The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Director Barry M. Smith Sells 700 Shares

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.15, for a total transaction of $90,405.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 30,052 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,881,215.80. The trade was a 2.28 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

The Ensign Group Stock Up 1.5 %

ENSG stock opened at $131.50 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $7.56 billion, a PE ratio of 25.73, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.94. 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 fifty day moving average is $133.89 and its 200 day moving average is $142.49. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a one year low of $113.27 and a one year high of $158.45.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $1.36 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.47 by ($0.11). The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.99% and a return on equity of 17.07%. On average, research analysts forecast that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current year.

The Ensign Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st were issued a dividend of $0.0625 per share. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.19%. This is an increase from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 31st. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 4.89%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have issued reports on ENSG. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and set a $155.00 price target on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. UBS Group began coverage on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. They set a “buy” rating and a $175.00 price target on the stock. Macquarie upped their price target on shares of The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $166.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of The Ensign Group from $170.00 to $155.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $165.17.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Private Advisor Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the third quarter worth about $228,000. Forum Financial Management LP purchased a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the third quarter worth about $207,000. QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 6.8% in the third quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,547 shares of the company’s stock worth $798,000 after buying an additional 355 shares in the last quarter. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the third quarter worth about $992,000. Finally, Amalgamated Bank lifted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 51.7% in the third quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 26,093 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,753,000 after buying an additional 8,891 shares in the last quarter. 96.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.