Gradient Investments LLC Takes Position in Unum Group $UNM

Gradient Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 17,893 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $1,600,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Unum Group during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC acquired a new position in shares of Unum Group during the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 385.2% in 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 owned by institutional investors.

Unum Group Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of UNM opened at $90.64 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $14.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a current ratio of 0.34. Unum Group has a 52 week low of $68.28 and a 52 week high of $93.21. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $88.79 and its 200 day simple moving average is $80.75.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The financial services provider reported $2.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.16. Unum Group had a net margin of 5.26% and a return on equity of 12.60%. The firm had revenue of $3.39 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.90 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.92 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Unum Group will post 8.66 earnings per share for the current year.

Unum Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a dividend of $0.505 per share. This represents a $2.02 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This is an increase from Unum Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Unum Group’s payout ratio is 47.09%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Wolfe Research reduced their price target on Unum Group from $102.00 to $100.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 6th. Atlantic Securities set a $88.00 price objective on Unum Group in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Weiss Ratings raised Unum Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Bank of America reduced their target price on Unum Group from $83.00 to $77.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 14th. Finally, Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $106.00 target price on shares of Unum Group in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Unum Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $99.00.

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.