Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Rating Increased to Hold at Zacks Research
by Scott Moore · The Cerbat GemZacks Research upgraded shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Free Report) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Monday,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Unum Group’s Q1 2026 earnings at $2.06 EPS, Q2 2026 earnings at $2.17 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $2.22 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $2.25 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $8.69 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $2.45 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $2.49 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $2.42 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $2.26 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $9.63 EPS.
A number of other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on UNM. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $115.00 price objective on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Unum Group from $104.00 to $102.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Unum Group from $92.00 to $90.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Evercore set a $103.00 price objective on Unum Group in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods restated a “moderate buy” rating and issued a $95.00 price objective on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Thursday, March 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $94.40.
View Our Latest Research Report on UNM
Unum Group Price Performance
Shares of NYSE:UNM opened at $75.61 on Monday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $73.49 and its 200 day moving average is $75.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a current ratio of 0.37. The company has a market capitalization of $12.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.19. Unum Group has a fifty-two week low of $68.28 and a fifty-two week high of $83.13.
Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $1.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by ($0.19). Unum Group had a net margin of 5.65% and a return on equity of 12.62%. The firm had revenue of $3.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.29 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.03 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Unum Group will post 9.14 earnings per share for the current year.
Unum Group Announces Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 43.29%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, Director Cynthia Egan sold 9,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total transaction of $657,000.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 42,846 shares in the company, valued at $3,127,758. This represents a 17.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Timothy F. Keaney sold 4,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.58, for a total value of $326,610.00. Following the sale, the director owned 38,592 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,801,007.36. This represents a 10.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 21,852 shares of company stock valued at $1,590,734. Corporate insiders own 0.93% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Trading of Unum Group
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. SHP Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Unum Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Triumph Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Unum Group in the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Ancora Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Unum Group by 385.2% in the third quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 427 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 339 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Unum Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.57% of the company’s stock.
Unum Group News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Unum Group this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights that Unum still trades at a valuation discount and points to steady premium growth and strong capital returns — factors that support the stock’s longer‑term case. Here’s Why Investors Should Stay Neutral on Unum Group for Now
- Neutral Sentiment: Unum scheduled its Q1 2026 earnings release for April 28, 2026 and a management call on April 29 — an event that should provide fresh guidance and clarity on margins, reserve trends and capital return plans. Unum Group to Release First Quarter 2026 Results and Host Conference Call
- Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed EPS forecasts across multiple quarters and fiscal years (small downgrades: e.g., FY2026 to $8.69 from $8.76 and FY2027 to $9.63 from $9.72; multiple quarterly cuts generally of 0.01–0.03). Zacks retains a “Hold” rating and its cuts signal near‑term margin or cost concerns that can pressure the stock ahead of results.
- Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrades are incremental rather than structural, but they widen the gap between street expectations and Unum’s most recent execution (Unum missed Q4 EPS). That raises the risk of further downside if Q1 results or management commentary disappoint.
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.