Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Makes New $857,000 Investment in Unum Group $UNM

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 9,590 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $857,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Unum Group in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. SHP Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Unum Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC purchased a new stake in Unum Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new position in Unum Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Unum Group by 385.2% in the 3rd 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. 86.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Unum Group Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of UNM stock opened at $93.16 on Monday. Unum Group has a twelve month low of $68.70 and a twelve month high of $94.55. The stock has a market cap of $14.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.72, a P/E/G ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.26. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $89.40 and a 200 day moving average of $82.30. The company has a current ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The financial services provider reported $2.16 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.16. The business had revenue of $3.39 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.90 billion. Unum Group had a return on equity of 12.60% and a net margin of 5.26%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.92 EPS. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Unum Group will post 8.64 EPS for the current year.

Unum Group announced that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, August 26th that permits the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the financial services provider to buy up to 7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Unum Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 14th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a $0.505 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $2.02 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. This is an increase from Unum Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.09%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $117.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Unum Group from $87.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, August 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Unum Group from $101.00 to $98.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Unum Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $99.42.

Unum Group 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.