Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Receives Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages

Key Points

• Broker sentiment is positive: Unum Group has an average analyst rating of “Moderate Buy” from 15 covering firms, with an average 12-month price target of about $93.83.
• Recent earnings topped expectations: The company reported $2.14 EPS versus the expected $2.07 and revenue of $3.36 billion, both above consensus estimates, with revenue up 8.5% year over year.
• Shares are near highs and the company pays a dividend: Unum Group stock recently opened at $87.08, close to its 52-week high of $87.81, and it recently paid a quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share, or $1.84 annually.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM - Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of "Moderate Buy" by the fifteen ratings firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $93.8333.

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated a "moderate buy" rating and issued a $95.00 target price on shares of Unum Group in a report on Thursday, March 26th. Bank of America dropped their target price on Unum Group from $83.00 to $77.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Unum Group from $80.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Unum Group from $99.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Unum Group from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Elizabeth Claire Ahmed sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.14, for a total value of $961,680.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,587 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,412,922.18. This represents a 21.98% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 52,268 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,787,861.96. This trade represents a 8.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Unum Group

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNM. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC raised its stake in Unum Group by 385.2% during the 3rd quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 427 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 339 shares during the period. 86.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Unum Group Stock Performance

Unum Group stock opened at $87.08 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.35. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $79.93 and a two-hundred day moving average of $76.97. The company has a market capitalization of $13.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.93, a PEG ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 0.24. Unum Group has a fifty-two week low of $68.28 and a fifty-two week high of $87.81.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The financial services provider reported $2.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.07 by $0.07. Unum Group had a return on equity of 12.60% and a net margin of 5.86%.The company had revenue of $3.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.91 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.04 earnings per share. Unum Group's revenue 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, analysts anticipate that Unum Group will post 8.76 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Unum Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, April 24th were issued a $0.46 dividend. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, April 24th. Unum Group's dividend payout ratio is 40.00%.

Unum Group Company Profile

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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