1,518 Shares in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Acquired by Headlands Technologies LLC

Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 1,518 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $189,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ENSG. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in The Ensign Group by 11.4% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 295,716 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,481,000 after acquiring an additional 30,184 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its stake in The Ensign Group by 6.6% in the 3rd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 77,527 shares of the company’s stock worth $7,205,000 after purchasing an additional 4,803 shares during the period. Advisor Resource Council bought a new position in The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $828,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. bought a new position in The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $211,000. Finally, Procyon Advisors LLC boosted its stake in The Ensign Group by 38.0% in the 4th quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC now owns 3,194 shares of the company’s stock worth $358,000 after purchasing an additional 880 shares during the period. 96.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ENSG traded up $4.68 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $139.86. 513,571 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 288,085. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $7.96 billion, a PE ratio of 35.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.99. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a one year low of $89.44 and a one year high of $140.40. The company’s 50 day moving average is $121.61 and its 200 day moving average is $120.19.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 1st. The company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.19. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.60% and a net margin of 5.67%. The firm had revenue of $1.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.01 billion. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 4.95 earnings per share for the current year.

The Ensign Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Investors of record on Sunday, June 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.06 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 28th. This represents a $0.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.17%. The Ensign Group’s payout ratio is presently 6.32%.

Insider Activity at The Ensign Group

In related news, COO Spencer Burton sold 3,099 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.19, for a total transaction of $422,052.81. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 42,629 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,805,643.51. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other The Ensign Group news, Director Daren Shaw sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.26, for a total value of $236,520.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 30,250 shares in the company, valued at $3,577,365. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, COO Spencer Burton sold 3,099 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.19, for a total value of $422,052.81. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 42,629 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,805,643.51. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 12,968 shares of company stock worth $1,714,703. Company insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ENSG has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Macquarie initiated coverage on The Ensign Group in a research note on Friday, June 28th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $134.00 price target for the company. Oppenheimer upped their price target on The Ensign Group from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, May 6th. Truist Financial upped their price target on The Ensign Group from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $132.83.

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.