Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 8.600-8.900 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 8.910. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Unum Group Trading Down 3.4%

Shares of NYSE:UNM traded down $2.55 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $73.11. 1,586,538 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,332,610. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.36 and a quick ratio of 0.36. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $77.05 and a 200-day moving average price of $75.52. Unum Group has a 1 year low of $66.81 and a 1 year high of $84.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.20.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $1.92 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by ($0.19). The company had revenue of $3.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.29 billion. Unum Group had a return on equity of 13.09% and a net margin of 6.99%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.03 earnings per share. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Unum Group will post 9.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.46 per share. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.87%.

Unum Group declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Thursday, December 4th that allows the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to repurchase up to 8.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Unum Group in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Unum Group from $98.00 to $104.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Citigroup restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Unum Group in a report on Thursday, December 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Unum Group from $94.00 to $92.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, Evercore ISI set a $103.00 price objective on Unum Group in a report on Friday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Unum Group currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $97.42.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CAO Walter Lynn Rice, Jr. sold 900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.50, for a total transaction of $66,150.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 8,940 shares in the company, valued at $657,090. The trade was a 9.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Steven Andrew Zabel sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.38, for a total transaction of $572,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 113,807 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,692,578.66. The trade was a 6.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.92% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Unum Group News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Unum Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Valuation may look attractive to value investors: several writeups note Unum’s depressed multiple after the sell‑off, arguing long‑term upside if underwriting normalizes. Unum: Underwriting Disappoints Again, But Valuation Is Low
• Neutral Sentiment: Company published the Q4 earnings presentation and conference materials (useful for digging into segment results, reserving and capital commentary). Unum Group 2025 Q4 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation
• Neutral Sentiment: Unum set FY‑2026 EPS guidance at $8.60–$8.90, which provides forward visibility but sits just below Street consensus (~$8.91), reducing near‑term upside. Unum Group Reports Fourth Quarter 2025 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly EPS missed expectations: reported $1.92 vs. consensus ~$2.11; revenue also slightly missed at $3.25B vs. $3.29B expected — the misses and lower EPS drove the immediate sell‑off. Unum (UNM) Lags Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Underwriting performance remains a concern — analysts and commentators flagged adverse trends in the underwriting result that weighed on margins and earnings quality. Unum: A ‘Hold’ For 2026, Better Alternatives Exist
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: multiple outlets report shares tumbled after the earnings and weaker guidance, signaling investor concern and potential short‑term downside pressure. Unum Group shares tumble after weak guidance, earnings miss

Institutional Trading of Unum Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Laird Norton Wetherby Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Unum Group by 1.2% in the third quarter. Laird Norton Wetherby Wealth Management LLC now owns 13,709 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,066,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Unum Group by 385.2% during the 3rd quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 427 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 339 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Unum Group by 6.3% in the 3rd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 5,781 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $450,000 after buying an additional 341 shares during the period. EP Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Unum Group by 10.4% in the second quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,865 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $312,000 after buying an additional 365 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin Edwards Inc. increased its position in shares of Unum Group by 3.9% during the second quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 9,843 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $795,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.57% of the company’s stock.

About Unum Group

Unum Group (NYSE: UNM) is a leading provider of employee benefits in the United States and selected international markets, specializing in disability, life, accident and critical illness insurance. Through both fully insured and self-funded arrangements, the company offers group coverage designed to protect income and mitigate financial hardship for employees and their families. Its portfolio includes short-term and long-term disability plans, group life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) policies, as well as critical illness and hospital indemnity products.

In addition to its core product lines, Unum Group markets voluntary benefits under its Colonial Life brand, allowing employees to purchase supplemental insurance such as accident, cancer, and dental coverage directly through payroll deductions.