Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC Increases Stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM)

Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its position in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) by 8.0% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 312,913 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 23,255 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC’s holdings in Unum Group were worth $22,828,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Summit Trail Advisors LLC increased its position in Unum Group by 47.3% during the 4th quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC now owns 8,094 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $591,000 after purchasing an additional 2,600 shares during the period. Savant Capital LLC raised its position in Unum Group by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 46,344 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $3,385,000 after acquiring an additional 476 shares in the last quarter. Forbes J M & Co. LLP acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the fourth quarter valued at $389,000. Vest Financial LLC boosted its position in shares of Unum Group by 30.4% during the 4th quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 34,103 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,491,000 after purchasing an additional 7,944 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barrett & Company Inc. grew its stake 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 worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 297 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.57% of the company’s stock.

Unum Group Trading Down 1.3 %

Shares of UNM opened at $74.42 on Friday. Unum Group has a fifty-two week low of $48.28 and a fifty-two week high of $79.43. The company has a market capitalization of $13.59 billion, a PE ratio of 7.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.80. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $74.18 and a two-hundred day moving average of $66.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.29.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last released its earnings results 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 net margin of 13.81% and a return on equity of 14.91%. As a group, analysts forecast that Unum Group will post 9.12 EPS for the current year.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared 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. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 24th. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 17.74%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Timothy Gerald Arnold sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.92, for a total value of $769,200.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 54,827 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,217,292.84. This trade represents a 15.43 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Lisa G. Iglesias sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.61, for a total value of $363,050.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 35,840 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,602,342.40. This trade represents a 12.24 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 83,865 shares of company stock valued at $6,315,082 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.93% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $91.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Evercore ISI raised Unum Group from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $67.00 to $84.00 in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on Unum Group from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Unum Group from $74.00 to $81.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Unum Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Unum Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $80.33.

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.