The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six analysts that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $126.17.

Several research firms recently weighed in on ENSG. Oppenheimer upped their price target on shares of The Ensign Group from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, May 6th. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of The Ensign Group in a report on Tuesday, April 23rd. Finally, Macquarie initiated coverage on The Ensign Group in a research note on Friday, June 28th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $134.00 price target on the stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Daren Shaw sold 4,463 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.96, for a total transaction of $530,918.48. Following the transaction, the director now owns 32,250 shares in the company, valued at $3,836,460. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, Director Ann Scott Blouin sold 350 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $116.47, for a total value of $40,764.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 20,002 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,329,632.94. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Daren Shaw sold 4,463 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.96, for a total transaction of $530,918.48. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 32,250 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,836,460. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 6,813 shares of company stock worth $808,203 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. EntryPoint Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter valued at $34,000. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in The Ensign Group in the first quarter valued at about $45,000. Natixis lifted its position in The Ensign Group by 39.6% in the first quarter. Natixis now owns 398 shares of the company’s stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Finally, YHB Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in The Ensign Group during the first quarter worth about $50,000. 96.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Stock Up 0.4 %

The Ensign Group stock opened at $126.41 on Friday. The Ensign Group has a 12 month low of $88.79 and a 12 month high of $128.22. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.20 billion, a PE ratio of 33.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 1.53. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $119.68 and a 200-day simple moving average of $119.21.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 1st. The company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.19. The company had revenue of $1.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.01 billion. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 5.67% and a return on equity of 17.60%. On average, analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group will post 4.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Sunday, June 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.06 per share. This represents a $0.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 28th. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 6.32%.

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.