The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) VP Beverly Wittekind Sells 8,400 Shares

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

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ENSG traded down $1.73 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $175.36. The stock had a trading volume of 428,948 shares, compared to its average volume of 416,396. The firm has a market cap of $10.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.37, a PEG ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $118.73 and a fifty-two week high of $193.99. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $180.72 and a 200-day moving average of $166.25.

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

The Ensign Group Dividend Announcement

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $206.00 price objective (up from $177.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Truist Financial raised their price target on The Ensign Group from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, November 10th. Stephens boosted their price target on The Ensign Group from $185.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $220.00 price objective (up from $205.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $196.40.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ENSG. Baillie Gifford & Co. boosted its holdings in The Ensign Group by 96.2% in the 3rd quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 2,818,609 shares of the company’s stock valued at $486,971,000 after purchasing an additional 1,382,035 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $105,400,000. Turtle Creek Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $78,840,000. Crow s Nest Holdings LP purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $56,936,000. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in The Ensign Group by 1,235.5% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 468,575 shares of the company’s stock worth $60,634,000 after acquiring an additional 433,489 shares during the period. 96.12% of the stock is 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.