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    How Investors Are Reacting To Unum Group (UNM) Buybacks Amid Sharply Lower Net Income

    Simply Wall St·02/17/2026 09:20:21
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    • In February 2026, Unum Group reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, with revenue edging up to US$3,244.1 million for the quarter and US$13.08 billion for the year, while net income roughly halved year-on-year.
    • Alongside these results, Unum disclosed that it had completed repurchasing 10,369,259 shares for US$802.5 million under its February 2025 buyback authorization, even as profitability weakened.
    • We’ll now examine how Unum’s sharply lower net income, despite continued buybacks, influences the existing investment narrative and risk balance.

    Find 55 companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value.

    Unum Group Investment Narrative Recap

    To own Unum Group, you need to be comfortable with a story built around steady premium income, disciplined underwriting and consistent capital returns. The latest results complicate that picture in the short term, with full year 2025 net income falling sharply even as revenue inched higher. This weak profitability directly affects the key near term catalyst of earnings growth and makes the existing risk around elevated benefit ratios and long term care volatility more immediate, rather than changing the thesis outright.

    The most relevant recent announcement here is Unum’s completion of its February 2025 buyback authorization, with 10,369,259 shares repurchased for US$802.5 million. That level of capital return, alongside a materially lower net income base, puts more attention on how resilient underlying earnings really are and whether future capital generation can comfortably support both ongoing dividends and potential buybacks without adding pressure to already thin profit margins.

    But while capital returns may look reassuring, investors should still pay attention to the risk that persistently higher benefit ratios could...

    Read the full narrative on Unum Group (it's free!)

    Unum Group's narrative projects $14.5 billion revenue and $1.6 billion earnings by 2028. This requires 4.0% yearly revenue growth and roughly a $0.1 billion earnings increase from $1.5 billion today.

    Uncover how Unum Group's forecasts yield a $95.62 fair value, a 33% upside to its current price.

    Exploring Other Perspectives

    UNM 1-Year Stock Price Chart
    UNM 1-Year Stock Price Chart

    Five fair value estimates from the Simply Wall St Community span roughly US$94 to US$168 per share, showing a very wide spread in views. When you set that against the recent drop in net income and pressure on profit margins, it underlines why many market participants are reexamining how sustainable Unum’s earnings power really is over time.

    Explore 5 other fair value estimates on Unum Group - why the stock might be worth just $94.23!

    Reach Your Own Conclusion

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    This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.