Martingale Asset Management L P Cuts Stock Holdings in The Ensign Group, Inc. $ENSG

Key Points

• Martingale Asset Management L P reduced its stake in The Ensign Group by **25.3%**, selling **5,999 shares** and retaining 17,679 shares valued at approximately $2.29 million.
• Corporate insiders have recently sold a total of **13,798 shares** for over **$2 million**, indicating a **decrease in their positions** within the company.
• Analysts have set new price targets for The Ensign Group, with UBS Group recommending a **buy** rating and raising its target to **$195**, while suggesting the stock is rated as a **Moderate Buy** overall.

Martingale Asset Management L P lessened its stake in shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Free Report) by 25.3% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 17,679 shares of the company's stock after selling 5,999 shares during the quarter. Martingale Asset Management L P's holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $2,288,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of ENSG. TCTC Holdings LLC increased its stake 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 buying an additional 112 shares during the period. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter valued at $36,000. AdvisorNet Financial Inc acquired a new position in The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter valued at $38,000. Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in The Ensign Group by 39.0% in the 1st quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 467 shares of the company's stock valued at $60,000 after buying an additional 131 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC increased its stake in The Ensign Group by 17.9% in the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 585 shares of the company's stock valued at $76,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the period. 96.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

NASDAQ ENSG traded up $1.52 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $172.20. The stock had a trading volume of 239,523 shares, compared to its average volume of 427,482. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $118.73 and a 52-week high of $173.62. The company has a quick ratio of 1.41, a current ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $153.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $141.04. The company has a market cap of $9.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.25, a P/E/G ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 1.02.

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

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Truist Financial boosted their target price on The Ensign Group from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, July 28th. Stephens lifted their price target on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, July 28th. Macquarie decreased their price target on The Ensign Group from $159.00 to $156.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. Finally, UBS Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $195.00 price target (up from $185.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, August 14th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, The Ensign Group has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $171.00.

Insider Activity at The Ensign Group

In other The Ensign Group news, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of The Ensign Group 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 of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,274,724.96. The trade was a 2.45% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Suzanne D. Snapper sold 8,379 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.21, for a total transaction of $1,241,851.59. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 269,692 shares of the company's stock, valued at $39,971,051.32. The trade was a 3.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 13,798 shares of company stock valued at $2,080,733. 3.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.