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Unum to Benefit From Growing Premium Amid Rising Expenses
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Key Takeaways
Q2 premiums rose 4.6% to $2.7B, but higher costs drove a 7.6% jump in benefits and expenses.
ROE of 13.44% lagged the industry's 15.02%, signaling weaker capital efficiency.
Unum missed earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, averaging a 4.2% shortfall.
Unum Group (UNM - Free Report) holds the top position in the U.S. disability income market and ranks second in voluntary business. Unum's conservative pricing and reservation practices have contributed to overall profitability. Sustained increase in premiums is fueled by high persistency levels in core business and strong sales volume, along with solid benefits experience. For long term, it expects premium growth in the band of 4-7%.
Favorable benefits experience, steady top-line momentum, and robust operational execution drove positive results across most insurance entities. Over the years, the company’s disciplined pricing and prudent reserving practices have underpinned its consistent profitability. For 2025, UNM expects an increase in after-tax adjusted operating EPS of 6-10%.
Two of the largest operating segments of Unum — Unum U.S. and Colonial Life — have been reporting operating income growth consistently over the past few years. Results have been benefiting from disciplined sales trends, strong persistency and favorable risk results.
Unum Group has consistently enhanced shareholder value through dividend hikes and share repurchases, banking on sustained operational expertise. While the insurer has increased dividend 16 times in the last 15 years, it expects to buy back $0.5-$1 billion in shares in 2025.
Risk
However, Unum Group has also been facing headwinds from a steady rise in total benefits and expenses, which has put pressure on margins. In the second quarter, total benefits and expenses increased 7.6% year over year to $2.9 billion, primarily driven by higher policy benefits, including remeasurement gain, along with increased commissions, interest and debt expenses, amortization of deferred acquisition costs, and other operating expenses. Rising expenses has been inducingnet margin contraction.
UNM’s debt levels have remained relatively stable in the past few years. Though itd debt-to-capital ratio for the trailing 12 months was 24.85, comparing favorably with the industry’s 24.98, its times interest earned for the same period was 10.34, which compares unfavorably with the industry’s 14.87.
Also, return on equity (ROE) for the trailing 12 months was 13.4, comparing unfavorably with the industry’s 15.02%. This reflects its inefficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds.
Earnings Surprise History
UNM’s earning history is disappointing. It lagged estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average negative earnings surprise being 4.2%
Globe Life’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 2.8%
American Income Life, Globe Life’s distribution arm, continues to strengthen its agency force by expanding middle management and opening new agency offices. Recent investments in sales technologies, combined with this agency growth, are expected to drive premium income and support underwriting margin expansion for Globe Life.
Aflac’searnings surpassed estimates in two of the last four quarters and missed in the other two, the average surprise being 6.6%.
Aflac’s asset management subsidiary, Aflac Global Investments, has acquired a minority stake in Varagon Capital Partners, L.P., a leading direct lender to middle-market companies. The unit also announced a multi-year investment commitment of up to $3 billion to Varagon for investing in middle-market loans. This initiative aligns with Aflac’s strategy to build a comprehensive platform capable of generating sustainable, risk-adjusted net investment income.
AMERISAFE’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 3.3%.
AMERISAFE has nearly four decades of experience providing workers’ compensation insurance to small and mid-sized businesses in high-hazard industries. Operating in 27 U.S. states, it maintains a strong voluntary policy retention rate of 93.8%. Its focus on this niche, along with advanced risk analysis tools, supports precise underwriting, and solid fundamentals position the company for potential growth despite recent share underperformance.
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Unum to Benefit From Growing Premium Amid Rising Expenses
Key Takeaways
Unum Group (UNM - Free Report) holds the top position in the U.S. disability income market and ranks second in voluntary business. Unum's conservative pricing and reservation practices have contributed to overall profitability. Sustained increase in premiums is fueled by high persistency levels in core business and strong sales volume, along with solid benefits experience. For long term, it expects premium growth in the band of 4-7%.
Favorable benefits experience, steady top-line momentum, and robust operational execution drove positive results across most insurance entities. Over the years, the company’s disciplined pricing and prudent reserving practices have underpinned its consistent profitability. For 2025, UNM expects an increase in after-tax adjusted operating EPS of 6-10%.
Two of the largest operating segments of Unum — Unum U.S. and Colonial Life — have been reporting operating income growth consistently over the past few years. Results have been benefiting from disciplined sales trends, strong persistency and favorable risk results.
Unum Group has consistently enhanced shareholder value through dividend hikes and share repurchases, banking on sustained operational expertise. While the insurer has increased dividend 16 times in the last 15 years, it expects to buy back $0.5-$1 billion in shares in 2025.
Risk
However, Unum Group has also been facing headwinds from a steady rise in total benefits and expenses, which has put pressure on margins. In the second quarter, total benefits and expenses increased 7.6% year over year to $2.9 billion, primarily driven by higher policy benefits, including remeasurement gain, along with increased commissions, interest and debt expenses, amortization of deferred acquisition costs, and other operating expenses. Rising expenses has been inducingnet margin contraction.
UNM’s debt levels have remained relatively stable in the past few years. Though itd debt-to-capital ratio for the trailing 12 months was 24.85, comparing favorably with the industry’s 24.98, its times interest earned for the same period was 10.34, which compares unfavorably with the industry’s 14.87.
Also, return on equity (ROE) for the trailing 12 months was 13.4, comparing unfavorably with the industry’s 15.02%. This reflects its inefficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds.
Earnings Surprise History
UNM’s earning history is disappointing. It lagged estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average negative earnings surprise being 4.2%
Other Industry Players
Other players in the Accident and Health industry include Globe Life Inc. (GL - Free Report) , Aflac Incorporated (AFL - Free Report) and AMERISAFE, Inc. (AMSF - Free Report)
Globe Life’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 2.8%
American Income Life, Globe Life’s distribution arm, continues to strengthen its agency force by expanding middle management and opening new agency offices. Recent investments in sales technologies, combined with this agency growth, are expected to drive premium income and support underwriting margin expansion for Globe Life.
Aflac’searnings surpassed estimates in two of the last four quarters and missed in the other two, the average surprise being 6.6%.
Aflac’s asset management subsidiary, Aflac Global Investments, has acquired a minority stake in Varagon Capital Partners, L.P., a leading direct lender to middle-market companies. The unit also announced a multi-year investment commitment of up to $3 billion to Varagon for investing in middle-market loans. This initiative aligns with Aflac’s strategy to build a comprehensive platform capable of generating sustainable, risk-adjusted net investment income.
AMERISAFE’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 3.3%.
AMERISAFE has nearly four decades of experience providing workers’ compensation insurance to small and mid-sized businesses in high-hazard industries. Operating in 27 U.S. states, it maintains a strong voluntary policy retention rate of 93.8%. Its focus on this niche, along with advanced risk analysis tools, supports precise underwriting, and solid fundamentals position the company for potential growth despite recent share underperformance.