Osterweis Capital Management Inc. Makes New Investment in The Ensign Group, Inc. $ENSG

Key Points

• Osterweis Capital Management Inc. has acquired a new position in The Ensign Group, purchasing 51,185 shares valued at approximately $6.6 million, increasing its ownership to 0.09% of the company.
• The Ensign Group recently reported earnings per share of $1.59 for the last quarter, surpassing analyst expectations and marking an 18.5% increase in revenue year-over-year.
• Despite positive earnings, The Ensign Group announced a quarterly dividend cut to $0.0625 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend yield of only 0.1%.

Osterweis Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 51,185 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,623,000. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. owned 0.09% of The Ensign Group at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Rise Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 114.0% in the first quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 199 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares during the period. TCTC Holdings LLC grew its holdings 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 worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares during the period. WPG Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the first quarter worth $27,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the first quarter worth $36,000. Finally, AdvisorNet Financial Inc bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the first quarter worth $38,000. Institutional investors own 96.12% of the company's stock.

The Ensign Group Trading Up 1.7%

Shares of ENSG stock opened at $168.95 on Friday. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $118.73 and a 12-month high of $174.98. The company has a current ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $157.79 and its 200-day moving average price is $144.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 0.93.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 analysts' expectations of $1.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.32 earnings per share. The business'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. Equities research analysts predict that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on ENSG shares. Stephens lifted their target price on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 28th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on The Ensign Group from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, July 28th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on The Ensign Group from $195.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 2nd. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $172.67.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Suzanne D. Snapper sold 8,379 shares of the company's 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 transaction, the chief financial officer owned 269,692 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $39,971,051.32. This represents a 3.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $172.06, for a total value of $120,442.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 27,052 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,654,567.12. This trade represents a 2.52% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 14,498 shares of company stock valued at $2,201,175. 3.90% of the stock is currently owned by 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.

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