than 64.86% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for China Life Insurance Co's PB Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
STU:CHL'
s PB Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 1.48 Med: 2.1 Max: 3.36
Current: 1.9
During the past 13 years, China Life Insurance Co's highest PB Ratio was 3.36. The lowest was 1.48. And the median was 2.10.
STU:CHL's PB Ratio is ranked worse than 64.86% of 498
companies
in the Insurance industry
Industry Median: 1.405
vs STU:CHL: 1.90
During the past 12 months, China Life Insurance Co's average Book Value Per Share Growth Rate was 12.30% per year.
During the past 3 years, the average Book Value Per Share Growth Rate was 10.90% per year.
During the past 5 years, the average Book Value Per Share Growth Rate was 3.80% per year.
During the past 10 years, the average Book Value Per Share Growth Rate was 5.60% per year.
During the past 13 years, the highest 3-Year average Book Value Per Share Growth Rate of China Life Insurance Co was 83.50% per year. The lowest was -10.00% per year. And the median was 10.45% per year.
Back to Basics: PB Ratio
China Life Insurance Co (STU:CHL) PB Ratio Explanation
The PB Ratio works the best for the businesses that earn most of their profit from their assets, e.g. banks and insurance companies.
Be Aware
Some businesses have very light assets, such as software companies or insurance agencies. The PB Ratio does not work well for these companies. Some companies even have negative equity, so the PB Ratio cannot be applied to them.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Insurance - Life subindustry, China Life Insurance Co's PB Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and PB Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
China Life Insurance Co PB Ratio vs Insurance Industry
For the Insurance industry and Financial Services sector, China Life Insurance Co's PB Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where China Life Insurance Co's PB Ratio falls into.
The PB Ratio, or Price-to-Book ratio, or Price/Book, is a financial ratio used to compare a company's market price to its Book Value per Share. It is a ratio widely used to value stocks.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
It can also be calculated from the numbers for the whole company:
A closely related ratio is called Price-to-Tangible-Book. The difference between Price-to-Tangible-Book and PB Ratio is that book value other than intangibles are used in the calculation.
China Life Insurance Co (STU:CHL) has a PB Ratio of 1.13 as of Jul. 21, 2026. Price-to-Book ratio is the ratio of share price to a company's book value per share. View historical data on China Life Insurance Co and its competitors. This is 46% below median its historical median of 2.10. Over the past decade, China Life Insurance Co's PB Ratio has ranged from 1.48 to 3.36. According to the industry distribution chart, China Life Insurance Co ranks #323 out of 498 companies in the Insurance industry, placing it in the top 64.9%.
Is China Life Insurance Co's PB Ratio too high?
China Life Insurance Co's current PB Ratio of 1.13 is 46% below median its 10-year median of 2.10. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.48 to a high of 3.36. The Insurance industry median PB Ratio is 1.41. China Life Insurance Co's value of 1.13 is 19.6% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, China Life Insurance Co ranks #323 out of 498 companies in the Insurance industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, China Life Insurance Co has a GF Score™ of 65/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does China Life Insurance Co's PB Ratio compare to AFL and MET?
According to the Insurance industry distribution chart, China Life Insurance Co ranks #323 out of 498 companies for PB Ratio. This places China Life Insurance Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median PB Ratio is 1.41. China Life Insurance Co's value of 1.13 is 19.6% below this benchmark. Historically, China Life Insurance Co's own PB Ratio has ranged from 1.48 to 3.36 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 2.10 vs. the industry median of 1.41, China Life Insurance Co has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good PB Ratio for an Insurance company?
The median PB Ratio among Insurance companies is 1.41, based on 498 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a PB Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, PB Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. China Life Insurance Co's current PB Ratio of 1.13 is 19.6% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high PB Ratio mean?
A high PB Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Price-to-Book ratio is the ratio of share price to a company's book value per share. View historical data on China Life Insurance Co and its competitors. For the Insurance industry, the median PB Ratio is 1.41 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. China Life Insurance Co's current PB Ratio is 1.13, which is 46% below median its own 10-year median of 2.10. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is China Life Insurance Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, China Life Insurance Co (STU:CHL) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €3.51, compared to a current price of €2.99 — trading 14.7% below its estimated fair value. The current PB Ratio is 1.13, which is 46% below median its 10-year median of 2.10 and 19.6% below the Insurance industry median of 1.41. China Life Insurance Co's overall GF Score™ is 65/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is PB Ratio calculated?
PB Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For China Life Insurance Co (STU:CHL), the current PB Ratio is 1.13 as of Jul. 21, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is China Life Insurance Co (STU:CHL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, China Life Insurance Co stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of €2.99 is trading 14.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of €3.51.
GuruFocus considers China Life Insurance Co to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for STU:CHL:
PB Ratio: 1.13 (46% below median its 10-year median of 2.10)
GF Value™: €3.51 vs. price of €2.99 (14.7% below fair value)
Industry Position: 19.6% below the Insurance median (#323 of 498)
No single metric tells the full story. See the STU:CHL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
As the largest life insurance company in China, China Life commands about 16% market share by end-2024. The firm offers group and individual life insurance through exclusive agents, bancassurance, and other marketing platforms. While the bulk of profits stem from life insurance policies, additional operations include short-term policies such as accident and health insurance. The company is focusing on building a senior-care ecosystem and reforming a new agent team for long-term growth.
65GF Score
Get the complete analysis for STU:CHL
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