The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) has earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $164.33.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Stephens lifted their price target on The Ensign Group from $163.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. UBS Group began coverage on The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. They set a “buy” rating and a $175.00 price objective on the stock. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on The Ensign Group from $160.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on The Ensign Group from $167.00 to $172.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $168.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:ENSG opened at $134.59 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 1.56 and a quick ratio of 1.56. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $146.66 and its 200-day moving average price is $141.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.71 billion, a PE ratio of 32.59, a P/E/G ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.92. The Ensign Group has a 1 year low of $110.71 and a 1 year high of $158.45.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.38 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $1.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.07 billion. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.21% and a net margin of 5.84%. The business’s revenue was up 15.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.10 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that The Ensign Group will post 5.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a $0.0625 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.19%. This is an increase from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. The Ensign Group’s payout ratio is currently 6.05%.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Ensign Group

In other The Ensign Group news, CEO Barry Port sold 2,000 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction on Friday, October 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total value of $310,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 53,716 shares in the company, valued at $8,325,980. The trade was a 3.59 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Signaturefd LLC raised its position in The Ensign Group by 115.2% in the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 284 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the period. USA Financial Formulas purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $54,000. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 30.1% in the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 385 shares of the company’s stock valued at $55,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $49,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. raised its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 21.2% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 429 shares of the company’s stock valued at $53,000 after buying an additional 75 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.12% of the company’s stock.

About The Ensign Group

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.