Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
Shares Outstanding (EOP) are shares that have been authorized, issued, and purchased by investors and are held by them.
1-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past year, calculated as the percentage change in shares outstanding from the previous year to the current year. A positive ratio may indicates share buybacks over the period, while a zero or negative ratio suggests no buybacks or potential share issuance. Great-West Lifeco's current 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 3.30%.
FRA:GWS's 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is ranked better than 79.77% of 262
companies
in the Insurance industry
Industry Median: 0.3
vs FRA:GWS: 3.30
Great-West Lifeco (FRA:GWS) 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio Explanation
A positive ratio may indicates share buybacks over the period, while a zero or negative ratio suggests no buybacks or potential share issuance.
Be Aware
Investors usually like share buybacks. But as pointed by Warren Buffett, only if a company buys back shares at the prices below the stock's intrinsic value, it rewards remaining shareholders. If a company buys its overvalued stocks back, it destroys shareholder value.
Great-West Lifeco 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio Related Terms
FRA:GWS vs MET, AFL, PRU: 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio Comparison
For the Insurance - Life subindustry, Great-West Lifeco's 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and 1-Year Share Buyback 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.
Great-West Lifeco 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio vs Insurance Industry
For the Insurance industry and Financial Services sector, Great-West Lifeco's 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Great-West Lifeco's 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio falls into.
* 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.
What does a 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 3.30 mean?
Great-West Lifeco (FRA:GWS) has a 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 3.30 as of Jun. 2026. The 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past year, calculated as the percentage change in shares outstanding from the previous year to the current year. View historical data for Great-West Lifeco and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Great-West Lifeco ranks #53 out of 262 companies in the Insurance industry, placing it in the top 20.2%.
Is Great-West Lifeco's 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio too high?
Great-West Lifeco's current 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 3.30. The Insurance industry median 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.30. Great-West Lifeco's value of 3.30 is 1000% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Great-West Lifeco ranks #53 out of 262 companies in the Insurance industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Great-West Lifeco has a GF Score™ of 53/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Great-West Lifeco's 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio compare to MET and AFL?
According to the Insurance industry distribution chart, Great-West Lifeco ranks #53 out of 262 companies for 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio. This places Great-West Lifeco in the top 20% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.30. Great-West Lifeco's value of 3.30 is 1000% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio for an Insurance company?
The median 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio among Insurance companies is 0.30, based on 262 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Great-West Lifeco's current 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 3.30 is 1000% above 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 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio mean?
A high 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past year, calculated as the percentage change in shares outstanding from the previous year to the current year. View historical data for Great-West Lifeco and its competitors. For the Insurance industry, the median 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.30 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Great-West Lifeco's current 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 3.30. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Great-West Lifeco stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Great-West Lifeco (FRA:GWS) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €35.16, compared to a current price of €56.54 — trading 60.8% above its estimated fair value. The current 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 3.30 and 1000% above the Insurance industry median of 0.30. Great-West Lifeco's overall GF Score™ is 53/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio calculated?
1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Great-West Lifeco (FRA:GWS), the current 1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 3.30 as of Jun. 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 Great-West Lifeco (FRA:GWS) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Great-West Lifeco stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €56.54 is trading 60.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of €35.16.
GuruFocus considers Great-West Lifeco to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for FRA:GWS:
1-Year Share Buyback Ratio: 3.30
GF Value™: €35.16 vs. price of €56.54 (60.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 1000% above the Insurance median (#53 of 262)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:GWS stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Great-West Lifeco is one of the Big Three Canadian life insurers. The firm's Canadian business contributed around 31% of its 2025 adjusted earnings. The firm generates a further 29% of adjusted earnings from the United States, attributable to its recordkeeping business, Empower, and its US life insurance business. Great-West Lifeco also offers various products across European markets with a strong presence in the UK and Ireland, which collectively accounted for 20% of adjusted earnings, while the firm's reinsurance business accounts for the remainder. Great-West Lifeco had around CAD 3.5 trillion of assets under administration across its business segments at the end of December 2025.
53GF Score
Get the complete analysis for FRA:GWS
1-Year Share Buyback Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
FRA:GWS has been successfully added to your 
