World Investment Advisors Makes New Investment in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG)

World Investment Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 2,516 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $326,000.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group in the 1st quarter worth about $36,000. AdvisorNet Financial Inc bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the 1st quarter worth about $38,000. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 38.8% during the 4th quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 354 shares of the company's stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 39.0% during the 1st quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 467 shares of the company's stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 131 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. raised its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 109.2% in the 1st quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 822 shares of the company's stock valued at $106,000 after acquiring an additional 429 shares in the last quarter. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ENSG traded down $1.75 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $143.98. 220,791 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 443,140. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $118.73 and a 12 month high of $158.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a current ratio of 1.40. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $147.88 and its 200-day simple moving average is $136.94. The firm has a market cap of $8.28 billion, a PE ratio of 27.22, a PEG ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.03.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The company reported $1.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.50 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.17 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.99% and a return on equity of 16.90%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 16.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.30 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 30th will be paid a $0.0625 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 30th. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.17%. The Ensign Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 4.73%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other The Ensign Group news, Director Daren Shaw sold 1,999 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.47, for a total value of $290,794.53. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 24,926 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,625,985.22. This trade represents a 7.42% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.48, for a total transaction 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. This represents a 2.45% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 19,336 shares of company stock valued at $2,902,377. 3.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Macquarie cut their price target on The Ensign Group from $159.00 to $156.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 2nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, The Ensign Group has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $163.50.

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.