Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) Shares Gap Down After Earnings Miss

Posted by Defense World Staff on Feb 7th, 2026

Shares of Unum Group (NYSE:UNM – Get Free Report) gapped down prior to trading on Friday following a dissappointing earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $75.66, but opened at $70.94. Unum Group shares last traded at $73.2340, with a volume of 213,106 shares changing hands.

The financial services provider reported $1.92 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by ($0.19). The business had revenue of $3.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.29 billion. Unum Group had a return on equity of 12.61% and a net margin of 5.65%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.03 earnings per share. Unum Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.600-8.900 EPS.

Unum Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. Unum Group’s payout ratio is 35.87%.

Unum Group announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Thursday, December 4th that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the financial services provider to repurchase up to 8.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Key Unum Group News

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

Positive Sentiment: Premiums grew ~2% year‑over‑year, showing continued revenue traction in its core benefits businesses. UNM Q4 Earnings and Revenues Miss Estimates, Premiums Rise Y/Y
Positive Sentiment: Some analysts note the stock’s valuation is cheap relative to peers, which could limit downside and attract value buyers if underwriting trends stabilize. Unum: Underwriting Disappoints Again, But Valuation Is Low
Neutral Sentiment: Management issued FY‑2026 EPS guidance of $8.60–$8.90 (consensus ~$8.91) — a formal outlook that reduces uncertainty but sits just below Street expectations. Unum Group Reports Q4 2025 Results and 2026 Outlook
Neutral Sentiment: Full Q4 earnings call transcript and presentation are available for investors to assess management commentary and drivers (useful for gauging remediation plans for underwriting). UNM Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Q4 Results Presentation
Negative Sentiment: Q4 EPS missed materially ($1.92 vs. $2.11 expected) and revenue slightly missed estimates ($3.25B vs. $3.29B), with net income down year‑over‑year — an earnings shortfall that pressured the stock. Unum Lags Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
Negative Sentiment: Segment profits fell and underwriting performance disappointed again, driven by higher benefits and expenses — this margin pressure is the main negative catalyst highlighted by analysts. Underwriting Disappoints
Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: several outlets reported shares tumbled after the earnings miss and weaker guidance, amplifying near‑term selling pressure. Shares Tumble After Weak Guidance, Earnings Miss

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on UNM. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Unum Group from $98.00 to $104.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Friday. Evercore ISI set a $103.00 price target on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $115.00 price target on shares of Unum Group in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Unum Group in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $97.69.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Unum Group

Insider Transactions at Unum Group

In related news, CAO Walter Lynn Rice, Jr. sold 900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.50, for a total transaction of $66,150.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 8,940 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $657,090. This represents a 9.15% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Steven Andrew Zabel sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.38, for a total transaction of $572,850.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 113,807 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,692,578.66. This trade represents a 6.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.92% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Unum Group

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Unum Group in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Unum Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in Unum Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Ancora Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Unum Group by 385.2% in the 3rd quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 427 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 339 shares during the period. Finally, Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC grew its position in shares of Unum Group by 44.0% during the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 537 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.57% of the company’s stock.

Unum Group Price Performance

The stock’s 50 day moving average is $77.02 and its two-hundred day moving average is $75.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.49 billion, a PE ratio of 17.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.36 and a quick ratio of 0.36.

About Unum Group

(Get 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.