Unum Group’s UNM first-quarter 2025 operating net income of $2.04 per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.8%. The bottom line decreased 3.8% year over year.

The quarterly results reflected higher premiums and solid performances across Unum International, Colonial Life and Closed Block segments, partially offset by weakness in the Unum U.S and Corporate segments. (Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.)

Unum Group’s Operational Update

Total operating revenues of Unum Group were $3.3 billion, up 3% year over year, driven by higher premium income and other income. However, the top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.1%.

Premiums increased 3.5% from the prior-year quarter to $2.7 billion and were in line with our estimate.

Unum Group Price, Consensus and EPS SurpriseUnum Group Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Unum Group price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Unum Group Quote

Total benefits and expenses rose 5.3% year over year to $2.8 billion, largely attributable to higher policy benefits, including remeasurement gain, commissions, interest and debt expense and other expenses. The figure matched our estimate.

Quarterly Segment Update of Unum Group

Unum U.S.: Premium income was $1.8 billion, up 4.3% year over year. 

Adjusted operating income declined 14.6% year over year to $329.1 million. Our estimate was $325.3 million, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate was $344 million.

Unum International: Premium income of $246.7 million jumped 6.5% year over year. Adjusted operating income was $38.7 million, up 3.5% year over year. Our estimate was $42.9 million, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate was $42.6 million.

The Unum U.K. line of business premium income was £161.5 million, up 4.9% from the year-ago quarter, primarily due to in-force block growth. Adjusted operating income in local currency of £29.5 million was up 4.6% from a year ago.

The benefit ratio was 67.1, which improved 100 basis points (bps) due to lower incidence in the supplemental product line. Sales decreased 28% to £21.3 million.

Persistency increased in the group life product line and supplemental product line, but decreased in the group long-term disability product line.

Colonial Life: Premium income rose 2.3% from the prior-year figure to $457.3 million, primarily due to prior-period sales in all product lines. 

Sales increased 2.2% from the year-ago figure to $105.3 million. Adjusted operating income climbed 1.8% from the prior-year period to $115.7 million. Our estimate was $108 million, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate was $119 million.

Persistency was 78.1%, which decreased 30 bps year over year.

The benefit ratio improved 90 bps year over year to 47.7, primarily due to favorable benefit experience in the life and cancer and critical illness product lines.

Closed Block: Adjusted operating income was $24.4 million, which inched up 0.4% year over year. Our estimate was $32.6 million, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at $36.6 million.

Corporate: The segment incurred an adjusted operating loss of $41.1 million, narrower than the loss of $46.1 million in the year-earlier quarter. The lower loss was due to an increase in net investment income, owing to a rise in the level of invested assets. Our estimate for loss was $50 million, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at a loss of $49.91 million.

Story Continues

Capital Management of UNM

As of March 31, 2025, the weighted average risk-based capital ratio for Unum Group’s traditional U.S. insurance companies was approximately 460%.

Unum Group exited the first quarter of 2025 with liquidity worth $2.2 billion.

Book value per share grew 19.5% year over year to $63.78 as of March 31, 2025.

Unum Group bought back 3.3 million shares for $ $202.6 million.

Guidance

UNM expects after-tax adjusted operating income per share to increase 6-10% year over year.

Zacks Rank

Unum Group currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). 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 reported first-quarter 2025 operating income of $1.76 per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.8%. The bottom line increased 32.3% from the year-ago quarter. Total revenues of $1.3 billion increased 10% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.9%.

On a year-over-year basis, net premiums written increased 7% to $1.2 billion. Average renewal pure price expanded 220 basis points year over year to 10.3%. The figure matched our estimate. Net investment income increased 12% year over year to $95.6 million. After-tax net underwriting income was $36.1 million, which more than doubled year over year. Net catastrophe losses of $43.4 million were narrower than the year-ago loss of $55.2 million. 

RLI Corp. RLI reported first-quarter 2025 operating earnings of 92 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.5%. The bottom line, however, decreased 9.2% from the prior-year quarter. Operating revenues for the reported quarter were $436 million, up 10.7% year over year, driven by higher net premiums earned and net investment income. The top line, however, missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.9%. 

Gross premiums written increased 5% year over year to $491 million. This uptick can be attributed to the solid performance of the Casualty segment (up 13.5%). Our estimate was $577.9 million. Net investment income increased 12% year over year to $36.7 million. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at $38.6 million, while our estimate for the metric was $38.9 million. The investment portfolio’s total return was 1.3% in the quarter. 

Cincinnati Financial Corporation CINF reported first-quarter 2025 operating loss of 24 cents per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 61 cents. CINF had reported an operating income of $1.72 per share in the prior-year quarter. The year-over-year decrease of $309 million was primarily due to a $356 million increase in after-tax catastrophe losses.

Total operating revenues in the quarter under review were $2.6 billion, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.5%. The top line, however, improved 13.3% year over year. Net written premiums climbed 11% year over year to $2.5 billion. Investment income, net of expenses, increased 14% year over year to $280 million, as bond interest grew 24% and stock portfolio dividends declined 7%. The figure was higher than our estimate of $274.8 million.

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