Two Sigma Advisers LP Takes Position in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG)

Two Sigma Advisers LP bought a new position in shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 49,800 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,616,000. Two Sigma Advisers LP owned about 0.09% of The Ensign Group at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in ENSG. Avior Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in The Ensign Group by 190.1% during the fourth quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 206 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 150.6% during the 4th quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 208 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 38.8% during the 4th quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 354 shares of the company’s stock worth $47,000 after buying an additional 99 shares during the period. Asset Planning Inc bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the 4th quarter worth about $80,000. Finally, South Dakota Investment Council acquired a new position in The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $104,000. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

NASDAQ:ENSG opened at $144.55 on Friday. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $116.23 and a 52 week high of $158.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a current ratio of 1.56. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $132.32 and its 200 day simple moving average is $135.33. The firm has a market cap of $8.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.29, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.03.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The company reported $1.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.50 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.17 billion. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.99% and a return on equity of 17.07%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.30 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current year.

The Ensign Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Monday, March 31st were given a $0.0625 dividend. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.17%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 31st. The Ensign Group’s payout ratio is currently 4.73%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 3,539 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total transaction of $530,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 39,209 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,881,350. This represents a 8.28% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.15, for a total transaction of $90,405.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 30,052 shares in the company, valued at $3,881,215.80. This represents a 2.28% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 6,238 shares of company stock worth $912,050. Company insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on ENSG shares. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and set a $155.00 price objective on shares of The Ensign Group in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Macquarie dropped their price target on The Ensign Group from $159.00 to $156.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $163.50.

The Ensign Group 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.