Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Given New $85.00 Price Target at Barclays

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) had its price objective increased by Barclays from $76.00 to $85.00 in a report released on Monday,Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on UNM. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of Unum Group from $91.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. UBS Group upgraded Unum Group to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Piper Sandler boosted their target price on Unum Group from $74.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Unum Group from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Evercore ISI upgraded Unum Group from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $67.00 to $84.00 in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $73.09.

Unum Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNM opened at $73.20 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $13.37 billion, a PE ratio of 7.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.28 and a quick ratio of 0.28. Unum Group has a one year low of $44.83 and a one year high of $77.63. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $72.27 and its 200 day moving average price is $61.56.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.13 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.10 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $3.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.26 billion. Unum Group had a return on equity of 15.21% and a net margin of 13.76%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.94 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Unum Group will post 8.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 25th were paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 25th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.30%. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.18%.

Insider Activity at Unum Group

In other Unum Group news, CEO Richard P. Mckenney sold 58,865 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.39, for a total value of $4,437,832.35. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,007,003 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $75,917,956.17. The trade was a 5.52 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Christopher W. Pyne sold 3,250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.02, for a total value of $227,565.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 50,762 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,554,355.24. This represents a 6.02 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 107,914 shares of company stock worth $7,998,745 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.93% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Unum Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new position in Unum Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the third quarter worth $37,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its position in Unum Group by 38.2% in the 3rd quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in Unum Group by 26.4% in the 4th quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 766 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the period. Finally, William B. Walkup & Associates Inc. acquired a new position in Unum Group in the 2nd quarter worth $44,000. 86.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.