The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) Sets New 52-Week High at $128.12

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) shares reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $128.12 and last traded at $126.28, with a volume of 80413 shares. The stock had previously closed at $125.93.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Oppenheimer upped their price target on The Ensign Group from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, May 6th. Macquarie initiated coverage on The Ensign Group in a research note on Friday, June 28th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $134.00 target price for the company. Finally, Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $126.17.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $119.86 and a two-hundred day moving average of $119.26. The stock has a market cap of $7.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.27, a P/E/G ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 1.53 and a current ratio of 1.53.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 1st. The company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.19. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.60% and a net margin of 5.67%. The company had revenue of $1.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.01 billion. On average, research analysts predict that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 4.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Shareholders of record on Sunday, June 30th will be given a $0.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 28th. This represents a $0.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.19%. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 6.32%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other The Ensign Group news, Director Ann Scott Blouin sold 350 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.47, for a total value of $40,764.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 20,002 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,329,632.94. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other The Ensign Group news, Director Ann Scott Blouin sold 350 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.47, for a total value of $40,764.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 20,002 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,329,632.94. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Daren Shaw sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.26, for a total value of $236,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 30,250 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,577,365. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 6,813 shares of company stock worth $808,203. 3.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Ensign Group

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ENSG. EntryPoint Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $34,000. Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $45,000. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $50,000. Finally, Natixis raised its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 39.6% in the 1st quarter. Natixis now owns 398 shares of the company’s stock worth $50,000 after buying an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.