Allianz Asset Management GmbH Increases Stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM)

Allianz Asset Management GmbH increased its stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) by 44.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,264,994 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 392,191 shares during the period. Allianz Asset Management GmbH’s holdings in Unum Group were worth $92,383,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of UNM. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,500,508 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $326,950,000 after acquiring an additional 55,014 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Unum Group by 5.9% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,186,262 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $70,511,000 after purchasing an additional 66,392 shares in the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. grew its stake in Unum Group by 151.7% in the third quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 509,702 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $30,297,000 after purchasing an additional 307,175 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in Unum Group by 50.0% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 469,342 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $29,554,000 after purchasing an additional 156,380 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Truist Financial Corp lifted its position in Unum Group by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 351,465 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $25,667,000 after buying an additional 2,492 shares during the period. 86.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Unum Group

In related news, EVP Timothy Gerald Arnold sold 10,000 shares of the company’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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 54,827 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,217,292.84. This represents a 15.43 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.93% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Unum Group Stock Down 1.0 %

Unum Group stock opened at $74.07 on Friday. Unum Group has a 12 month low of $48.38 and a 12 month high of $79.43. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $74.28 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $66.75. 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 firm has a market cap of $13.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.82, a PEG ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 0.80.

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

Unum Group announced that its board has approved a stock buyback plan 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 shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally a sign that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Unum Group Dividend Announcement

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $79.00 target price (up from $74.00) on shares of Unum Group in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Evercore ISI upgraded shares of Unum Group from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $67.00 to $84.00 in a report on Thursday, November 14th. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Unum Group in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $91.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Unum Group from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on Unum Group from $91.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 10th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $81.17.

Unum Group 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.