Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Sells 10,278 Shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. $ENSG

Key Points

• Epoch Investment Partners Inc. significantly reduced its stake in The Ensign Group by 62.6% during the first quarter, now holding 6,143 shares valued at $795,000.
• The Ensign Group recently reported quarterly earnings of $1.59 per share, surpassing analysts' expectations and showcasing an 18.5% increase in revenue compared to the previous year.
• Institutional investors and hedge funds now own 96.12% of The Ensign Group's stock, indicating substantial confidence in the company among major financial players.

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. cut its stake in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Free Report) by 62.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 6,143 shares of the company's stock after selling 10,278 shares during the quarter. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.'s holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $795,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ENSG. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in The Ensign Group by 1,235.5% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 468,575 shares of the company's stock valued at $60,634,000 after buying an additional 433,489 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 14,683.7% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 338,252 shares of the company's stock worth $43,770,000 after purchasing an additional 335,964 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the 1st quarter worth $32,429,000. Northern Trust Corp grew its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 26.7% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 937,930 shares of the company's stock worth $124,613,000 after purchasing an additional 197,865 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the 4th quarter worth $22,777,000. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

Shares of ENSG stock traded down $0.82 on Monday, hitting $171.78. 407,261 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 384,783. 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 Ensign Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $118.73 and a 12 month high of $173.62. The stock has a market cap of $9.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a 50 day moving average of $154.34 and a 200 day moving average of $142.05.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share 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 business had revenue of $1.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.22 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.32 EPS. The Ensign Group's revenue for the quarter 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. On average, equities research analysts predict that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current year.

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 31st. Investors of record on Monday, June 30th were given a dividend of $0.0625 per share. 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%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ENSG has been the topic of several analyst reports. UBS Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $195.00 target price (up from $185.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a report on Thursday, August 14th. Stephens increased their target price on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, July 28th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their target price on The Ensign Group from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, July 28th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, The Ensign Group currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $171.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other The Ensign Group news, CFO Suzanne D. Snapper sold 8,379 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.21, for a total value of $1,241,851.59. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 269,692 shares in the company, valued at approximately $39,971,051.32. This trade represents a 3.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the director owned 27,852 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,274,724.96. This represents a 2.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 13,798 shares of company stock worth $2,080,733 in the last ninety days. 3.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

The Ensign Group 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.