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UNM Q2 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates on Solid Premium Growth
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Key Takeaways
UNM beat Q2 earnings estimates on premium growth and strength in Unum U.S. and Colonial Life.
Lower investment income and higher benefits and expenses partly offset operating performance.
Management reaffirmed 2026 EPS guidance of $8.60-$8.90, supported by continued premium growth.
Unum Group’s (UNM - Free Report) second-quarter 2026 operating net income of $2.16 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1%. The bottom line increased 4.4% year over year.
The quarterly results benefited from premium growth across core businesses, improved performance in Unum U.S. and Colonial Life, and strong sales momentum. However, lower net investment income, higher total costs and weaker Closed Block results partly offset these gains.
Total operating revenues of Unum Group were $3.4 billion, down 0.1% year over year. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 14.3%.
Premium increased 2.5% from the prior-year quarter to $2.8 billion, which was higher than our estimate of $2.5 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at $2.6 billion.
Net investment income declined 14.7% year over year to $478.4 million, primarily due to lower returns from alternative investments.
Total benefits and expenses increased 3.3% year over year to $3 billion, largely attributable to higher policy benefits, commissions and other expenses. The figurewas higher than our estimate of $2.5 billion.
UNM’s Quarterly Segment Update
Unum U.S.: Premium income was $1.86 billion, up 3.3% year over year.
Adjusted operating income decreased 22.8% year over year to $261 million, primarily due to less favorable disability experience and higher benefit costs. It excluded the amortization of the deferred gain on reinsurance of $4.4 million and the impact of non-contemporaneous reinsurance of $0.7 million. Our estimate was $314 million.
The group disability line of business reported a 17.4% decrease in adjusted operating income while the group life and accidental death and dismemberment line of business reported a 32.8% increase. The supplemental and voluntary line of business reported an increase of 8.2%.
Unum International: Premium income of $289.3 million increased 6.7% year over year.
Adjusted operating income was $24.3 million, down 41.6% year over year. Our estimate was $51.7 million.
The Unum U.K. line of business premium income totaled £175.5 million, up 5.2% from the year-ago quarter, primarily due to in-force block growth, sales and favorable persistency. Adjusted operating income, in local currency, was £15.3 million, down 48% year over year.
The benefit ratio, excluding the reserve assumption updates, was 82.2%, which deteriorated 720 basis points (bps), primarily due to higher average claim size and increased claim incidence in the group long-term disability business.
Sales decreased 14.9% to £32.6 million.
Persistency decreased in the supplemental product line, the group long-term disability and the group life product line.
Colonial Life: Premium income increased 3.3% from the prior-year figure to $477.4 million, driven by stable overall persistency and prior period sales.
Sales increased 0.9% from the year-ago figure to $106.3 million.
Adjusted operating income increased 11.9% from the prior-year period to $131.4 million. Our estimate was $113.4 million.
Persistency was 78.2% for the first half of 2026, improved 30 bps year over year. The benefit ratio, excluding the reserve assumption updates, improved 300 bps year over year to 46.7%.
Closed Block: Premium income decreased 10.8% to $192.9 million. The segment reported an adjusted operating loss of $61.2 million, compared with a loss of $10.8 million in the year-ago quarter. The decrease was primarily due to lower net investment income and the amortization of the cost of reinsurance. Our estimate for loss was $55 million.
Corporate: The segment incurred an adjusted operating loss of $44.5 million, wider than the year-ago quarter’s loss of $31.7 million, primarily due to decreased net investment income. Our estimate for loss was $45.1 million.
UNM’s Capital Management
As of June 30, 2026, the weighted average risk-based capital ratio for Unum Group’s traditional U.S. insurance companies was approximately 480%.
Unum Group exited the second quarter with holding company liquidity worth $1.5 billion.
Book value per share grew 3.8% year over year to $68.28 as of June 30, 2026.
UNM repurchased approximately $200 million of common shares and paid $73.5 million in common stock dividends during the second quarter.
UNM’s 2026 Guidance
UNM expects that after-tax adjusted operating income per share will increase to 22.2% from 21.2% in the year-ago period.
Management expects 2026 EPS of $8.60-$8.90, implying 8-12% growth.
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (SIGI - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 operating earnings of $1.95 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.4%. The bottom line increased 48.9% year over year. Revenues of $1.37 billion rose 4.5% from the year-ago quarter and topped the consensus estimate by 0.7%.
Net premiums written declined 5% year over year to $1.22 billion due to a 6% decrease in Standard Commercial Lines, an 8% fall in Standard Personal Lines, and a 2% decline in Excess and Surplus Lines. Our estimate was $1.33 billion. Net premiums earned increased 2.3%. Direct new business fell to $206.1 million from $248.1 million. Renewal pure price increases averaged 6.5%, down from 9.9% in the prior-year quarter.
Chubb Limited (CB - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 core operating earnings of $7.26 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.63 by 9.5%. The bottom line increased 18.2% year over year. Revenues rose 2.7% year over year to $15.77 billion but missed the consensus mark of $15.90 billion by 0.8%. Stronger P&C underwriting, record investment income, and higher life insurance income supported results.
Net premiums earned increased 5.8% to $13.89 billion. P&C underwriting income increased 18.8% year over year to $1.94 billion. The combined ratio improved 180 basis points to 83.8%, reflecting a lower share of premiums consumed by claims and expenses. Our estimate was $1.15 billion.
Principal Financial Group, Inc.’s (PFG - Free Report) second-quarter 2026 operating earnings of $2.50 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.3%. The bottom line increased 16% year over year. Revenues rose 6.4% year over year to $3.99 billion, which missed the consensus mark of $4.09 billion by 2.4%.
Total expenses increased 7.6% year over year to $3.41 billion. Benefits, claims and settlement expenses rose 8.3% to $1.99 billion, while operating expenses increased 8.1% to $1.40 billion. Non-GAAP operating earnings climbed 12% to $547 million. Excluding significant variances, operating earnings advanced 13% to $528.7 million, reflecting growth across the operating segments. Net income attributable to PFG declined 1% to $403.4 million.
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UNM Q2 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates on Solid Premium Growth
Key Takeaways
Unum Group’s (UNM - Free Report) second-quarter 2026 operating net income of $2.16 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1%. The bottom line increased 4.4% year over year.
The quarterly results benefited from premium growth across core businesses, improved performance in Unum U.S. and Colonial Life, and strong sales momentum. However, lower net investment income, higher total costs and weaker Closed Block results partly offset these gains.
Unum Group Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Unum Group price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Unum Group Quote
UNM’s Operational Update
Total operating revenues of Unum Group were $3.4 billion, down 0.1% year over year. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 14.3%.
Premium increased 2.5% from the prior-year quarter to $2.8 billion, which was higher than our estimate of $2.5 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at $2.6 billion.
Net investment income declined 14.7% year over year to $478.4 million, primarily due to lower returns from alternative investments.
Total benefits and expenses increased 3.3% year over year to $3 billion, largely attributable to higher policy benefits, commissions and other expenses. The figurewas higher than our estimate of $2.5 billion.
UNM’s Quarterly Segment Update
Unum U.S.: Premium income was $1.86 billion, up 3.3% year over year.
Adjusted operating income decreased 22.8% year over year to $261 million, primarily due to less favorable disability experience and higher benefit costs. It excluded the amortization of the deferred gain on reinsurance of $4.4 million and the impact of non-contemporaneous reinsurance of $0.7 million. Our estimate was $314 million.
The group disability line of business reported a 17.4% decrease in adjusted operating income while the group life and accidental death and dismemberment line of business reported a 32.8% increase. The supplemental and voluntary line of business reported an increase of 8.2%.
Unum International: Premium income of $289.3 million increased 6.7% year over year.
Adjusted operating income was $24.3 million, down 41.6% year over year. Our estimate was $51.7 million.
The Unum U.K. line of business premium income totaled £175.5 million, up 5.2% from the year-ago quarter, primarily due to in-force block growth, sales and favorable persistency. Adjusted operating income, in local currency, was £15.3 million, down 48% year over year.
The benefit ratio, excluding the reserve assumption updates, was 82.2%, which deteriorated 720 basis points (bps), primarily due to higher average claim size and increased claim incidence in the group long-term disability business.
Sales decreased 14.9% to £32.6 million.
Persistency decreased in the supplemental product line, the group long-term disability and the group life product line.
Colonial Life: Premium income increased 3.3% from the prior-year figure to $477.4 million, driven by stable overall persistency and prior period sales.
Sales increased 0.9% from the year-ago figure to $106.3 million.
Adjusted operating income increased 11.9% from the prior-year period to $131.4 million. Our estimate was $113.4 million.
Persistency was 78.2% for the first half of 2026, improved 30 bps year over year. The benefit ratio, excluding the reserve assumption updates, improved 300 bps year over year to 46.7%.
Closed Block: Premium income decreased 10.8% to $192.9 million. The segment reported an adjusted operating loss of $61.2 million, compared with a loss of $10.8 million in the year-ago quarter. The decrease was primarily due to lower net investment income and the amortization of the cost of reinsurance. Our estimate for loss was $55 million.
Corporate: The segment incurred an adjusted operating loss of $44.5 million, wider than the year-ago quarter’s loss of $31.7 million, primarily due to decreased net investment income. Our estimate for loss was $45.1 million.
UNM’s Capital Management
As of June 30, 2026, the weighted average risk-based capital ratio for Unum Group’s traditional U.S. insurance companies was approximately 480%.
Unum Group exited the second quarter with holding company liquidity worth $1.5 billion.
Book value per share grew 3.8% year over year to $68.28 as of June 30, 2026.
UNM repurchased approximately $200 million of common shares and paid $73.5 million in common stock dividends during the second quarter.
UNM’s 2026 Guidance
UNM expects that after-tax adjusted operating income per share will increase to 22.2% from 21.2% in the year-ago period.
Management expects 2026 EPS of $8.60-$8.90, implying 8-12% growth.
UNM’s Zacks Rank
UNM currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Performance of Other Insurers
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (SIGI - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 operating earnings of $1.95 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.4%. The bottom line increased 48.9% year over year. Revenues of $1.37 billion rose 4.5% from the year-ago quarter and topped the consensus estimate by 0.7%.
Net premiums written declined 5% year over year to $1.22 billion due to a 6% decrease in Standard Commercial Lines, an 8% fall in Standard Personal Lines, and a 2% decline in Excess and Surplus Lines. Our estimate was $1.33 billion. Net premiums earned increased 2.3%. Direct new business fell to $206.1 million from $248.1 million. Renewal pure price increases averaged 6.5%, down from 9.9% in the prior-year quarter.
Chubb Limited (CB - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 core operating earnings of $7.26 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.63 by 9.5%. The bottom line increased 18.2% year over year. Revenues rose 2.7% year over year to $15.77 billion but missed the consensus mark of $15.90 billion by 0.8%. Stronger P&C underwriting, record investment income, and higher life insurance income supported results.
Net premiums earned increased 5.8% to $13.89 billion. P&C underwriting income increased 18.8% year over year to $1.94 billion. The combined ratio improved 180 basis points to 83.8%, reflecting a lower share of premiums consumed by claims and expenses. Our estimate was $1.15 billion.
Principal Financial Group, Inc.’s (PFG - Free Report) second-quarter 2026 operating earnings of $2.50 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.3%. The bottom line increased 16% year over year. Revenues rose 6.4% year over year to $3.99 billion, which missed the consensus mark of $4.09 billion by 2.4%.
Total expenses increased 7.6% year over year to $3.41 billion. Benefits, claims and settlement expenses rose 8.3% to $1.99 billion, while operating expenses increased 8.1% to $1.40 billion. Non-GAAP operating earnings climbed 12% to $547 million. Excluding significant variances, operating earnings advanced 13% to $528.7 million, reflecting growth across the operating segments. Net income attributable to PFG declined 1% to $403.4 million.