The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Given Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) has received an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the five research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $119.20.

Several research analysts recently issued reports on ENSG shares. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on shares of The Ensign Group from $112.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on shares of The Ensign Group from $127.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ENSG traded down $0.59 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $118.69. The company had a trading volume of 199,871 shares, compared to its average volume of 265,802. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $122.08 and its 200 day simple moving average is $112.20. The stock has a market cap of $6.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.43, a P/E/G ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.94. The Ensign Group has a 1 year low of $87.14 and a 1 year high of $127.57. The company has a current ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $1.17. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 5.61% and a return on equity of 17.84%. The business had revenue of $980.38 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $975.13 million. On average, analysts forecast that The Ensign Group will post 4.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Sunday, March 31st will be issued a $0.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $0.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.20%. The Ensign Group's payout ratio is 6.56%.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Ensign Group

In other The Ensign Group news, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 10,000 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.65, for a total value of $1,216,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 37,912 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,611,994.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other The Ensign Group news, Director Daren Shaw sold 6,000 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.67, for a total value of $718,020.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 31,375 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,754,646.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 10,000 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.65, for a total transaction of $1,216,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 37,912 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,611,994.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 84,782 shares of company stock valued at $10,048,943. Corporate insiders own 3.90% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ENSG. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Natixis purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the second quarter worth about $27,000. Carmel Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the third quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.12% of the company's stock.

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.