Barry Smith Sells 700 Shares of The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) Stock

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Director Barry Smith sold 700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $171.54, for a total transaction of $120,078.00. Following the sale, the director owned 23,552 shares in the company, valued at $4,040,110.08. This trade represents a 2.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

The Ensign Group Stock Down 0.2%

Shares of NASDAQ ENSG traded down $0.42 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $173.18. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 492,804 shares, compared to its average volume of 329,452. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.46 and a quick ratio of 1.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.88. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $177.19 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $173.10. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $118.73 and a 1 year high of $193.99.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $1.82 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.75 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $1.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.37 billion. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.80% and a return on equity of 16.77%. The Ensign Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.410-7.610 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current year.

The Ensign Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were given a $0.065 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.2%. This is an increase from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio is 4.65%.

Institutional Trading of The Ensign Group

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in ENSG. Private Trust Co. NA lifted its stake in The Ensign Group by 156.5% in the fourth quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 159 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC grew its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 125.6% during the fourth quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 194 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its position in The Ensign Group by 76.9% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 207 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caitlin John LLC acquired a new stake in The Ensign Group during the 3rd quarter worth $39,000. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key The Ensign Group News

Here are the key news stories impacting The Ensign Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat consensus — Ensign reported $1.82 EPS vs. $1.75 expected and showed solid profitability metrics (6.8% net margin, 16.8% ROE), which supports earnings momentum and valuation support. Quarterly Press Release
• Positive Sentiment: Accelerating footprint expansion — Ensign announced multiple acquisitions/additions across Arizona, Texas and Wisconsin (several skilled‑nursing facilities), which can drive organic growth and lift revenues over time as they are integrated. Nursing Home Giant Expands Footprint in Arizona, Texas and Wisconsin
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/institutional interest remains supportive — recent analyst price targets and notable institutional buying (several large funds adding shares) provide upside context to the stock’s valuation. Assessing Ensign Group (ENSG) Valuation
• Neutral Sentiment: Company issued 2026 annual earnings & revenue guidance and scheduled a webcast — management will host a conference call/webcast tomorrow to discuss results and outlook; investors will watch guidance detail and margin assumptions. Press Release: Reports Results; Issues 2026 Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor access — earnings release followed by an investor webcast provides transparency; any surprises on the call (capital deployment plans, reimbursement outlook) will move the stock. Earnings Call Scheduled
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed expectations — Q4 revenue came in a touch below consensus ($1.36B vs. $1.37B expected), a short‑term negative that may temper near‑term sentiment until guidance clarity is provided. Quarterly Press Release
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and risk factors flagged — recent filings and third‑party summaries note material insider sales and the company reiterated risks (reimbursement pressure, rising borrowing costs, integration risk from acquisitions), which can pressure sentiment. Quiver Quant Summary (insider & institutional activity)

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Stephens increased their price objective on shares of The Ensign Group from $185.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $220.00 price target (up from $205.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of The Ensign Group from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $206.00 price objective (up previously from $177.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a report on Friday, November 14th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, The Ensign Group has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $196.40.

About The Ensign Group

The Ensign Group, Inc is a diversified provider of post-acute healthcare services in the United States, operating a network of skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, home health and hospice care centers. The company’s model emphasizes integrated care by employing multidisciplinary teams—including nursing staff, therapists and physicians—to deliver personalized rehabilitation and long-term care services for seniors and other patients recovering from injury, illness or surgery.

Through its owned and managed centers, The Ensign Group offers a broad spectrum of rehabilitation services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy.