The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Shares Sold by Park Avenue Securities LLC

Park Avenue Securities LLC cut its stake in shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) by 11.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 8,301 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,104 shares during the period. Park Avenue Securities LLC’s holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $1,194,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in ENSG. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. EntryPoint Capital LLC purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $34,000. Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $35,000. LRI Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $49,000. 96.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Stock Up 1.3 %

Shares of ENSG opened at $145.28 on Wednesday. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $91.61 and a 52-week high of $154.93. The company has a quick ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $146.42 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $131.24. The company has a market capitalization of $8.27 billion, a PE ratio of 38.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.96.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $1.32 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.30 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.04 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.02 billion. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 5.68% and a return on equity of 17.32%. The Ensign Group’s quarterly revenue was up 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.08 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 4.99 EPS for the current year.

The Ensign Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 30th will be given a $0.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 30th. This represents a $0.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.17%. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 6.32%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently commented on ENSG. Oppenheimer boosted their price target on The Ensign Group from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, September 16th. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of The Ensign Group from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Macquarie started coverage on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Friday, June 28th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $134.00 price target on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $145.40.

Insider Activity

In related news, COO Spencer Burton sold 7,519 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.04, for a total value of $1,015,365.76. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 42,629 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,756,620.16. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CEO Barry Port sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $140.00, for a total transaction of $420,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 53,716 shares in the company, valued at $7,520,240. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, COO Spencer Burton sold 7,519 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.04, for a total value of $1,015,365.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 42,629 shares in the company, valued at $5,756,620.16. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 24,736 shares of company stock valued at $3,491,039 in the last quarter. Insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

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.