Hsbc Holdings PLC Invests $2.01 Million in Unum Group $UNM

Hsbc Holdings PLC acquired a new stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 22,358 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $2,007,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Unum Group in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. SHP Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Unum Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC bought a new position in shares of Unum Group during the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Unum Group in the third quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC grew its position in 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 during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.57% of the company’s stock.

Unum Group Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of NYSE UNM opened at $93.16 on Monday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $89.40 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $82.30. Unum Group has a 12 month low of $68.70 and a 12 month high of $94.55. The company has a current ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.75 billion, a PE ratio of 21.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.26.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The financial services provider reported $2.16 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.16. Unum Group had a net margin of 5.26% and a return on equity of 12.60%. The firm had revenue of $3.39 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.90 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.92 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Unum Group will post 8.64 earnings per share for the current year.

Unum Group declared that its board has approved a share buyback plan 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 stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Unum Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a dividend of $0.505 per share. This is a positive change from Unum Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $2.02 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Unum Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 47.09%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have commented on UNM. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Unum Group from $87.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, August 24th. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Unum Group from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, July 6th. 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. Atlantic Securities set a $88.00 price target on shares of Unum Group in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Finally, 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. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $99.42.

About Unum Group

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.