Who Owns Equitable?
Equitable is the flagship brand of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), a publicly traded financial services company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1859 as The Equitable Life Assurance Society, the brand sells annuities, retirement plans, life insurance, and wealth management through the Equitable Advisors network. The parent is merging with Corebridge Financial in a deal expected to close by year-end 2026.
Parent Company
Founded
1859
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
United StatesOfficial Website
Who Owns Equitable?
- Parent Company: Equitable Holdings, Inc.
- Ownership Type: Brand division
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: EQH
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Equitable | Equitable Holdings, Inc. | Brand division |
Advertisement
History of Equitable
- Founded: 1859
- Founders: Henry Baldwin Hyde
Henry Baldwin Hyde founded The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States in New York City in 1859, after leaving Mutual Life to start a competitor. Equitable grew into one of the dominant American life insurers of the late 19th and 20th centuries, pioneering group pension products and building the landmark Equitable Building at 120 Broadway.
A near-fatal crisis arrived in the late 1980s. Equitable had sold guaranteed investment contracts promising rates it could no longer fund as markets turned. Facing insolvency, it agreed to be acquired by AXA in 1991, demutualizing in 1992 and operating thereafter as the core of AXA Financial's US business.
Under AXA the brand retained its franchise in educator 403(b) retirement plans, variable annuities, and life insurance, while the parent invested in the Equitable Advisors distribution force. In 2000 the company acquired asset manager AllianceBernstein, taking it public in 2002.
AXA spun the US business off in May 2018 as AXA Equitable Holdings and fully exited by 2020, when the company took the Equitable Holdings name. The post-independence years focused on derisking: a $32 billion legacy reinsurance deal with RGA and a deeper stake in AllianceBernstein, now about 68%.
Advertisement
The latest chapter opened March 26, 2026, with the announcement of an all-stock merger with Corebridge Financial, the former AIG life and retirement business. Shareholders approved the combination on July 30, 2026, and the roughly $22 billion company it creates will carry the Equitable name into a new scale tier, with more than 12 million customers and $1.5 trillion in assets under management and administration.
About Equitable Holdings, Inc.
What does Equitable Holdings own?
Equitable Holdings owns the Equitable insurance and retirement businesses, the Equitable Advisors distribution network, and approximately 68% of asset manager AllianceBernstein (NYSE: AB).
Is Equitable Holdings merging with Corebridge?
Yes. The all-stock merger announced March 26, 2026 was approved by shareholders on July 30, 2026 and is expected to close by year-end 2026, creating a company of about $22 billion that keeps the Equitable Holdings name.
Is Equitable Holdings the same as AXA?
No. AXA acquired Equitable in 1991, but the US business was spun off in a 2018 IPO and renamed Equitable Holdings in 2020. AXA no longer owns any stake.
Advertisement
Is AllianceBernstein owned by Equitable?
Equitable holds approximately 68% of AllianceBernstein's economics and controls it through ownership of the AB general partner. AB trades separately on the NYSE under ticker AB.
Who is the CEO of Equitable Holdings?
Mark Pearson is president and CEO. Corebridge CEO Marc Costantini is designated to lead the combined company after the merger closes.
When was Equitable founded?
The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States was founded in New York City in 1859 by Henry Baldwin Hyde.
- Founded: 1859
- Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: EQH
- Revenue: $11.7 billion (FY2025)
- Employees: Approximately 10,000
Where Is Equitable Made / Based?
- Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Equitable Categories & Tags
Equitable Sustainability & Ethics
As an insurer, Equitable's material ethics issues are product suitability and pricing fairness rather than environmental impact. Regulation Best Interest and state adoption of the NAIC suitability model now govern how its annuities are recommended and sold.
Advertisement
The parent publishes annual sustainability reporting covering responsible investing, community programs, and the Equitable Foundation's grantmaking. The brand is not B Corp certified.
Equitable Recalls & Controversies
Equitable's legacy 403(b) annuity products for teachers have drawn sustained criticism for high fees, most prominently in a 2016 New York Times investigation into retirement plans sold to educators. Several states have since tightened rules on school-district retirement products, and the brand has faced litigation over fee structures.
Earlier history carries a larger scar: the late-1980s guaranteed investment contract crisis that forced the 1991 AXA rescue remains a textbook case of asset-liability mismatch in insurance.
Advertisement
Brands Owned by Equitable Holdings, Inc.
Finance FintechAllianceBernstein
Owned by Equitable Holdings, Inc.
Global asset management brand majority owned by Equitable Holdings, managing roughly $850 billion in equities, fixed income, and alternatives from Nashville.
asset-managementinvestmentsmutual-funds
Finance FintechEquitable Advisors
Owned by Equitable Holdings, Inc.
Equitable Holdings' affiliated broker-dealer and advisory network, fielding roughly 4,500 financial professionals and $140 billion in assets under administration.
wealth-managementbroker-dealerfinancial-advisors
Equitable Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +165-year brand heritage in retirement and life insurance
- +Independent public parent with improving capital position
- +Owned distribution through Equitable Advisors network
- +Merger creates a top-tier retirement platform with $1.5 trillion in assets
- +AllianceBernstein provides in-house investment capability
Considerations
- -Brand carries legacy criticism of educator annuity fees
- -Variable annuity earnings volatile with markets
- -Integration execution risk in the Corebridge combination
- -Combined company majority-owned by legacy Corebridge holders
- -Fee pressure across retirement products
Advertisement
Frequently Asked Questions About Equitable
Sources & Further Reading
Advertisement
Competitors to Equitable
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Financial | USA | 1905 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Pacific Life | USA | 1868 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Prudential Financial | USA | 1875 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Tiaa | USA | 1918 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Ameriprise | USA | 1894 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Apollo Global Management | USA | 2009 | Mass market | United states | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
InsuranceLincoln Financial
Owned by Lincoln National Corporation
Master brand of Lincoln National Corporation, the life insurance and retirement company founded in 1905 and headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania.
life-insuranceannuitiesretirement
InsurancePacific Life
Owned by Pacific Life Insurance Company
Flagship brand of Pacific Life Insurance Company, the policyholder-owned mutual insurer selling life insurance, annuities, and retirement products since 1868.
life-insuranceannuitiesmutual-insurance
InsurancePrudential
Owned by Prudential Financial, Inc.
Prudential is the flagship life insurance, annuity, and retirement brand of Prudential Financial, Inc., a Newark-based company managing about $1.6 trillion in assets.
life-insuranceannuitiesretirement
InsuranceTIAA
Owned by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America
American retirement and financial services brand offering 403(b) and 401(k) plans, annuities, and wealth management, operated by the nonprofit Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America.
retirementannuities403b-plans
Finance FintechAmeriprise Financial
Owned by Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
Master brand of Ameriprise Financial, Inc., the Minneapolis wealth management and financial services company with $1.7 trillion in assets.
wealth-managementfinancial-advisorsretirement
InsuranceAthene
Owned by Apollo Global Management, Inc.
American retirement services and annuity provider founded in 2009, merged with Apollo Global Management in 2022 and operating as its Retirement Services segment.
insuranceannuitiesretirement
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Equitable competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
Advertisement
Independent Alternatives to Equitable
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Equitable Holdings, Inc., giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
InsurancePacific Life
Owned by Pacific Life Insurance Company
Flagship brand of Pacific Life Insurance Company, the policyholder-owned mutual insurer selling life insurance, annuities, and retirement products since 1868.
life-insuranceannuitiesmutual-insurance
Privately Owned
Pacific Life is privately owned, unlike Equitable which is under a publicly traded parent company.
InsuranceTIAA
Owned by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America
American retirement and financial services brand offering 403(b) and 401(k) plans, annuities, and wealth management, operated by the nonprofit Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America.
retirementannuities403b-plans
Privately Owned
TIAA is privately owned, unlike Equitable which is under a publicly traded parent company.
InsuranceMassMutual
Owned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
Life insurance, annuity, and wealth management brand of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, a mutual insurer founded in 1851 and headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts.
life-insuranceannuitieswealth-management
Privately Owned
MassMutual is privately owned, unlike Equitable which is under a publicly traded parent company.
InsuranceWestern & Southern
Owned by Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc.
Corporate brand of Western & Southern Financial Group, the Cincinnati mutual holding company behind insurers including Gerber Life.
life-insuranceannuitiesmutual-insurance
Privately Owned
Western & Southern is privately owned, unlike Equitable which is under a publicly traded parent company.
InsuranceLincoln Financial
Owned by Lincoln National Corporation
Master brand of Lincoln National Corporation, the life insurance and retirement company founded in 1905 and headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania.
life-insuranceannuitiesretirement
Publicly Traded
Lincoln Financial operates independently without a large parent corporation.
InsuranceMassMutual Ascend
Owned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
Cincinnati-based annuity company subsidiary of MassMutual, acquired as Great American Life Insurance in 2021, selling fixed, indexed, and registered index-linked annuities.
annuitiesretirementfixed-annuities
Privately Owned
MassMutual Ascend is privately owned, unlike Equitable which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Equitable Holdings, Inc. Stock Information
Advertisement
Jobs at Equitable Holdings, Inc.
Latest News About Equitable
Advertisement
Related Articles About Equitable
View more articles
Brand Ownership
Who Owns Your Car Insurance? GEICO, State Farm, Progressive, and Beyond
Auto insurance is a $350 billion industry with some surprising corporate parents. Warren Buffett owns GEICO. A mutual company owns State Farm. Here is who owns every major insurer.
Who Brands StaffFeb 11, 2026
InsuranceBrand OwnershipGeico
News & Updates
Monthly IPO Roundup: November 2026 -- October's Biggest Listings
October 2026 IPOs: Jio Platforms set India's all-time record at $3.2B and surged 27%, GCash owner Mynt raised a Philippine-record P60.9B, Anthropic filed publicly for a possible mid-November debut, and U.S. listings were a biotech grab bag. Full recap.
Who Brands StaffNov 6, 2026
Ipo RoundupIpoStock Market
News & Updates
Monthly M&A Roundup: October 2026 Brand Ownership Changes
October 2026's biggest deals: Paramount Skydance closed its $110B Warner Bros. Discovery takeover, Salesforce signed Braze for $5.66B, Proofpoint bought Varonis for $6.3B, the Weston family agreed to buy Boots for $8.9B, and Viatris added Pacira for $1.65B. Full breakdown.
Who Brands StaffNov 6, 2026
M And A RoundupAcquisitionsNews
People Also Searched
Discover popular brands and companies in the Insurance category and related searches from other users.
Brandsupplemental-insurance
Aflac
Supplemental insurance brand of Aflac Incorporated, the leading seller of cancer insurance in Japan and worksite voluntary benefits in the United States.
Brand in Insurance
cancer-insuranceworksite-benefits
Brandinsurance
AIG
Master insurance brand of American International Group, covering commercial, personal, and travel insurance products in more than 200 countries.
Brand in Insurance
commercial-insuranceproperty-casualty
Brandinsurance
Allied Insurance
Des Moines-founded insurance brand of Nationwide Mutual, serving independent agents and brokers for personal and small commercial lines since 1929.
Brand in Insurance
independent-agentsproperty-casualty