Analysts Set The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Price Target at $119.20

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) has earned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the five brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $119.20.

ENSG has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on The Ensign Group from $112.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on The Ensign Group from $127.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Ensign Group

In other news, Chairman Christopher R. Christensen sold 57,982 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.05, for a total transaction of $6,844,775.10. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 155,703 shares in the company, valued at $18,380,739.15. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Chairman Christopher R. Christensen sold 57,982 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.05, for a total value of $6,844,775.10. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 155,703 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,380,739.15. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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 directly owns 37,912 shares in the company, valued at $4,611,994.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 89,245 shares of company stock worth $10,579,862. 3.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in The Ensign Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Natixis bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Carmel Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in The Ensign Group during the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new stake in The Ensign Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $35,000. 96.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

Shares of ENSG stock opened at $117.82 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $6.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.94. The business’s 50 day moving average is $122.09 and its two-hundred day moving average is $112.42. 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 has a 12-month low of $87.14 and a 12-month high of $127.57.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.17 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.17. The firm had revenue of $980.38 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $975.13 million. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.84% and a net margin of 5.61%. Analysts expect that The Ensign Group will post 4.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

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

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.