Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) posted its earnings results on Tuesday. The financial services provider reported $2.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.14 by ($0.11), Zacks reports. Unum Group had a return on equity of 15.21% and a net margin of 13.76%.

Unum Group Price Performance

Shares of Unum Group stock traded down $0.32 on Tuesday, hitting $75.91. 1,256,787 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,048,404. The company has a current ratio of 0.28, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $74.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $64.84. Unum Group has a 12-month low of $46.64 and a 12-month high of $77.69. The company has a market cap of $13.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.80.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 24th will be given a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.21%. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.18%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently issued reports on UNM. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Unum Group from $91.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $76.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of Unum Group in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $91.00 target price for the company. UBS Group raised Unum Group to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, Bank of America upped their price target on Unum Group from $54.00 to $63.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $79.00.

Insider Activity

In other news, CAO Walter Lynn Rice, Jr. sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.56, for a total transaction of $104,340.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 8,361 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $581,591.16. The trade was a 15.21 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Timothy Gerald Arnold sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.92, for a total transaction of $769,200.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 54,827 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,217,292.84. The trade was a 15.43 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 102,914 shares of company stock valued at $7,677,945. Corporate insiders own 0.93% of the company’s stock.

About Unum Group

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.