Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Receives $99.00 Consensus Target Price from Brokerages

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) has been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the fourteen ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $99.4167.

Several research firms have weighed in on UNM. Wolfe Research lowered their price target on shares of Unum Group from $102.00 to $100.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 6th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Unum Group from $117.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Atlantic Securities set a $88.00 target price on Unum Group in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $106.00 target price on shares of Unum Group in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Unum Group from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, July 6th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Unum Group

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in Unum Group during the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 339 shares in the last quarter. 86.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Unum Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNM opened at $93.16 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $89.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $82.23. The company has a market cap of $14.75 billion, a PE ratio of 21.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. Unum Group has a twelve month low of $68.70 and a twelve month high of $94.55.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The financial services provider reported $2.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.16. Unum Group had a return on equity of 12.60% and a net margin of 5.26%.The company had revenue of $3.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.90 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.92 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Unum Group will post 8.64 EPS for the current year.

Unum Group announced that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Wednesday, August 26th that allows the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to purchase up to 7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Unum Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a dividend of $0.505 per share. This represents a $2.02 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This is a positive change from Unum Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Unum Group’s payout ratio is presently 47.09%.

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.