Nykredit A S purchased a new position in shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 6,189 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $553,000.
A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. GWN Securities Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Unum Group in the second quarter worth about $708,000. Qsemble Capital Management LP boosted its holdings in Unum Group by 245.9% during the 4th quarter. Qsemble Capital Management LP now owns 106,742 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $8,273,000 after acquiring an additional 75,885 shares during the period. GSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new position in Unum Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,567,000. Swedbank AB increased its stake in Unum Group by 148.3% in the 4th quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 467,505 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $36,232,000 after purchasing an additional 279,233 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in Unum Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,108,919,000. 86.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their target price on shares of Unum Group from $110.00 to $108.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of Unum Group from $117.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $106.00 price target on shares of Unum Group in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Unum Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $101.00 to $98.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $99.42.
Read Our Latest Analysis on Unum Group Unum Group Stock Performance NYSE:UNM opened at $95.89 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $89.93 and its 200 day simple moving average is $83.25. The stock has a market cap of $15.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 0.27. Unum Group has a twelve month low of $69.02 and a twelve month high of $96.77.
Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The financial services provider reported $2.16 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.16. The business had revenue of $3.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.90 billion. Unum Group had a net margin of 5.26% and a return on equity of 12.60%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.92 EPS. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Unum Group will post 8.64 EPS for the current year.
Unum Group declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, August 26th that permits the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the financial services provider to buy up to 7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are generally a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.
Unum Group Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $0.505 dividend. This represents a $2.02 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. This is a boost from Unum Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.09%.
Unum Group Profile (Free Report)
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.
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Bank of Nova Scotia ve 2. čtvrtletí koupila nový podíl ve společnosti Unum Group za zhruba 12,722 mil. USD a držela 142 302 akcií. Akcie UNM po otevření vzrostly o 1,9 %.
Bank of Nova Scotia purchased a new stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 142,302 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $12,722,000. Bank of Nova Scotia owned about 0.09% of Unum Group at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Unum Group during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. SHP Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Triumph Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Unum Group during the third quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Unum Group by 385.2% during the third quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 427 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 339 shares in the last quarter. 86.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts recently commented on UNM shares. Wolfe Research decreased their price target on Unum Group from $102.00 to $100.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 6th. UBS Group set a $94.00 price objective on Unum Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $106.00 price objective on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Unum Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Unum Group from $100.00 to $101.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $99.42.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Unum Group Unum Group Stock Up 1.9% Unum Group stock opened at $89.45 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. Unum Group has a 1-year low of $68.70 and a 1-year high of $94.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.85, a P/E/G ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 0.26. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $89.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $81.82.
Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The financial services provider reported $2.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.16. Unum Group had a return on equity of 12.60% and a net margin of 5.26%.The business had revenue of $3.39 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.90 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.92 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Unum Group will post 8.65 earnings per share for the current year.
Unum Group Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 14th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a dividend of $0.505 per share. This is an increase from Unum Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $2.02 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 47.09%.
Unum Group Profile (Free Report)
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.
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Unum Group schválila nový program zpětného odkupu akcií za 1 mld. USD, který začne 1. září 2026. V první polovině roku 2026 už odkoupila 7,9 milionu akcií za zhruba 604,5 mil. USD.
Key Takeaways Unum Group authorized a new $1 billion share repurchase program starting Sept. 1, 2026. UNM repurchased 7.9 million shares for about $604.5 million in the first half of 2026. A 480% risk-based capital ratio gives Unum a substantial cushion for continued capital deployment. Unum Group (UNM - Free Report) is reinforcing its commitment to shareholder returns with a new $1 billion share repurchase authorization. Approved by the board of directors on Aug. 26, 2026, the program will begin on Sept. 1, 2026, immediately following the expiration of the company's existing repurchase program on Aug. 31, 2026. Under the new authorization, Unum can repurchase up to $1 billion of its common stock from time to time, with the timing and amount determined by management based on market conditions and other considerations.
The new authorization represents a continuation rather than a shift in Unum's capital-return strategy. The company has been actively repurchasing shares under its previous programs. In the first six months of 2026, UNM repurchased 7.9 million shares for approximately $604.5 million, including commissions and excise taxes. As of June 30, 2026, approximately $401.5 million remained under the existing $1 billion authorization.
Unum's capital position provides an important backdrop. As of June 30, 2026, the weighted-average risk-based capital ratio for its traditional U.S. insurance subsidiaries was approximately 480%, exceeding the company's long-term expectation. This gives UNM a substantial capital cushion as it continues to deploy capital toward shareholders.
The buyback should be considered within Unum's broader capital-allocation framework. UNM continues to balance share repurchases, dividends, investments in its businesses, and capital requirements associated with its insurance operations.
This new buyback program strengthens UNM's shareholder-return proposition. With the insurer having already repurchased roughly $605 million of shares in the first half of 2026, the new authorization demonstrates that repurchases are becoming an important, recurring component of Unum's capital-allocation strategy.
What About Its Peers?First American Financial Corporation (FAF - Free Report) follows a balanced capital-return strategy that combines a steadily growing dividend with opportunistic share repurchases. FAF generally uses a combination of regular dividend increases and selective share repurchases to distribute excess capital. FAF has increased its dividend for more than 15 consecutive years, reflecting management's commitment to returning capital through various housing market environments.
American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG - Free Report) has one of the most shareholder-friendly capital allocation policies in the U.S. insurance sector. AFG regularly generates the capital needed to support underwriting operations. Returning excess capital to shareholders in the form of regular and special cash dividends and through opportunistic share repurchases is an important and effective component of American Financial’s capital management strategy. The combination of growing regular dividends, frequent special dividends, opportunistic buybacks and strong underwriting profitability has enabled the company to deliver substantial cash returns to investors over time.
UNM’s Price PerformanceShares of UNM have gained 32% in the past year, outperforming the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
UNM’s UndervaluationThe stock is undervalued compared with its industry. Its forward price-to-book value of 1.34X is lower than the industry average of 1.69X. It carries a Value Score of B.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Estimate Movement for UNMThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for UNM’s third-quarter and fourth-quarter 2026 EPS has moved down 2.2% and 2.7%, respectively, in the past 30 days. The same for the full-year 2026 and 2027 EPS has moved down 1.2% and 1.8%, respectively, in the past 30 days.
The consensus estimates for UNM’s 2026 and 2027 EPS and revenues indicate year-over-year increases.
Akcie Unum za poslední měsíc přidaly asi 9,4 % po zveřejnění výsledků za 2Q, kdy zisk i tržby překonaly odhady. Firma zároveň potvrdila výhled na EPS pro rok 2026 v rozmezí 8,60–8,90 USD.
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Unum (UNM - Free Report) . Shares have added about 9.4% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Unum due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
UNM Q2 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates on Solid Premium Growth
Unum Group’s second-quarter 2026 operating net income of $2.16 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1%. The bottom line increased 4.4% year over year. The quarterly results benefited from premium growth across core businesses, improved performance in Unum U.S. and Colonial Life, and strong sales momentum. However, lower net investment income, higher total costs and weaker Closed Block results partly offset these gains.
UNM’s Operational UpdateTotal operating revenues of Unum Group were $3.4 billion, down 0.1% year over year. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 14.3%.
Premium increased 2.5% from the prior-year quarter to $2.8 billion, which was higher than our estimate of $2.5 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at $2.6 billion. Net investment income declined 14.7% year over year to $478.4 million, primarily due to lower returns from alternative investments. Total benefits and expenses increased 3.3% year over year to $3 billion, largely attributable to higher policy benefits, commissions and other expenses. The figurewas higher than our estimate of $2.5 billion.
UNM’s Quarterly Segment UpdateUnum U.S.: Premium income was $1.86 billion, up 3.3% year over year.
Adjusted operating income decreased 22.8% year over year to $261 million, primarily due to less favorable disability experience and higher benefit costs. It excluded the amortization of the deferred gain on reinsurance of $4.4 million and the impact of non-contemporaneous reinsurance of $0.7 million. Our estimate was $314 million. The group disability line of business reported a 17.4% decrease in adjusted operating income while the group life and accidental death and dismemberment line of business reported a 32.8% increase. The supplemental and voluntary line of business reported an increase of 8.2%.
Unum International: Premium income of $289.3 million increased 6.7% year over year. Adjusted operating income was $24.3 million, down 41.6% year over year. Our estimate was $51.7 million.
The Unum U.K. line of business premium income totaled £175.5 million, up 5.2% from the year-ago quarter, primarily due to in-force block growth, sales and favorable persistency. Adjusted operating income, in local currency, was £15.3 million, down 48% year over year. The benefit ratio, excluding the reserve assumption updates, was 82.2%, which deteriorated 720 basis points (bps), primarily due to higher average claim size and increased claim incidence in the group long-term disability business. Sales decreased 14.9% to £32.6 million. Persistency decreased in the supplemental product line, the group long-term disability and the group life product line.
Colonial Life: Premium income increased 3.3% from the prior-year figure to $477.4 million, driven by stable overall persistency and prior period sales. Sales increased 0.9% from the year-ago figure to $106.3 million. Adjusted operating income increased 11.9% from the prior-year period to $131.4 million. Our estimate was $113.4 million. Persistency was 78.2% for the first half of 2026, improved 30 bps year over year. The benefit ratio, excluding the reserve assumption updates, improved 300 bps year over year to 46.7%.
Closed Block: Premium income decreased 10.8% to $192.9 million. The segment reported an adjusted operating loss of $61.2 million, compared with a loss of $10.8 million in the year-ago quarter. The decrease was primarily due to lower net investment income and the amortization of the cost of reinsurance. Our estimate for loss was $55 million.
Corporate: The segment incurred an adjusted operating loss of $44.5 million, wider than the year-ago quarter’s loss of $31.7 million, primarily due to decreased net investment income. Our estimate for loss was $45.1 million.
UNM’s Capital ManagementAs of June 30, 2026, the weighted average risk-based capital ratio for Unum Group’s traditional U.S. insurance companies was approximately 480%.
Unum Group exited the second quarter with holding company liquidity worth $1.5 billion. Book value per share grew 3.8% year over year to $68.28 as of June 30, 2026. UNM repurchased approximately $200 million of common shares and paid $73.5 million in common stock dividends during the second quarter.
UNM’s 2026 GuidanceUNM expects that after-tax adjusted operating income per share will increase to 22.2% from 21.2% in the year-ago period. Management expects 2026 EPS of $8.60-$8.90, implying 8-12% growth.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?Since the earnings release, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates revision.
VGM ScoresAt this time, Unum has a subpar Growth Score of D, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a score of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. It's no surprise Unum has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.
Unum Group ve 2. čtvrtletí zvýšila upravený provozní EPS na 2,16 USD, meziročně o 4,9 %, a potvrdila celoroční výhled v rozmezí 8,60 až 8,90 USD. Růst táhly hlavně silné výsledky v USA, zatímco tlak z PFML a britského pojištění přetrvával.
The “Duck Stock” Keeps Quietly Making Money for ShareholdersUnum Group NYSE: UNM reported second-quarter after-tax adjusted operating earnings per share of $2.16, up 4.9% from a year earlier, while year-to-date adjusted operating EPS rose 7.5%. The insurer reaffirmed its full-year adjusted operating EPS outlook of $8.60 to $8.90 despite pressure in paid family and medical leave business in the United States and group income protection in the United Kingdom.
President and CEO Rick McKenney said the quarter reflected “continued attractive returns, generally stable persistency, and favorable performance across several of our core businesses.” He said underlying premium growth was roughly 5% after adjusting for the runoff of the stop-loss business and prior transactions, while U.S. sales under the Unum brand increased 7.4% in the quarter and 14% year to date.
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These 3 Insurance Stocks Made New 52-Week Highs: Still Time to Buy?Chief Financial Officer Steven Zabel said consolidated adjusted operating return on equity was 15.9% for the quarter and 16% year to date, within the company’s outlook range. Core earned premium grew 3.6% in the second quarter, or just over 5% after the specified adjustments. Unum said it expects to achieve its full-year core premium growth target of 4% to 7%.
Group benefits strength offset by disability pressure Unum U.S. produced adjusted operating income of $329.6 million, compared with $318.2 million a year earlier. Earnings were helped by group life and accidental death and dismemberment, as well as supplemental and voluntary products, but were partially offset by higher benefit costs in group disability.
3 Dividend Stocks Defying the Market Downturn Amid the Iran ConflictThe group disability benefit ratio was 65.8%, above Unum’s 62% to 64% expectation. Zabel said elevated short-term disability claims represented about two percentage points of the benefit-ratio pressure, with paid family and medical leave, or PFML, accounting for an estimated 60% to 70% of that impact.
The company said newer PFML states have experienced higher claims activity. Management said it has started implementing double-digit pricing increases for new business and renewals, noting that its initial PFML pricing generally does not include multiyear rate guarantees.
McKenney said PFML remains strategically important because it is connected to Unum’s leave-management offering. About half of the Unum U.S. in-force block, excluding individual disability insurance, is tied to HR Connect, Total Leave or Broker Connect. Premium and fees associated with those capabilities have increased nearly 70% since the end of 2023, according to McKenney.
Management expects group disability benefit ratios to remain elevated near recent-quarter levels until revised PFML rates are fully incorporated into the block. Still, Zabel said the company continues to view a 65% group disability benefit ratio as sustainable over the longer term, as higher PFML pricing takes effect and other pricing adjustments are made.
Group life and AD&D results were favorable, with adjusted operating income of $93.2 million, up from $70.2 million in the prior-year quarter. The benefit ratio improved to 66% from 69.7%, driven by lower claim incidence. Zabel said the company expects the favorable mortality pattern to continue through the second half.
Colonial Life posts record quarter; U.K. results weaken Colonial Life reported record quarterly adjusted operating income of $131.4 million, up from $117.4 million a year earlier. Its benefit ratio was 46.7%, better than both the prior-year result of 48.3% and the company’s expected 48% to 50% range. Premium income increased to $477.4 million, and sales rose 6% to $134.1 million.
Steve Jones, president of Colonial Life, said the business saw growth from both new and existing clients. Sales from new clients increased 10%, while sales to clients with more than 500 employees grew 15%. He also said the company was recruiting agents at a pace 6% ahead of last year’s level.
Unum International adjusted operating income declined to $24.3 million from $41.6 million a year earlier. The segment benefit ratio rose to 78.4% from 72.4%, largely due to unfavorable experience in the U.K. group income protection business.
U.K. adjusted operating income was £15.3 million, down from £29.4 million a year earlier, as elevated average claim values continued. Zabel said the higher costs were associated with a greater proportion of claims from higher-income employees. The company expects U.K. pressure to moderate in the second half from current elevated levels, though broader pricing actions will take time to affect results because two- to three-year rate guarantees are common in that market.
U.K. premium grew 5.2%, while Poland premium increased 8.8%. Mark Till, who leads Unum International, said U.K. sales were down about 14% in the second quarter as the company made pricing decisions that made it more selective on new business.
Long-term care reinsurance transaction advances Unum also discussed its planned reinsurance of $3.8 billion in long-term care statutory reserves from its Fairwind closed-block business. The transaction, expected to close in the fourth quarter, represents about 26% of the company’s total long-term care block and 52% of its individual long-term care business.
Following the transaction, Fairwind is expected to retain about $7.1 billion of group long-term care statutory reserves, supported by approximately $1.9 billion of protections. Zabel said sensitivities across key Fairwind assumptions would decline by 28% to 42% after the deal closes.
The company expects the amortization of upfront transaction costs and non-contemporaneous reinsurance impacts from the deal to total approximately $30 million to $40 million per quarter. Including prior closed-block reinsurance transactions, those items are expected to initially total about $90 million to $100 million per quarter and decline over time.
Unum said group long-term care case terminations continued to reduce exposure. About 3% of cases closed during the second quarter, reducing long-term exposure by more than 20,000 lives. Since the end of 2025, about 10% of group long-term care cases have closed, representing more than 50,000 lives.
Capital return plans unchanged Holding-company liquidity stood at $1.5 billion and traditional risk-based capital was 480% at quarter-end. Unum expects to finish the year within its targets of 400% to 425% RBC and $1.5 billion to $2 billion in holding-company liquidity.
The company repurchased approximately $200 million of stock during the quarter. Including dividends, Unum returned about $275 million to shareholders in the quarter and approximately $750 million year to date. Management said it remains on track to deploy about $1.3 billion to shareholders during 2026.
About Unum Group (NYSE:UNM)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.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
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Unum (UNM) ve 2. čtvrtletí vykázal zisk na akcii 2,16 USD a tržby 3,38 miliardy USD, oba údaje nad odhady analytiků. Zisk na akcii byl meziročně vyšší než 2,07 USD.
Unum (UNM - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.16 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.14 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.07 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +0.94%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this insurance company would post earnings of $2.07 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.14, delivering a surprise of +3.38%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
Unum, which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Accident and Health industry, posted revenues of $3.38 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 14.26%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $3.38 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Unum shares have added about 11.5% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.3%.
What's Next for Unum?While Unum has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Unum was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $2.22 on $2.96 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $8.74 on $11.92 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Insurance - Accident and Health is currently in the bottom 16% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Aflac (AFL - Free Report) , another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 6.
This insurer is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.77 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -0.6%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.5% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.
Aflac's revenues are expected to be $4.19 billion, down 7.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Unum Group čeká za 2. čtvrtletí růst zisku na 2,14 USD na akcii, ale tržby mají klesnout na 2,95 miliardy USD. Tahounem mají být lepší prodeje a persistency, zatímco náklady porostou.
Key Takeaways Unum is expected to benefit from favorable persistency and stronger sales across its insurance businesses. UNM's key operating segments are likely to see growth from voluntary benefits, life and disability products. Unum is expected to face higher expenses, while continued share buybacks may support earnings. Unum Group (UNM - Free Report) is expected to register an improvement in its bottom line but a decline in the top line when it reports second-quarter 2026 results on July 28, after the closing bell.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UNM’s second-quarter revenues is pegged at $2.95 billion, indicating a 12.6% decline from the year-ago reported figure.
The consensus estimate for earnings is pegged at $2.14 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UNM’s second-quarter earnings has moved south by 0.4% in the past 30 days. The estimate suggests a year-over-year increase of 3.3%.
What the Zacks Model Unveils for UNMOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Unum Group this time around. This is because a stock needs to have the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), or 3 (Hold). This is not the case, as you can see below:
Earnings ESP: Unum Group has an Earnings ESP of -0.89%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate of $2.13 is pegged lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.14. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: Unum Group currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.
Factors Likely to Shape Q2 Results of UNMFavorable persistency and better sales in the operating segments are likely to have favored premiums in the second quarter. Our estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for premium income are both pegged at $2.6 billion.
Net investment income is likely to have increased due to higher invested assets and higher miscellaneous investment income. Our estimate for investment income is pegged at $297.3 million, suggesting a 47% decrease from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $269 million.
The performance of Unum U.S. and Colonial Life — two of the largest operating segments — is likely to have been driven by stable overall persistency in the voluntary benefits and dental and vision product lines, and higher prior period sales in the voluntary benefits product line, improved benefit experience across life, accident, sickness, and disability product lines, and in-force block growth.
Better performance in life and group disability is likely to aid Unum U.S. results.
Our estimate for Unum U.S. operating revenues is pegged at $2 billion, while the same for Colonial Life is pinned at $516.5 million.
Favorable results at group long-term disability, Group Life and Supplemental are likely to have favored Unum UK. This, combined with in-force block growth, sales and favorable overall persistency at Unum Poland, is likely to have benefited Unum International. Our estimate for Unum International’s operating revenues is pegged at $336.1 million.
Expenses are likely to have increased because of higher policy benefits, commissions, interest and debt expense, amortization of deferred acquisition costs and other expenses.
Continued share buybacks are likely to have contributed to the bottom line.
Stocks to ConsiderSome insurance stocks with the right combination of elements to deliver an earnings beat this time around are:
Aflac Incorporated (AFL - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.34% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $1.77, indicating a year-over-year decrease of 0.5%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
AFL’s earnings beat estimates in two of the last four reported quarters and missed in the other two.
The Allstate Corporation (ALL - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +2.59% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $5.61, indicating a year-over-year decrease of 5.5%.
ALL’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four reported quarters.
Axis Capital Holdings Limited (AXS - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +3.82% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $3.23, indicating a year-over-year decrease of 1.8%.
AXS’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four reported quarters.
Unum Group uzavřela další zajišťovací dohodu na dlouhodobou péči za 3,8 miliardy USD, čímž sníží expozici o 40 % oproti začátku loňského roku. Celkové rezervy na dlouhodobou péči klesnou z 14,8 miliardy USD na zhruba 11 miliard USD.
The “Duck Stock” Keeps Quietly Making Money for ShareholdersUnum Group NYSE: UNM said it has agreed to reinsure an additional portion of its long-term care insurance liabilities, marking the company’s third major external reinsurance transaction and its second involving long-term care.
On a conference call with analysts, President and CEO Rick McKenney said the agreement will cede $3.8 billion of long-term care statutory reserves, bringing total long-term care reserves reinsured to $7 billion. He said the transactions have reduced Unum’s exposure by 40% compared with the beginning of last year.
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These 3 Insurance Stocks Made New 52-Week Highs: Still Time to Buy?The transaction is effective April 1, 2026, and is expected to close during 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, according to Matt Royal, senior vice president of investor relations and treasury.
Deal Removes Remaining Individual LTC in Fairwind McKenney said the transaction removes all of Unum’s individual long-term care business that was originally written by Unum America and subsequently reinsured to Fairwind. The remaining liabilities in Fairwind will be group long-term care, which management said has a different risk profile.
3 Dividend Stocks Defying the Market Downturn Amid the Iran ConflictChief Financial Officer Steve Zabel said the company is reinsuring $3.8 billion of long-term care statutory reserves to Fortitude Re. Similar to Unum’s prior long-term care reinsurance deal, the biometric risk ceded to Fortitude Re will be retroceded to a highly rated global reinsurer, he said.
Zabel said the reinsured block represents 26% of Unum’s total long-term care block and 52% of its individual long-term care business. It includes about 50,000 policies with an average attained age of 76 years, compared with 86 years for the block reinsured in last year’s transaction.
The block is concentrated in active life reserves, which account for about 75% of reinsured reserves. Zabel said it also has a “materially richer benefit profile” than the business Unum will retain, with 83% of policies carrying inflation protection and 43% offering lifetime benefits.
Capital Cost and Pricing McKenney said the transaction will cost Unum $650 million of holding company excess capital, which he described as balanced against the risk reduction achieved. He also said Unum’s plan to return $1.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases remains intact.
Zabel said management believes the most appropriate way to evaluate the transaction is relative to best estimate reserves, because that measure reflects the exposure being transferred. On that basis, he said the cost of the transaction is about 12% of best estimate reserves, compared with 10% for the 2025 transaction. The combined cost across both transactions is about 11%.
Zabel said the absolute cost relative to statutory reserves is higher because the 2026 block has a more adverse reserve profile. He said the block carries best estimate reserves nearly $700 million higher than statutory reserves, including a negative reserve margin of about $660 million.
Management said economic benefits from the deal include required capital release and tax benefits, which offset a significant portion of the gross cost. Zabel also said Unum is using temporary financing tied to future tax benefits that are expected to be realized over the next several years.
Remaining Long-Term Care Block Following the transaction, Unum’s total long-term care statutory reserves will decline from $14.8 billion to approximately $11 billion, according to Zabel. Group long-term care will represent about 70% of remaining long-term care reserves and 95% of insured lives.
Zabel said the shift toward group long-term care is “structurally important” because the group business carries less rich benefit designs, younger attained ages and lower ultimate risk than individual long-term care. He said the average daily benefit on group long-term care is about one-third of individual long-term care. He also said 77% of group long-term care policies have no inflation protection and only 7% have lifetime benefits.
Management said the transaction reduces sensitivities across key Fairwind assumptions, including premium rate increases, lapses and mortality, claim incidence, claim resolutions and interest rates. Zabel said those sensitivities decrease by 28% to 42%.
After the transaction, Fairwind will retain approximately $7.1 billion of group long-term care reserves, supported by about $2.1 billion of reserve margin and total protection of about $1.9 billion, Zabel said. Provident Life will continue to hold the remaining long-term care exposure, supported by diversification from a broader and growing product portfolio.
Capital Deployment Plans Unchanged Zabel said Unum expects year-end 2026 capital metrics to remain robust, including risk-based capital in the range of 400% to 425%, holding company liquidity of $1.5 billion to $2 billion and leverage of about 25%.
He said Unum’s 2026 capital sources and uses are unchanged, including expected capital generation of $1.4 billion to $1.6 billion and expected uses of about $1.5 billion, inclusive of roughly $1.3 billion of share repurchases and dividends.
“There is no change to our priorities, no change to our planned actions, and no change to our expected return of capital to shareholders this year as a result of the transaction,” Zabel said.
Analysts Ask About Future LTC Actions During the question-and-answer session, analysts asked whether Unum could pursue additional long-term care reinsurance transactions, including for group long-term care. McKenney said the company continues to talk to counterparties about different parts of the block but emphasized that future deals would depend on market conditions and shareholder value.
“We would like to remove that risk from our balance sheet overall,” McKenney said of long-term care. “At the same time, we’ve also been very clear to say we’ll only do so if it makes sense from a shareholder perspective.”
McKenney said Unum remains focused on its core employee benefits franchises in the U.S., U.K. and Poland while continuing to manage the closed long-term care block. He described the new agreement as “another meaningful step” in the company’s closed block strategy.
About Unum Group NYSE: UNMUnum 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.
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