The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Director Sells $290,794.53 in Stock

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Director Daren Shaw sold 1,999 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.47, for a total transaction of $290,794.53. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 24,926 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,625,985.22. This trade represents a 7.42% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

Shares of ENSG stock traded down $2.05 on Monday, reaching $147.70. The stock had a trading volume of 607,487 shares, compared to its average volume of 442,770. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $116.23 and a 12 month high of $158.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.90, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.03. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $130.40 and its two-hundred day moving average is $135.33. The company has a quick ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The company reported $1.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50 by $0.02. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.07% and a net margin of 6.99%. The firm had revenue of $1.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.30 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 16.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Announces Dividend

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ENSG. Rise Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 114.0% in the first quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 199 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the last quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in The Ensign Group by 190.1% in the 4th quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 206 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. TCTC Holdings LLC raised its holdings in The Ensign Group by 116.7% in the 1st quarter. TCTC Holdings LLC now owns 208 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares during the period. WPG Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in The Ensign Group during the first quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Venturi Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in The Ensign Group by 150.6% during the fourth quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 208 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.12% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

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

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.