New Age Alpha Advisors LLC Acquires Shares of 74,978 Encompass Health Co. (NYSE:EHC)

New Age Alpha Advisors LLC bought a new position in Encompass Health Co. (NYSE:EHC) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 74,978 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,924,000. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC owned 0.07% of Encompass Health as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Encompass Health in the 4th quarter worth about $100,637,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Encompass Health during the fourth quarter worth approximately $77,944,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. raised its stake in shares of Encompass Health by 2,458.5% during the third quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 869,104 shares of the company’s stock valued at $83,990,000 after acquiring an additional 835,135 shares in the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Encompass Health in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $52,094,000. Finally, abrdn plc bought a new position in Encompass Health in the fourth quarter worth approximately $17,846,000. 97.25% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Encompass Health Stock Performance

Shares of EHC stock opened at $101.19 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. The company has a market cap of $10.19 billion, a PE ratio of 22.69, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.92. Encompass Health Co. has a 12-month low of $78.53 and a 12-month high of $104.55. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $98.55 and its 200-day simple moving average is $97.31.

Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The company reported $1.17 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.12. Encompass Health had a return on equity of 17.56% and a net margin of 8.48%. Analysts expect that Encompass Health Co. will post 4.8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Encompass Health Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be paid a dividend of $0.17 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 1st. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.67%. Encompass Health’s payout ratio is 15.25%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CAO Andrew L. Price sold 5,042 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.29, for a total value of $495,578.18. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 69,164 shares in the company, valued at $6,798,129.56. This trade represents a 6.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 2.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

EHC has been the subject of several research reports. StockNews.com upgraded Encompass Health from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, February 15th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $110.00 target price on shares of Encompass Health in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. William Blair restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Encompass Health in a report on Friday, February 7th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Encompass Health from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Finally, KeyCorp boosted their price objective on shares of Encompass Health from $117.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 10th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $107.67.

About Encompass Health

Encompass Health Corporation provides post-acute healthcare services in the United States and Puerto Rico. It owns and operates inpatient rehabilitation hospitals that provide medical, nursing, therapy, and ancillary services. The company provides specialized rehabilitative treatment on an inpatient basis to patients who have experienced physical or cognitive disabilities or injuries due to medical conditions, such as strokes, hip fractures, and various debilitating neurological conditions.