EQH

We rate Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH) as a Reduce with a composite score of 41.2/100 at a current price of $41.12. The quantitative profile shows weakness across multiple dimensions, suggesting limited upside potential and elevated risk of underperformance relative to peers over the next 12 months.

The rating is primarily driven by strength in quality (52th percentile) and investment (43th percentile), which together account for the majority of the composite score. Offsetting weakness in momentum (20th percentile) and value (37th percentile) tempers our overall conviction. We assign a No Moat rating (13/100), Very High uncertainty, and Poor capital allocation.

Key items to watch: momentum to confirm whether the current price trend has legs; balance sheet deleveraging progress; the path to profitability. Any material change in these dynamics could warrant a reassessment of our rating. The moat trend is stable, which suggests the competitive landscape is stable for now.

Equitable Holdings, Inc. holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 41.2/100 places it at rank #3387 in our full 7,333-stock universe. With a $15.2B market capitalization, Equitable Holdings, Inc. operates at meaningful scale within the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate sector, providing competitive advantages in distribution, procurement, and customer reach.

Revenue contraction of -59% combined with momentum at the 20th percentile paints a cautious picture of the near-term business outlook. The market appears to be pricing in continued challenges, and a catalyst for reversal is not clearly visible from current data.

The margin cascade tells an important story: gross margins of 60% (-16.5pp vs sector) narrow to operating margins of -26% (-43.3pp vs sector) and net margins of -22.9%, yielding a gross-to-net conversion rate of -38%. The significant margin erosion from gross to net suggests elevated operating expenses, high interest costs, or other structural drags that warrant monitoring.

At a current price of $41.12, Equitable Holdings, Inc. is trading at a premium to fundamental value. Our value factor score of 37/100 reflects a composite assessment across multiple valuation metrics including price-to-earnings, price-to-book, EV/EBITDA, and price-to-sales ratios relative to both sector peers and the broader market. The premium valuation implies the market is pricing in significant future growth or quality improvements that are not yet fully reflected in current fundamentals.

The stock currently trades at P/B of 7.8x, P/S of 1.1x. We evaluate these multiples in the context of both absolute levels and sector-relative positioning to form our valuation view.

We assign a Very High uncertainty rating to Equitable Holdings, Inc.. The stock exhibits multiple compounding risk factors: elevated market sensitivity (beta of 1.39), significant leverage (19480% debt-to-equity), current negative profitability (net margin -22.9%). The extreme uncertainty around future cash flows makes precise valuation difficult, and the range of outcomes is exceptionally wide. Only investors with high risk tolerance and extended time horizons should consider this name.

Specific risk factors that inform our assessment include: elevated market sensitivity (beta of 1.39); significant leverage (19480% debt-to-equity); current negative profitability (net margin -22.9%); the combination of leverage (19480% D/E) and thin margins (-22.9% net) amplifies downside risk. Each of these factors independently widens the distribution of potential outcomes, and in combination they create a risk profile that demands careful position sizing. The stability factor at the 40th percentile and quality factor at the 52th percentile provide a quantitative summary of the overall risk landscape.

Key risk mitigants include: healthy gross margins of 60% provide a buffer against cost pressures; a 2.01% dividend yield anchors total return. These factors partially offset the identified risks and provide downside protection in adverse scenarios. On balance, the risk-reward profile warrants caution and disciplined position management.

We rate Equitable Holdings, Inc.'s capital allocation as Poor. Key concerns include low returns on equity (-82.4%), elevated leverage (19480% D/E), negative profitability, weak asset returns (ROA -0.4%). Exemplary capital allocators generate ROE above 20% and maintain conservative leverage — Equitable Holdings, Inc. significantly underperforms these benchmarks, raising questions about management's ability to create shareholder value.

Investors should scrutinize management's reinvestment decisions and balance sheet trajectory before committing capital. Poor capital allocation often compounds over time: overlevered balance sheets limit strategic flexibility, while low returns on capital destroy shareholder value. We would need to see sustained improvement in profitability metrics and balance sheet discipline before considering an upgrade.

In summary, Equitable Holdings, Inc. receives a Reduce rating with a composite score of 41.2/100 (rank #3387 of 7,333). Our quantitative framework assigns a No Moat (13/100, trend: stable), Very High uncertainty, and Poor capital allocation. The average factor score across quality, value, momentum, stability, and investment is 38/100.

Our analysis does not support a constructive view on Equitable Holdings, Inc. at this time. The combination of limited competitive advantages, very high uncertainty, and poor capital allocation suggests unfavorable risk-reward at current levels. We recommend investors avoid new positions and existing holders consider reducing exposure.