Lingohr Asset Management GmbH Sells 4,253 Shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM)

Lingohr Asset Management GmbH lessened its position in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM - Free Report) by 28.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 10,591 shares of the financial services provider's stock after selling 4,253 shares during the quarter. Unum Group comprises about 1.6% of Lingohr Asset Management GmbH's investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest position. Lingohr Asset Management GmbH's holdings in Unum Group were worth $769,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Unum Group by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,552,252 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $405,481,000 after acquiring an additional 51,744 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Unum Group by 23.3% in the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,462,917 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $106,837,000 after purchasing an additional 276,655 shares during the period. Allianz Asset Management GmbH grew its position in Unum Group by 44.9% in the 4th quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 1,264,994 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $92,383,000 after purchasing an additional 392,191 shares during the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 151.7% during the 3rd quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 509,702 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $30,297,000 after purchasing an additional 307,175 shares during the period. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Unum Group by 50.0% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 469,342 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $29,554,000 after purchasing an additional 156,380 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.57% of the company's stock.

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Unum Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNM traded up $1.97 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $83.31. 1,873,064 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,182,022. Unum Group has a twelve month low of $48.38 and a twelve month high of $83.96. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $77.15 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $70.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.29. The company has a market cap of $14.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.80, a PEG ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 0.74.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The financial services provider reported $2.03 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.14 by ($0.11). Unum Group had a net margin of 13.81% and a return on equity of 14.91%. As a group, analysts forecast that Unum Group will post 9.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Unum Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Friday, January 24th were issued a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.02%. Unum Group's dividend payout ratio is 17.74%.

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNM has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $79.00 target price (up from $74.00) on shares of Unum Group in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Raymond James upgraded Unum Group from a "market perform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and set a $108.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Unum Group from $95.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Unum Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, March 7th. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of Unum Group from $82.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $86.62.

Insider Buying and Selling

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