Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Cut to “Hold” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com downgraded shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Monday morning.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on UNM. Barclays boosted their price objective on Unum Group from $76.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Unum Group from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $81.00 to $91.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their target price on shares of Unum Group from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets started coverage on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $91.00 price target for the company. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $81.17.

Unum Group Trading Up 1.3 %

Shares of UNM opened at $77.37 on Monday. Unum Group has a 52-week low of $48.38 and a 52-week high of $79.43. The stock has a market cap of $14.13 billion, a PE ratio of 8.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 0.80. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $74.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $67.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

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

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Friday, January 24th were issued a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.17%. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 17.74%.

Unum Group declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, February 18th that allows the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the financial services provider to reacquire up to 7.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Unum Group

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in Unum Group by 1.0% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,500,508 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $326,950,000 after buying an additional 55,014 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 50.0% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 469,342 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $29,554,000 after buying an additional 156,380 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in shares of Unum Group by 44.1% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 16,495 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,205,000 after purchasing an additional 5,047 shares during the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its stake in Unum Group by 89.5% in the 3rd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 111,831 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $6,647,000 after buying an additional 52,813 shares during the period. Finally, Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC purchased a new position in Unum Group during the third quarter worth about $1,074,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.57% 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.