The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Shares Sold by Sheets Smith Wealth Management

Sheets Smith Wealth Management cut its position in shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) by 2.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,471 shares of the company’s stock after selling 144 shares during the period. Sheets Smith Wealth Management’s holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $614,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the third quarter worth about $216,000. Raymond James & Associates increased its position in The Ensign Group by 2.8% during the third quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 130,024 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,083,000 after purchasing an additional 3,594 shares during the last quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. acquired a new stake in The Ensign Group during the third quarter worth about $249,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its position in The Ensign Group by 18.5% during the third quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 11,715 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,089,000 after purchasing an additional 1,827 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its position in The Ensign Group by 1.2% during the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 26,133 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,429,000 after purchasing an additional 319 shares during the last quarter. 96.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

NASDAQ:ENSG traded down $1.44 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $115.45. 213,607 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 272,565. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $121.36 and a 200-day simple moving average of $114.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.76, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.95. 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 Ensign Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $87.14 and a 1 year high of $127.57.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.17. The firm had revenue of $980.38 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $975.13 million. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.60% and a net margin of 5.67%. Analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 4.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Cuts Dividend

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on ENSG shares. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on shares of The Ensign Group from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of The Ensign Group in a research report on Tuesday, April 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of The Ensign Group from $112.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report 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 stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $124.60.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other The Ensign Group news, Director Daren Shaw sold 4,463 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.96, for a total value of $530,918.48. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 32,250 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,836,460. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 10,000 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.65, for a total value of $1,216,500.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 37,912 shares in the company, valued at $4,611,994.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Daren Shaw sold 4,463 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.96, for a total value of $530,918.48. Following the sale, the director now owns 32,250 shares in the company, valued at $3,836,460. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 89,245 shares of company stock worth $10,579,862 in the last quarter. 3.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.