LSV Asset Management Has $199.86 Million Stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM)

LSV Asset Management lowered its position in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) by 2.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,736,640 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 67,236 shares during the quarter. LSV Asset Management owned about 1.50% of Unum Group worth $199,857,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Barrett & Company Inc. boosted its position 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 in the last quarter. Kestra Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Unum Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Millstone Evans Group LLC purchased a new stake in Unum Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $45,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased 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 valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $58,000. Institutional investors own 86.57% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $95.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, March 3rd. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $76.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $87.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $75.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $103.00 to $102.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Unum Group currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $87.79.

Unum Group Stock Up 9.4 %

Shares of NYSE:UNM opened at $77.10 on Thursday. Unum Group has a 52-week low of $48.38 and a 52-week high of $84.48. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $77.86 and a 200 day moving average of $72.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.63 billion, a PE ratio of 8.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 0.46. 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 posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The financial services provider reported $2.03 earnings per share 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%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Unum Group will post 9.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Unum Group announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback program on Tuesday, February 18th that allows the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the financial services provider to buy up to 7.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are typically an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Richard P. Mckenney sold 50,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.99, for a total transaction of $4,099,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 980,637 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $80,402,427.63. This represents a 4.85 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Lisa G. Iglesias sold 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.75, for a total transaction of $579,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 31,284 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,588,751. The trade was a 18.28 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.93% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.