Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Shares Bought by KBC Group NV

KBC Group NV lifted its stake in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) by 1,002.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 53,267 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 48,437 shares during the quarter. KBC Group NV’s holdings in Unum Group were worth $3,890,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in UNM. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its stake in shares of Unum Group by 26.4% in the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 766 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the period. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. grew its holdings in Unum Group by 28.8% in the 4th quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. now owns 800 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $58,000 after buying an additional 179 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its position in Unum Group by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 5,551 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $330,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC raised its stake in Unum Group by 38.2% during the 3rd quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group boosted its position in Unum Group by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 6,592 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $392,000 after acquiring an additional 197 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 86.57% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Christopher W. Pyne sold 3,250 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.02, for a total value of $227,565.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 50,762 shares in the company, valued at $3,554,355.24. This represents a 6.02 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CAO Walter Lynn Rice, Jr. sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.56, for a total transaction of $104,340.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 8,361 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $581,591.16. This trade represents a 15.21 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 102,914 shares of company stock worth $7,677,945. Corporate insiders own 0.93% of the company’s stock.

Unum Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNM opened at $76.25 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $74.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $64.52. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.25, a PEG ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.81. 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 has a 52-week low of $46.39 and a 52-week high of $77.69.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 29th. The financial services provider reported $2.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.10 by $0.03. Unum Group had a return on equity of 15.21% and a net margin of 13.76%. The firm had revenue of $3.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.26 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.94 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Unum Group will post 8.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Unum Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Friday, January 24th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 24th. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio is 18.18%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNM has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a “neutral” rating and set a $79.00 price objective (up from $74.00) on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Unum Group from $74.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on shares of Unum Group in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $91.00 price objective for the company. Barclays boosted their target price on Unum Group from $76.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Evercore ISI upgraded Unum Group from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $67.00 to $84.00 in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $79.00.

Unum Group Company 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.