The Ensign Group, Inc. $ENSG Shares Bought by Graham Capital Management L.P.

Key Points

• Graham Capital Management L.P. increased its stake in The Ensign Group by 65.7%, acquiring an additional 14,772 shares, bringing their total to 37,255 shares valued at approximately $4.82 million.
• The Ensign Group recently reported Q2 earnings of $1.59 EPS, exceeding estimates, with revenue up 18.5% year-over-year, totaling $1.23 billion.
• Insider trading activity included CFO Suzanne D. Snapper selling 8,379 shares at $148.21 each, resulting in a 3.01% reduction of her hold in the company.

Graham Capital Management L.P. raised its position in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Free Report) by 65.7% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 37,255 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 14,772 shares during the period. Graham Capital Management L.P. owned about 0.06% of The Ensign Group worth $4,821,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. TCTC Holdings LLC increased its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 116.7% in the first quarter. TCTC Holdings LLC now owns 208 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. WPG Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter worth $27,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in The Ensign Group during the first quarter worth $36,000. AdvisorNet Financial Inc purchased a new position in The Ensign Group during the first quarter valued at $38,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 39.0% in the first quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 467 shares of the company's stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 131 shares during the period. 96.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:ENSG traded up $1.35 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $173.00. The company had a trading volume of 286,098 shares, compared to its average volume of 425,930. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $118.73 and a twelve month high of $174.98. The stock has a market cap of $9.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 1.41. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $155.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $142.76.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.54 by $0.05. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.99% and a return on equity of 16.92%. The firm had revenue of $1.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.22 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.32 EPS. The company's revenue was up 18.5% compared to the same quarter last year. The Ensign Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.340-6.460 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current year.

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 30th were issued a $0.0625 dividend. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.1%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 30th. The Ensign Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 4.54%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on ENSG shares. Stephens upped their price target on shares of The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 28th. Truist Financial increased their target price on The Ensign Group from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, July 28th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on The Ensign Group from $195.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $172.67.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 4,719 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total value of $731,445.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 38,679 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,995,245. This trade represents a 10.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.48, for a total value of $107,436.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 27,852 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,274,724.96. The trade was a 2.45% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 13,798 shares of company stock valued at $2,080,733. Company insiders own 3.90% of the company's stock.

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.