Unum (UNM) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - Unum (UNM) is headquartered in Chattanooga and operates in the Finance sector, with a stock price change of 10% since the beginning of the year [1] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.37 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.94%, which is higher than the Insurance - Accident and Health industry's yield of 2.25% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.57% [1] Dividend Performance - Unum's annualized dividend of $1.46 has increased by 5% from the previous year, with an average annual increase of 6.40% over the last 5 years [2] - The company's current payout ratio is 18%, indicating that it paid out 18% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [2] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Unum's earnings in 2024 is projected to be $8.24 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 7.57% [3] Investment Appeal - Unum is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend performance and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [5]