Strs Ohio Makes New $34.36 Million Investment in Encompass Health Corporation $EHC

Key Points

• Strs Ohio acquired a new stake in Encompass Health Corporation, purchasing 339,293 shares valued at approximately $34.36 million, increasing its ownership to 0.34% of the company.
• Encompass Health recently declared a quarterly dividend increase from $0.17 to $0.19 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 0.6% and indicative of a 13.31% payout ratio.
• The stock price for Encompass Health recently opened at $126.89, showing strong financial performance with a 12% revenue increase year-over-year and earnings exceeding consensus estimates.

Strs Ohio purchased a new stake in Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE:EHC - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 339,293 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $34,364,000. Strs Ohio owned approximately 0.34% of Encompass Health as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Encompass Health by 5.1% in the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 5,818,783 shares of the company's stock worth $589,326,000 after acquiring an additional 282,532 shares in the last quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Encompass Health by 25.6% in the first quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,080,918 shares of the company's stock worth $210,756,000 after purchasing an additional 424,691 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in Encompass Health by 5.3% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,871,581 shares of the company's stock worth $189,549,000 after purchasing an additional 93,992 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its holdings in shares of Encompass Health by 13.1% during the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,822,376 shares of the company's stock worth $184,571,000 after purchasing an additional 211,707 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Encompass Health by 11.9% in the first quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,541,477 shares of the company's stock valued at $156,121,000 after buying an additional 163,400 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.25% of the company's stock.

Encompass Health Trading Down 1.1%

Shares of NYSE EHC traded down $1.43 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $124.62. 418,506 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 802,146. Encompass Health Corporation has a 12 month low of $87.85 and a 12 month high of $127.15. The company has a market capitalization of $12.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.39, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $117.50 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $112.94.

Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, August 4th. The company reported $1.40 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.20. Encompass Health had a return on equity of 17.83% and a net margin of 9.22%.The firm had revenue of $1.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.43 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.11 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. Encompass Health has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.120-5.340 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Encompass Health Corporation will post 4.8 EPS for the current year.

Encompass Health Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 1st will be paid a dividend of $0.19 per share. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 1st. This is a positive change from Encompass Health's previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. Encompass Health's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 13.31%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Encompass Health news, EVP Patrick William Tuer sold 1,020 shares of Encompass Health stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.59, for a total value of $126,061.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 18,846 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,329,177.14. The trade was a 5.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 2.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Stephens raised shares of Encompass Health from an "overweight" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and set a $135.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 5th. UBS Group increased their price objective on Encompass Health from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 6th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on Encompass Health from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 14th. Bank of America upped their price target on Encompass Health from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 10th. Finally, KeyCorp boosted their price objective on Encompass Health from $122.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and seven have given a Buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $137.71.

Encompass Health Profile

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.