Oppenheimer Boosts The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) Price Target to $135.00

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) had its price target upped by Oppenheimer from $130.00 to $135.00 in a research note published on Monday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an outperform rating on the stock.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on ENSG. Stephens restated an overweight rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on The Ensign Group from $112.00 to $133.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, The Ensign Group presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $124.60.

The Ensign Group Trading Down 1.6 %

Shares of ENSG opened at $116.09 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 1.53. The Ensign Group has a 12 month low of $87.14 and a 12 month high of $127.57. The stock has a market cap of $6.61 billion, a PE ratio of 30.55, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.95. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $120.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $114.81.

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Sunday, March 31st were issued a $0.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $0.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.21%. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 6.32%.

Insider Activity at The Ensign Group

In other The Ensign Group news, Director Daren Shaw sold 6,000 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.67, for a total value of $718,020.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 31,375 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,754,646.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.65, for a total transaction of $1,216,500.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 37,912 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,611,994.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Daren Shaw sold 6,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.67, for a total value of $718,020.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 31,375 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,754,646.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 20,463 shares of company stock valued at $2,465,438. Corporate insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ENSG. Baron Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,314 shares of the company’s stock worth $260,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,838 shares of the company’s stock valued at $655,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the period. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 8.5% during the fourth quarter. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC now owns 1,353 shares of the company’s stock valued at $152,000 after buying an additional 106 shares during the last quarter. Davidson Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 0.5% during the first quarter. Davidson Capital Management Inc. now owns 21,545 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,681,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the period. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its holdings in The Ensign Group by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 10,945 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,228,000 after buying an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About The Ensign Group

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.