Fact based stock research
Direct Line Insurance (LSE:DLG)
GB00BY9D0Y18
How to read the free ranks
For every stock, we judge its performance against its peers and rank it on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher the rank, the better the stock performs than its peers. And, we do this for six investment strategies:
Value - shows how good of a value the stock is. Green is "inexpensive"; red is "expensive".
Growth - shows a company's growth potential. Green is "high growth" expected; red is "tough times ahead".
Safety - relates to the amount of debt a company has. Green is low debt level; red is high debt level.
Combined Financial - this isn't an average of the first three ranks but rather a consolidated view across several financial indicators. Green = good; red = tread carefully.
(NEW) Sentiment - quantifies professional analyst ratings and holdings as well as market pulse. Green = positive sentiment; red = skepticism (Only available to Premium Subscribers).
(NEW) 360° View - the ultimate rating with all financial and non-financial indicators.
Direct Line Insurance stock research in summary
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Combined Rank of 71 (better than 71% compared with investment alternatives), Direct Line Insurance (Property & Casualty Insurance, United Kingdom) shares have above-average financial characteristics compared with similar stocks. Shares of Direct Line Insurance are low in value (priced high) with a consolidated Value Rank of 41 (worse than 59% of alternatives), and are riskily financed (Safety Rank of 31, which means above-average debt burdens) but show above-average growth (Growth Rank of 71). ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: A Combined Rank of 71, is a buy recommendation based on Direct Line Insurance's financial characteristics. As the company Direct Line Insurance shows low value with an Obermatt Value Rank of 41 (59% of comparable investments are less expensive), investors should look at the other ranks. In this case, growth is expected to be above-average, better than 71% of comparable companies (Obermatt Growth Rank is 71). This is a typical case. Companies with above average growth tend to cost more than stocks with slower growth expectations. If this is a high-growth company, the low Obermatt Safety Rank of 31 is a good sign. The more debt a well-performing company has, the higher the returns to shareholders. However, if growth turns negative or interest rates increase, high debt may become a burden. If you believe the future is bright for Direct Line Insurance, even a low-value company (in terms of its key financial indicators) can be a good investment. Obermatt Premium subscribers can further check the stock’s Sentiment Ranks, which also flow into the Obermatt 360° View for investors. ...read more
Latest Obermatt Ranks
Log in or sign up to see the new 360° View and Sentiment ranks.
Country | United Kingdom |
Industry | Property & Casualty Insurance |
Index | FTSE All Shares, FTSE 250, FTSE 350, Dividends Europe |
Size class | X-Large |
This stock has achievements: Gold Winner CEO.
27-Mar-2025. Stock data may be delayed. Log in or sign up to get the most recent research.

Analysts rarely agree on a stock’s future. So, who do you believe? Obermatt translates those collective views into a single Sentiment Rank. That plus the financial ranks give you the ultimate 360° View. Sign up to access them.

It’s easier said than done. When your stock drops, it’s easy to want to sell it and find a better performer. Think twice, or even three times, before trading. Those fees (especially the hidden ones) can eat up your gains.
Review the performance ranks of the individual metrics that form each investment strategy.
Research History: Direct Line Insurance
RESEARCH HISTORY | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VALUE | ||||||||
VALUE | 47 |
![]() |
51 |
![]() |
33 |
![]() |
41 |
![]() |
GROWTH | ||||||||
GROWTH | 5 |
![]() |
37 |
![]() |
39 |
![]() |
71 |
![]() |
SAFETY | ||||||||
SAFETY | 31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
SENTIMENT | ||||||||
SENTIMENT | 45 |
![]() |
15 |
![]() |
21 |
![]() |
new | |
360° VIEW | ||||||||
360° VIEW | 15 |
![]() |
37 |
![]() |
37 |
![]() |
new |
Combined financial peformance in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Combined Rank of 71 (better than 71% compared with investment alternatives), Direct Line Insurance (Property & Casualty Insurance, United Kingdom) shares have above-average financial characteristics compared with similar stocks. Shares of Direct Line Insurance are low in value (priced high) with a consolidated Value Rank of 41 (worse than 59% of alternatives), and are riskily financed (Safety Rank of 31, which means above-average debt burdens) but show above-average growth (Growth Rank of 71). ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: A Combined Rank of 71, is a buy recommendation based on Direct Line Insurance's financial characteristics. As the company Direct Line Insurance shows low value with an Obermatt Value Rank of 41 (59% of comparable investments are less expensive), investors should look at the other ranks. In this case, growth is expected to be above-average, better than 71% of comparable companies (Obermatt Growth Rank is 71). This is a typical case. Companies with above average growth tend to cost more than stocks with slower growth expectations. If this is a high-growth company, the low Obermatt Safety Rank of 31 is a good sign. The more debt a well-performing company has, the higher the returns to shareholders. However, if growth turns negative or interest rates increase, high debt may become a burden. If you believe the future is bright for Direct Line Insurance, even a low-value company (in terms of its key financial indicators) can be a good investment. Obermatt Premium subscribers can further check the stock’s Sentiment Ranks, which also flow into the Obermatt 360° View for investors. ...read more
RESEARCH HISTORY | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VALUE | ||||||||
VALUE | 47 |
![]() |
51 |
![]() |
33 |
![]() |
41 |
![]() |
GROWTH | ||||||||
GROWTH | 5 |
![]() |
37 |
![]() |
39 |
![]() |
71 |
![]() |
SAFETY | ||||||||
SAFETY | 31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
COMBINED | ||||||||
COMBINED | 71 |
![]() |
71 |
![]() |
71 |
![]() |
71 |
![]() |
Value Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Value Rank of 41 (worse than 59% compared with alternatives), Direct Line Insurance shares are more expensive than the average comparable stock. The Value Rank is based on consolidating four value indicators, with half of the indicators below and half above average for Direct Line Insurance. Expected dividend yields are higher than for 51% of comparable companies (a Dividend Yield rank of 51), making the stock attractive. The same is valid for Price-to-Book Capital (also referred to as market-to-book ratio) with a Price-to-Book Rank of 53, which means that the stock price is lower compared with invested capital than for 53% of comparable investments. But in respect to sales and profits, the picture is reversed. Price-to-Sales is 43 which means that the stock price compared with what market professionals expect for future profits is higher than for 57% of comparable companies, indicating a low value concerning Direct Line Insurance's sales levels. The Price-to-Profit ratio (also referred to as price-earnings (P/E) ratio) is also unfavorable for Direct Line Insurance with a rank of 25. This means that the stock price, compared with what market professionals expect for future profits, is higher than for 75% of comparable companies, indicating a low value concerning Direct Line Insurance's profit levels. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: The overall picture with a consolidated Value Rank of 41, is a hold recommendation based on Direct Line Insurance's stock price compared with the company's operational size and dividend yields. The company seems confident that it can generate a reasonable return on invested capital, because it pays an above-average dividend while profits are below what you would expect for a company with this stock price. If you agree with this practice and believe that profits will return to higher levels, as the current dividend policy suggests, Direct Line Insurance may be an attractive investment. If this is not the case, you may want to be careful with this stock as it is also expensive compared with its expected revenue levels. We recommend further analyzing the stock with Obermatt’s Value, Safety, and Sentiment Ranks, including the 360° View, before making an investment decision, which is essential in this case, as the financial indicators are inconclusive. ...read more
VALUE METRICS | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PRICE VS. REVENUES (P/S) | ||||||||
PRICE VS. REVENUES (P/S) | 35 |
![]() |
51 |
![]() |
43 |
![]() |
43 |
![]() |
PRICE VS. PROFITS (P/E) | ||||||||
PRICE VS. PROFITS (P/E) | 41 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
25 |
![]() |
25 |
![]() |
PRICE VS. CAPITAL (Market-to-Book) | ||||||||
PRICE VS. CAPITAL (Market-to-Book) | 31 |
![]() |
55 |
![]() |
48 |
![]() |
53 |
![]() |
DIVIDEND YIELD | ||||||||
DIVIDEND YIELD | 93 |
![]() |
76 |
![]() |
35 |
![]() |
51 |
![]() |
CONSOLIDATED RANK: VALUE | ||||||||
CONSOLIDATED RANK: VALUE | 47 |
![]() |
51 |
![]() |
33 |
![]() |
41 |
![]() |
Growth Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Growth Rank of 71 (better than 71% compared with alternatives), Direct Line Insurance shows an above-average growth dynamic in its industry. Investors also speak of positive momentum. The Growth Rank is based on consolidating four value indicators, with all but one indicator above average for Direct Line Insurance. Profit Growth has a rank of 96 which means that currently professionals expect the company to grow its profits more than 96% of its competitors. The same is valid for capital growth and stock returns. Capital Growth has a rank of 61, and Stock Returns has a rank of 75 which means that the stock returns have recently been above 75% of alternative investments. Only revenue growth is low with a Sales Growth has a rank of 10 (90% of its competitors are better). ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: The overall picture with a consolidated Growth Rank of 71, is a buy recommendation for growth and momentum investors. The many positive growth indicators indicate a positive growth momentum with only low revenue growth. That can also be attributed to divestments or the sale of unprofitable businesses. If that is the reason, overall growth is well on track to making this stock attractive for growth investors. While momentum is a popular investment factor, the value aspect might be the more important one, in the longer term. We recommend analyzing the stock with Obermatt’s Value, Safety, and Sentiment Ranks to arrive at a 360° View of the stock purchase case. ...read more
GROWTH METRICS | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
REVENUE GROWTH | ||||||||
REVENUE GROWTH | 55 |
![]() |
8 |
![]() |
8 |
![]() |
10 |
![]() |
PROFIT GROWTH | ||||||||
PROFIT GROWTH | 22 |
![]() |
98 |
![]() |
10 |
![]() |
96 |
![]() |
CAPITAL GROWTH | ||||||||
CAPITAL GROWTH | 17 |
![]() |
49 |
![]() |
74 |
![]() |
61 |
![]() |
STOCK RETURNS | ||||||||
STOCK RETURNS | 13 |
![]() |
7 |
![]() |
95 |
![]() |
75 |
![]() |
CONSOLIDATED RANK: GROWTH | ||||||||
CONSOLIDATED RANK: GROWTH | 5 |
![]() |
37 |
![]() |
39 |
![]() |
71 |
![]() |
Safety Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Safety Rank of 31 (better than 31% compared with alternatives), the company Direct Line Insurance has financing practices on the riskier side, which means that their overall debt burden is above the industry average. This doesn't mean that the business of Direct Line Insurance is also risky, it only means that the company is on the riskier side in respect to bankruptcy in case things turn sour, assuming that public reporting is correct. The Safety Rank is based on consolidating three financing indicators, with two out of three indicators above average for Direct Line Insurance. Leverage is at a rank of 84, meaning the company has a below-average debt-to-equity ratio. It has less debt than 84% of its competitors. Liquidity is also good at a rank of 73, meaning the company generates more profit to service its debt than 73% of its competitors. This indicates that the company is on the safer side when it comes to debt service. But Refinancing is lower at a rank of 8, which means that the portion of the debt that is about to be refinanced is above-average. It has more debt in the refinancing stage than 92% of its competitors. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: With a consolidated Safety Rank of 31 (worse than 69% compared with alternatives), Direct Line Insurance has a financing structure that is riskier than that of its competitors. The refinancing issues could be a short-term problem, especially if the company has reputation issues. Banks and investors don't like to refinance debt if there are clouds on the horizon. For this reason, investors should look at the refinancing environment for Direct Line Insurance. Does it look safe that debt that is coming due can be covered with new debt? If that is the case, then the financing situation of the company is on the safer side. If not, it may be better to wait until refinancing has been completed and the Refinancing rank is good again. Investors may have a short-term debt challenge with Direct Line Insurance and should also compare Obermatt’s Value, Growth, and Sentiment Ranks before making a decision. ...read more
SAFETY METRICS | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LEVERAGE | ||||||||
LEVERAGE | 52 |
![]() |
82 |
![]() |
85 |
![]() |
84 |
![]() |
REFINANCING | ||||||||
REFINANCING | 8 |
![]() |
8 |
![]() |
8 |
![]() |
8 |
![]() |
LIQUIDITY | ||||||||
LIQUIDITY | 59 |
![]() |
1 |
![]() |
4 |
![]() |
73 |
![]() |
CONSOLIDATED RANK: SAFETY | ||||||||
CONSOLIDATED RANK: SAFETY | 31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
Sentiment Metrics in Detail
SENTIMENT | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ANALYST OPINIONS | ||||||||
ANALYST OPINIONS | n/a |
![]() |
28 |
![]() |
17 |
![]() |
new | |
OPINIONS CHANGE | ||||||||
OPINIONS CHANGE | 7 |
![]() |
50 |
![]() |
61 |
![]() |
new | |
PRO HOLDINGS | ||||||||
PRO HOLDINGS | 79 |
![]() |
7 |
![]() |
31 |
![]() |
new | |
MARKET PULSE | ||||||||
MARKET PULSE | 26 |
![]() |
43 |
![]() |
43 |
![]() |
new | |
CONSOLIDATED RANK: SENTIMENT | ||||||||
CONSOLIDATED RANK: SENTIMENT | 45 |
![]() |
15 |
![]() |
21 |
![]() |
new |
Free stock analysis by the purely fact based Obermatt Method for Direct Line Insurance from March 27, 2025.
Obermatt Portfolio Performance
We’re so convinced about our free research, that we buy our stock tips.
See the performance of the Obermatt portfolio.