The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) VP Sells $1,474,032.00 in Stock

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) VP Beverly Wittekind sold 8,400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $175.48, for a total transaction of $1,474,032.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 32,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,752,058.92. This represents a 20.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

ENSG stock traded down $1.73 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $175.36. 428,948 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 416,396. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.46 and a current ratio of 1.46. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $180.72 and its 200 day moving average price is $166.25. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $118.73 and a 52-week high of $193.99. The company has a market cap of $10.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.37, a PEG ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.85.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last issued its earnings results on Monday, November 3rd. The company reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $1.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.28 billion. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.80% and a return on equity of 16.77%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 19.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.39 earnings per share. The Ensign Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.480-6.540 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 30th were issued a dividend of $0.0625 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 30th. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.1%. The Ensign Group’s payout ratio is currently 4.47%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have weighed in on ENSG. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Ensign Group in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of The Ensign Group from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Stephens increased their price objective on shares of The Ensign Group from $185.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $220.00 target price (up from $205.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $206.00 target price (up previously from $177.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $196.40.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Financial Management Professionals Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Rise Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 114.0% during the first quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 199 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 106 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in The Ensign Group during the third quarter worth approximately $35,000. WPG Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in The Ensign Group by 76.9% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 207 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. 96.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Company Profile

The Ensign Group, Inc provides skilled nursing, senior living, and rehabilitative services. It operates through two segments: Skilled Services and Standard Bearer. The company's Skilled Services segment engages in the operation of skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation therapy services for patients with chronic conditions, prolonged illness, and the elderly; and offers nursing facilities including specialty care, such as on-site dialysis, ventilator care, cardiac, and pulmonary management, as well as standard services comprising room and board, special nutritional programs, social services, recreational activities, entertainment, and other services.