Morgan Stanley Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Stock

Key Points

• Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Unum Group from $80 to $87, while keeping an equal weight rating on the stock. The new target implies only modest upside from the prior close.
• Unum Group’s latest quarter beat expectations, with EPS of $2.14 versus the $2.07 consensus and revenue of $3.36 billion topping estimates. Revenue also increased 8.5% year over year, and the company reaffirmed FY 2026 guidance of 8.60–8.90 EPS.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but constructive overall: the stock has a Moderate Buy consensus and a $93.83 average price target. Shares were also trading near their 52-week high after rising on the day.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM - Get Free Report) had its price objective upped by investment analysts at Morgan Stanley from $80.00 to $87.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an "equal weight" rating on the financial services provider's stock. Morgan Stanley's price target indicates a potential upside of 2.65% from the company's previous close.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Unum Group from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Bank of America decreased their target price on Unum Group from $83.00 to $77.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 14th. Evercore set a $103.00 price target on Unum Group in a report on Friday, February 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Unum Group from $99.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Unum Group from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $93.83.

Unum Group Trading Up 1.1%

UNM stock traded up $0.93 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $84.76. 105,430 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,523,692. Unum Group has a 1-year low of $68.28 and a 1-year high of $84.71. The company has a current ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.54 billion, a PE ratio of 18.38, a P/E/G ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 0.24. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $77.07 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $76.24.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The financial services provider reported $2.14 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.07 by $0.07. Unum Group had a net margin of 5.86% and a return on equity of 12.60%. The firm had revenue of $3.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.91 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.04 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.90 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Unum Group will post 8.73 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Unum Group

In related news, EVP Elizabeth Claire Ahmed sold 12,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.14, for a total value of $961,680.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 42,587 shares in the company, valued at $3,412,922.18. This represents a 21.98% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Christopher W. Pyne sold 4,852 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.47, for a total value of $351,624.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 52,268 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,787,861.96. The trade was a 8.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 20,352 shares of company stock valued at $1,568,804 in the last three months. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Unum Group

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Unum Group during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC purchased a new position in shares of Unum Group in the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the third quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC grew its position in Unum Group by 385.2% during the third quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 427 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 339 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.57% of the company's stock.

About Unum Group

Unum Group NYSE: UNM is a leading provider of employee benefits in the United States and selected international markets, specializing in disability, life, accident and critical illness insurance. Through both fully insured and self-funded arrangements, the company offers group coverage designed to protect income and mitigate financial hardship for employees and their families. Its portfolio includes short-term and long-term disability plans, group life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) policies, as well as critical illness and hospital indemnity products.

In addition to its core product lines, Unum Group markets voluntary benefits under its Colonial Life brand, allowing employees to purchase supplemental insurance such as accident, cancer, and dental coverage directly through payroll deductions.

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