D.A. Davidson & CO. Reduces Stock Holdings in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM)

D.A. Davidson & CO. reduced its stake in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) by 6.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 19,673 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 1,253 shares during the quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO.’s holdings in Unum Group were worth $1,437,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNM. Barrett & Company Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 300.0% during the 4th quarter. Barrett & Company Inc. now owns 396 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 297 shares during the period. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Quarry LP raised its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 4,794.7% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 930 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $55,000 after buying an additional 911 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 26.4% during the 4th quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 766 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the period. Finally, Live Oak Investment Partners purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $58,000. 86.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Unum Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNM opened at $74.07 on Friday. Unum Group has a twelve month low of $48.38 and a twelve month high of $79.43. The company has a market capitalization of $13.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a current ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $74.28 and a 200-day simple moving average of $66.85.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The financial services provider reported $2.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.14 by ($0.11). Unum Group had a net margin of 13.81% and a return on equity of 14.91%. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Unum Group will post 9.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Unum Group declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Tuesday, February 18th that allows the company to buyback $1.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to buy up to 7.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Friday, January 24th were given a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.27%. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 17.74%.

Insider Activity at Unum Group

In other Unum Group news, EVP Timothy Gerald Arnold sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.92, for a total transaction of $769,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 54,827 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,217,292.84. The trade was a 15.43 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.93% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Barclays lifted their price objective on Unum Group from $76.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on Unum Group from $82.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on Unum Group from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. StockNews.com upgraded Unum Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 14th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a “neutral” rating and set a $79.00 price objective (up from $74.00) on shares of Unum Group in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Unum Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $81.17.

Unum Group Company Profile

Unum Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial protection benefit solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, and internationally. It operates through Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, and Closed Block segment. The company offers group long-term and short-term disability, group life, and accidental death and dismemberment products; supplemental and voluntary products, such as individual disability, voluntary benefits, and dental and vision products; and accident, sickness, disability, life, and cancer and critical illness products.