Zacks Research Lowers Earnings Estimates for Unum Group

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) – Analysts at Zacks Research cut their Q1 2026 earnings per share estimates for Unum Group in a research note issued on Tuesday, April 7th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the financial services provider will post earnings of $2.06 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $2.08. Zacks Research has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Unum Group’s current full-year earnings is $9.14 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Unum Group’s Q2 2026 earnings at $2.17 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $2.22 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $2.25 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $8.69 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $2.45 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $2.49 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $2.42 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $2.26 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $9.63 EPS.

UNM has been the topic of several other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Unum Group from $92.00 to $90.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Wall Street Zen cut Unum Group from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 7th. Citigroup restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods restated a “moderate buy” rating and set a $95.00 price objective on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Thursday, March 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $94.40.

Unum Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNM opened at $75.61 on Wednesday. Unum Group has a 1-year low of $68.28 and a 1-year high of $83.13. The business has a 50-day moving average of $73.49 and a 200-day moving average of $75.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.37 and a quick ratio of 0.37. The company has a market capitalization of $12.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.79, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.19.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $1.92 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by ($0.19). Unum Group had a net margin of 5.65% and a return on equity of 12.62%. The business had revenue of $3.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.29 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.03 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS.

Unum Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 20th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a $0.46 dividend. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio is 43.29%.

Insider Transactions at Unum Group

In other Unum Group news, EVP Christopher W. Pyne sold 4,852 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.47, for a total transaction of $351,624.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 52,268 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,787,861.96. This trade represents a 8.49% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Timothy F. Keaney sold 4,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.58, for a total value of $326,610.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 38,592 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,801,007.36. The trade was a 10.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 21,852 shares of company stock valued at $1,590,734. Company insiders own 0.93% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Unum Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNM. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. SHP Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Ancora Advisors LLC boosted its stake 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 acquiring an additional 339 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group during the 4th quarter worth $39,000. 86.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

More Unum Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights that Unum still trades at a valuation discount and points to steady premium growth and strong capital returns — factors that support the stock’s longer‑term case. Here’s Why Investors Should Stay Neutral on Unum Group for Now
• Neutral Sentiment: Unum scheduled its Q1 2026 earnings release for April 28, 2026 and a management call on April 29 — an event that should provide fresh guidance and clarity on margins, reserve trends and capital return plans. Unum Group to Release First Quarter 2026 Results and Host Conference Call
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed EPS forecasts across multiple quarters and fiscal years (small downgrades: e.g., FY2026 to $8.69 from $8.76 and FY2027 to $9.63 from $9.72; multiple quarterly cuts generally of 0.01–0.03). Zacks retains a “Hold” rating and its cuts signal near‑term margin or cost concerns that can pressure the stock ahead of results.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrades are incremental rather than structural, but they widen the gap between street expectations and Unum’s most recent execution (Unum missed Q4 EPS). That raises the risk of further downside if Q1 results or management commentary disappoint.

Unum Group Company Profile

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.