Retirement Systems of Alabama Has $23.59 Million Stock Holdings in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM)

Retirement Systems of Alabama raised its holdings in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM - Free Report) by 20.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 521,727 shares of the financial services provider's stock after purchasing an additional 88,524 shares during the period. Retirement Systems of Alabama owned about 0.27% of Unum Group worth $23,592,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Unum Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Bangor Savings Bank lifted its holdings in Unum Group by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 664 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 332 shares during the last quarter. Neo Ivy Capital Management acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Institutional investors own 86.57% of the company's stock.

Unum Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNM traded down $0.32 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $50.69. The stock had a trading volume of 1,462,433 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,389,633. The business's fifty day moving average is $51.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $47.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.27 and a quick ratio of 0.27. The company has a market cap of $9.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.86, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.87. Unum Group has a twelve month low of $40.04 and a twelve month high of $54.57.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.79 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.86 by ($0.07). Unum Group had a net margin of 10.36% and a return on equity of 16.03%. The company had revenue of $3.15 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.43 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Unum Group will post 8.18 EPS for the current year.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.365 per share. This represents a $1.46 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.88%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 25th. Unum Group's payout ratio is presently 22.50%.

Insider Transactions at Unum Group

In other news, EVP Elizabeth Claire Ahmed sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total transaction of $250,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 55,450 shares in the company, valued at $2,772,500. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Richard P. Mckenney sold 50,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.15, for a total transaction of $2,457,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1,076,753 shares of the company's stock, valued at $52,922,409.95. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Elizabeth Claire Ahmed sold 5,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total value of $250,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 55,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,772,500. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 81,000 shares of company stock worth $4,018,100. Insiders own 0.93% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Unum Group from $64.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 11th. StockNews.com upgraded Unum Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Unum Group from $56.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 2nd. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Unum Group from $50.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, April 15th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Unum Group from $47.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Unum Group has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $56.38.

Unum Group Company Profile

Unum Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial protection benefit solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, and internationally. It operates through Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, and Closed Block segment. The company offers group long-term and short-term disability, group life, and accidental death and dismemberment products; supplemental and voluntary products, such as individual disability, voluntary benefits, and dental and vision products; and accident, sickness, disability, life, and cancer and critical illness products.