PharVision Advisers LLC Makes New $490,000 Investment in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG)

PharVision Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 3,688 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $490,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in ENSG. Avior Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 190.1% during the fourth quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 206 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 150.6% during the 4th quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 208 shares of the company's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in The Ensign Group by 38.8% during the 4th quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 354 shares of the company's stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the period. Asset Planning Inc bought a new position in The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter valued at $80,000. Finally, South Dakota Investment Council bought a new position in The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter valued at $104,000. 96.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of ENSG traded down $0.10 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $144.55. 263,034 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 445,007. The company has a market capitalization of $8.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.29, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a current ratio of 1.56, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $116.23 and a 52 week high of $158.45. The company's 50 day moving average is $132.32 and its two-hundred day moving average is $135.19.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The company reported $1.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.50 by $0.02. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.99% and a return on equity of 17.07%. The company had revenue of $1.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.17 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.30 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 16.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current year.

The Ensign Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 31st were issued a dividend of $0.0625 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 31st. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.17%. The Ensign Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 4.73%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ENSG has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Macquarie decreased their target price on The Ensign Group from $159.00 to $156.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 2nd. Stephens reissued an "overweight" rating and issued a $155.00 price objective on shares of The Ensign Group in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $163.50.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Ensign Group

In other news, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.15, for a total value of $90,405.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 30,052 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,881,215.80. This trade represents a 2.28% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Daren Shaw sold 1,999 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.47, for a total transaction of $290,794.53. Following the transaction, the director now owns 24,926 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,625,985.22. This trade represents a 7.42% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 6,238 shares of company stock valued at $912,050. 3.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.