Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC) Upgraded at StockNews.com

Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report released on Sunday.

EHC has been the subject of a number of other reports. UBS Group upped their price objective on Encompass Health from $117.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, April 28th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Encompass Health from $118.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, April 25th. KeyCorp upped their price objective on shares of Encompass Health from $120.00 to $122.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Truist Financial reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $135.00 target price (up previously from $116.00) on shares of Encompass Health in a research report on Monday, April 28th. Finally, William Blair reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Encompass Health in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Encompass Health has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $120.86.

Encompass Health Stock Up 0.8%

EHC traded up $0.96 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $117.89. 604,840 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 686,927. Encompass Health has a 1 year low of $82.74 and a 1 year high of $118.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.05. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $103.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $100.16. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.88 billion, a PE ratio of 26.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.91.

Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The company reported $1.37 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.19 by $0.18. The company had revenue of $1.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.43 billion. Encompass Health had a net margin of 8.48% and a return on equity of 17.56%. Encompass Health's revenue was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.12 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Encompass Health will post 4.8 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Encompass Health

In related news, insider Elissa Joy Charbonneau sold 4,279 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.61, for a total transaction of $498,974.19. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 11,958 shares in the company, valued at $1,394,422.38. The trade was a 26.35% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Andrew L. Price sold 5,042 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.29, for a total transaction of $495,578.18. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 69,164 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,798,129.56. The trade was a 6.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 19,321 shares of company stock worth $2,142,452 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 2.00% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Encompass Health

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Encompass Health by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 644,764 shares of the company's stock valued at $59,544,000 after buying an additional 4,345 shares during the last quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Encompass Health during the 4th quarter worth approximately $374,000. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S purchased a new position in shares of Encompass Health during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $4,160,000. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its stake in shares of Encompass Health by 87.8% in the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 293 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 137 shares during the period. Finally, US Bancorp DE boosted its holdings in Encompass Health by 9.6% during the fourth quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,380 shares of the company's stock worth $127,000 after buying an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. 97.25% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Encompass Health

Encompass Health Corporation provides post-acute healthcare services in the United States and Puerto Rico. It owns and operates inpatient rehabilitation hospitals that provide medical, nursing, therapy, and ancillary services. The company provides specialized rehabilitative treatment on an inpatient basis to patients who have experienced physical or cognitive disabilities or injuries due to medical conditions, such as strokes, hip fractures, and various debilitating neurological conditions.