The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) CFO Suzanne D. Snapper Sells 8,379 Shares

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) CFO Suzanne D. Snapper sold 8,379 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 owned 269,692 shares of the company's stock, valued at $39,971,051.32. The trade was 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 the SEC website.

The Ensign Group Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of NASDAQ ENSG traded up $0.88 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $146.71. 203,478 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 447,683. The company has a current ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The company's 50 day moving average price is $146.94 and its 200 day moving average price is $136.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.03. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $118.73 and a 12 month high of $158.45.

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, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.50 by $0.02. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 6.99% and a return on equity of 16.90%. The firm had revenue of $1.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.17 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.30 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 16.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research 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 company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 31st. Investors of record on Monday, June 30th will be issued a $0.0625 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 30th. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.17%. The Ensign Group's payout ratio is currently 4.73%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Macquarie cut their target price on shares of 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 stock. According to MarketBeat, The Ensign Group has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $163.50.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Forum Financial Management LP raised its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 5.8% in the 4th quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 1,524 shares of the company's stock valued at $202,000 after buying an additional 84 shares during the period. State of Wyoming lifted its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 4.5% during the first quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 1,967 shares of the company's stock worth $255,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Alliance LLC boosted its stake 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. CWM LLC lifted its holdings in The Ensign Group by 17.9% during the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 585 shares of the company's stock worth $76,000 after buying an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. Finally, QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in The Ensign Group by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,825 shares of the company's stock worth $754,000 after buying an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. 96.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.

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