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PFGPrincipal Financial Group IncSell4.8·$110.87+1.07%
PFG · Why this verdict

Why Principal Financial Group (PFG) is rated SELL

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictSELL
Overall score4.8/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroNEUTRAL

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

7.5/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E7.8
P/S9.3
EV/EBITDA5.6
Fwd P/E9.2
PEG10.0
Analyst target3.0
  • Forward P/E: 10.7x
  • PEG: 0.01
  • Attractively valued

Quality

5.3/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE4.5
ROA0.2
Gross margin5.5
Op margin5.9
Net margin5.1
Current ratio5.6
FCF quality6.7
Moat5.1
Piotroski F8.9
  • No competitive moat
  • Strong Piotroski F-Score: 8/9

Growth

1.4/10data confidence 33%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth1.4
  • Declining revenue: -4%

Momentum

7.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI4.2
MACD10.0
OBV10.0
MA position9.0
Volume1.9
  • Overbought (RSI 76)
  • Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
  • Above 200-day MA

Sentiment

4.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
Analyst rating5.0
Price target3.7
erm sentiment4.4

Insider

5.0/10data confidence 50%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.1
  • Insider selling (low materiality) — $2,884,902 (0.012% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

3.3/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank6.6
quality rank4.0
growth rank2.7

Technical

3.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger0.0
support resistance0.3
52w position9.9

Risk (lower is worse)

6.5/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest7.4
days to cover1.4
volatility8.2
put call5.8
implied vol6.2
beta7.6
debt equity8.7

Catalyst

4.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm6.5
earnings history3.3
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg3.3
dividend safety4.8
  • Earnings concerns: 2B/2M
  • Yield trap warning: high yield but unsafe

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_SELL
Passed (7)
  • MOMENTUM:7.0>=5.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • 8K:CLEAN
  • NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:45d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (1)
  • ASYMMETRY:-1.7=NEGATIVE
Warning (0)

none

Reward-to-Risk
-1.71
Upside
-20.5%
Downside
12.0%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupUNKNOWN No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed

EdgeNO_EDGE No clear edge identified

SuitabilityMODERATE Balanced profile

Investment implication

The F-path SELL output reflects an overall score of 4.8 below the 5.6 soft trigger — multiple weakening dimensions accumulated rather than a single hard-floor breach. The strongest dimension ( Value at 7.5) was not enough to lift the adjusted overall above the threshold. Co-occurring failed gates ( ASYMMETRY:-1.7=NEGATIVE) reinforce the read. Current asymmetry R:R is -1.71 — supplementary context, not the trigger for this path.

The strongest dimensions are Value at 7.5, Momentum at 7.0, and Risk (lower is worse) at 6.5; the weakest are Growth at 1.4, Peer rank at 3.3, and Technical at 3.4. The V9 engine flagged 1 failed gate, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of -1.71 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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