The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) Share Price Breaks Below Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Here’s Why

Shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday. The stock has a 200-day moving average of $181.67 and traded as low as $179.16. The Ensign Group shares last traded at $181.08, with a volume of 292,117 shares traded.

Key Headlines Impacting The Ensign Group

Here are the key news stories impacting The Ensign Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada raised its price target on ENSG, a potentially supportive analyst signal. The report provided here does not specify the new target or the rationale. The Ensign Group stock gets price target boost from Royal Bank of Canada
• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms reminded investors that a securities class action has been filed against Ensign and certain executives, covering purchases from February 10, 2022, through June 18, 2026. Investors have until December 7, 2026, to seek lead-plaintiff status. The allegations are not established facts; continued legal uncertainty could pressure investor sentiment. BFA Law class action deadline reminder

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on ENSG. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price on shares of The Ensign Group from $228.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings raised The Ensign Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on The Ensign Group from $210.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 29th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of The Ensign Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, October 25th. Finally, UBS Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $240.00 price objective (up from $230.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research report on Thursday, October 29th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $226.00.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 1.20. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $175.21 and a 200 day moving average of $181.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.66.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $2.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.97 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $1.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.51 billion. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 7.03% and a return on equity of 16.79%. The business’s revenue was up 14.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.64 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 7.07 earnings per share for the current year.

The Ensign Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, October 31st. Investors of record on Wednesday, September 30th were given a dividend of $0.0650 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, September 30th. This represents a $0.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.1%. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 3.87%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in The Ensign Group during the second quarter worth $937,218,000. Wasatch Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 10.7% in the second quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 2,278,324 shares of the company’s stock worth $365,215,000 after purchasing an additional 220,329 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 7.1% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 457,667 shares of the company’s stock valued at $92,220,000 after purchasing an additional 30,521 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the second quarter valued at about $65,470,000. Finally, Paradigm Capital Management Inc. NY acquired a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the second quarter worth $54,742,000. Institutional investors own 96.12% of the company’s stock.

The Ensign Group Company Profile

The Ensign Group, Inc is a healthcare services company that provides skilled nursing, post-acute care and rehabilitation services. Its facilities serve patients recovering from illness, injury or surgery, as well as individuals requiring long-term nursing care and support with daily living.

Through its operating subsidiaries, Ensign also provides assisted living and other senior care services. Its portfolio includes skilled nursing facilities, senior living communities and related healthcare operations, with services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, medically complex care and rehabilitation.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in San Juan Capistrano, California, The Ensign Group operates healthcare facilities across multiple U.S.