Barry M. Smith Sells 700 Shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Stock

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.15, for a total transaction of $90,405.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 30,052 shares in the company, valued at $3,881,215.80. The trade was a 2.28 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

NASDAQ ENSG traded up $1.98 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $131.50. 415,651 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 452,887. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $113.27 and a 12-month high of $158.45. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $133.89 and a 200 day moving average of $142.49. The company has a market cap of $7.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a quick ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $1.36 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.47 by ($0.11). The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.99% and a return on equity of 17.07%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current year.

The Ensign Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $0.0625 per share. This is a positive change from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.19%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 31st. The Ensign Group’s payout ratio is presently 4.89%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have issued reports on ENSG shares. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on shares of The Ensign Group from $170.00 to $155.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 6th. UBS Group began coverage on The Ensign Group in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $175.00 price target on the stock. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $155.00 price objective on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Macquarie lifted their target price on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $166.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $165.17.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Ensign Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ENSG. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in The Ensign Group by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,571 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,538,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division lifted its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 7.3% in the fourth quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 1,180 shares of the company’s stock valued at $157,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Forum Financial Management LP boosted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 5.8% during the fourth quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 1,524 shares of the company’s stock valued at $202,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Equitable Trust Co. increased its position in The Ensign Group by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 4,998 shares of the company’s stock worth $664,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its stake in The Ensign Group by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 1,731 shares of the company’s stock valued at $230,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares during the last quarter. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.