The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) Shares Down 5.5% After Earnings Miss

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG)’s share price traded down 5.5% during trading on Thursday following a dissappointing earnings announcement. The company traded as low as $140.98 and last traded at $140.67. 108,633 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 74% from the average session volume of 411,240 shares. The stock had previously closed at $148.86.

The company reported $1.36 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.47 by ($0.11). The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.21% and a net margin of 5.84%.

The Ensign Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $0.0625 per share. This is a boost from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.19%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 31st. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 6.05%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have commented on ENSG shares. Oppenheimer increased their price target on shares of The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $168.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Macquarie increased 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 report on Tuesday. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $155.00 price target on shares of The Ensign Group in a research report on Thursday. Truist Financial reduced 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 report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of The Ensign Group from $167.00 to $172.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, The Ensign Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $165.17.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.48, for a total value of $96,936.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 30,752 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,258,536.96. This trade represents a 2.23 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Chairman Christopher R. Christensen sold 39,086 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.52, for a total value of $5,805,052.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now directly owns 12,539 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,862,292.28. The trade was a 75.71 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 40,486 shares of company stock valued at $5,995,390. 3.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of The Ensign Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ENSG. CWM LLC increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 16.2% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 508 shares of the company’s stock valued at $73,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,571 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,538,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 7.3% during the fourth quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 1,180 shares of the company’s stock valued at $157,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Equitable Trust Co. increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 4,998 shares of the company’s stock valued at $664,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 5.3% during the fourth quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 1,731 shares of the company’s stock valued at $230,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.12% of the company’s stock.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

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 firm has a fifty day moving average price of $138.08 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $143.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.94.

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.