Retirement Systems of Alabama Sells 42,038 Shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM)

Retirement Systems of Alabama lessened its position in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) by 8.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 439,278 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 42,038 shares during the period. Retirement Systems of Alabama owned 0.24% of Unum Group worth $32,080,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Unum Group by 1.0% in 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 in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in 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 worth $70,511,000 after purchasing an additional 66,392 shares during the period. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. increased its holdings 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 in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake 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 valued at $29,554,000 after buying an additional 156,380 shares during the period. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 24.5% during the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 325,796 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $19,365,000 after buying an additional 64,062 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.57% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Unum Group news, Director Hanley Ronald P. O sold 14,299 shares of Unum Group stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.10, for a total value of $1,030,957.90. Following the sale, the director now owns 38,819 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,798,849.90. The trade was a 26.92 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Timothy Gerald Arnold sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.92, for a total transaction of $769,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 54,827 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,217,292.84. The trade was a 15.43 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 98,164 shares of company stock valued at $7,346,040 in the last 90 days. 0.93% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Unum Group Stock Up 2.3 %

Shares of NYSE:UNM opened at $77.67 on Thursday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $74.24 and its 200 day moving average is $65.08. Unum Group has a 12-month low of $46.64 and a 12-month high of $78.68. The stock has a market cap of $14.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.41, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The financial services provider reported $2.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.14 by ($0.11). Unum Group had a return on equity of 15.21% and a net margin of 13.76%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Unum Group will post 8.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 24th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.16%. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 18.18%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNM. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $79.00 price objective (up previously from $74.00) on shares of Unum Group in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $54.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on Unum Group from $91.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Evercore ISI upgraded Unum Group from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $67.00 to $84.00 in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Unum Group currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $79.00.

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.