Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Upgraded by Zacks Research to Hold Rating

08 Apr 2026, 12:22 by Kim Johansen · The Markets Daily

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report 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.

UNM has been the subject of several other reports. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Unum Group from $104.00 to $102.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods restated a “moderate buy” rating and issued a $95.00 price target on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Thursday, March 26th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Unum Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price target on Unum Group from $85.00 to $81.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $94.40.

View Our Latest Analysis on Unum Group

Unum Group Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of Unum Group stock opened at $75.61 on Monday. 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 firm has a market cap of $12.38 billion, a PE ratio of 17.79, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.19. Unum Group has a 52-week low of $68.28 and a 52-week high of $83.13. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $73.49 and its 200 day simple moving average is $75.64.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $1.92 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by ($0.19). The business had revenue of $3.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.29 billion. Unum Group had a return on equity of 12.62% and a net margin of 5.65%.The firm’s revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.03 earnings per share. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Unum Group will post 9.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Cynthia Egan sold 9,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total transaction of $657,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 42,846 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,127,758. This trade represents a 17.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Christopher W. Pyne sold 4,852 shares of the firm’s 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 52,268 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,787,861.96. This represents a 8.49% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 21,852 shares of company stock worth $1,590,734. Company insiders own 0.93% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Unum Group

A number of hedge funds 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 valued at approximately $25,000. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Ancora Advisors LLC grew its stake in Unum Group by 385.2% in the third quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 427 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 339 shares during the period. Finally, Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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

(Get Free Report)

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.