Compare VOD & MKL Stocks: Price Trends, ML Decisions, Charts, Trends, Technical Analysis and more.
Vodafone operates mobile and fixed-line networks and businesses in more than 20 countries. Its largest market is Germany, where it is the second mobile operator after Deutsche Telekom and owns a cable network after acquiring Kabel Deutschland in 2013 and Liberty Global Germany in 2019. In the UK it acts as a mobile operator and is attempting a merger with CK Hutchison. In 2024 Vodafone divested its Spanish and Italian divisions, given their low returns on invested capital.
Markel's primary business is property and casualty insurance. The company focuses primarily on specialty lines, ranging from areas such as executive liability to commercial equine insurance. The acquisition of Alterra in 2013 added substantial reinsurance operations, which now account for a little less than 15% of premiums. The company uses capital generated by its insurance operations to buy noninsurance operations in diverse areas, such as bakery equipment manufacturing and residential homebuilding.