The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Shares Bought by Archer Investment Corp

Archer Investment Corp increased its position in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) by 40.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 871 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the quarter. Archer Investment Corp’s holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $125,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Baillie Gifford & Co. purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $151,827,000. F M Investments LLC bought a new stake in The Ensign Group during the second quarter valued at $14,370,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 11.7% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 571,532 shares of the company’s stock worth $70,693,000 after purchasing an additional 59,933 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 26.5% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 245,325 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,283,000 after buying an additional 51,367 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Grandeur Peak Global Advisors LLC acquired a new position in The Ensign Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $5,167,000. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at The Ensign Group

In related news, CEO Barry Port sold 3,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.00, for a total value of $507,500.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 53,716 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,788,820. The trade was a 6.12 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders have sold 11,118 shares of company stock worth $1,660,200 over the last three months. Company insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently weighed in on ENSG shares. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of The Ensign Group from $160.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. Stephens boosted their price target on The Ensign Group from $163.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on The Ensign Group from $167.00 to $172.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their price objective on shares of The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $168.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $162.20.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

Shares of ENSG opened at $143.49 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a current ratio of 1.56. The firm has a market cap of $8.22 billion, a PE ratio of 34.74, a PEG ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 0.95. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $149.39 and its 200 day moving average price is $136.87. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $104.18 and a twelve month high of $158.45.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The company reported $1.39 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.38 by $0.01. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.21% and a net margin of 5.84%. The business had revenue of $1.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.07 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.10 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Investors of record on Monday, September 30th were given a dividend of $0.06 per share. This represents a $0.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 30th. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 5.81%.

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.