The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Short Interest Update

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in May. As of May 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,760,000 shares, a growth of 19.5% from the April 30th total of 2,310,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 448,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 6.2 days. Currently, 5.0% of the company's stock are sold short.

The Ensign Group Stock Up 0.5%

The Ensign Group stock traded up $0.69 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $152.38. The company's stock had a trading volume of 291,389 shares, compared to its average volume of 447,172. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $136.16 and its 200-day simple moving average is $135.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 1.56 and a quick ratio of 1.56. The Ensign Group has a 52-week low of $117.41 and a 52-week high of $158.45. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.82, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.03.

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

The Ensign Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 31st were paid a $0.0625 dividend. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 31st. The Ensign Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 4.73%.

Insider Transactions at The Ensign Group

In related news, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 3,539 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total transaction of $530,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 39,209 shares in the company, valued at $5,881,350. This represents a 8.28% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Daren Shaw sold 1,999 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.47, for a total value of $290,794.53. Following the sale, the director now owns 24,926 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,625,985.22. This trade represents a 7.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 3.90% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Forum Financial Management LP increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 5.8% in the fourth quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 1,524 shares of the company's stock valued at $202,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the period. State of Wyoming increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 4.5% in the first quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 1,967 shares of the company's stock valued at $255,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the period. Wealth Alliance LLC increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 4.6% in the first quarter. Wealth Alliance LLC now owns 1,971 shares of the company's stock valued at $255,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the period. Equitable Trust Co. increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 4,998 shares of the company's stock valued at $664,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares during the period. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 5.3% in the fourth quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 1,731 shares of the company's stock valued at $230,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares during the period. 96.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on ENSG shares. Stephens restated an "overweight" rating and set a $155.00 price objective on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Macquarie decreased their price objective on The Ensign Group from $159.00 to $156.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $163.50.

The Ensign Group Company 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.