The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) Reaches New 52-Week High – Here’s Why

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG)’s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $196.37 and last traded at $194.05, with a volume of 127994 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $173.18.

The Ensign Group News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting The Ensign Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat — Adjusted Q4 EPS of $1.82 topped consensus and showed solid year-over-year growth, supporting upside to profitability expectations. Ensign Group (ENSG) Q4 Earnings Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Aggressive FY‑2026 guidance — Management issued EPS guidance of $7.41–$7.61 (well above Street) and revenue guidance near $5.77–$5.84B, signaling confidence in organic recovery and M&A contribution. The Ensign Group Reports Fiscal Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 Results; Issues 2026 Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Record operating results & liquidity — FY‑2025 revenue and adjusted EPS were record highs, occupancy and Medicare revenue improved, and the company ended the year with roughly $504M cash plus ~$592M available on its credit line. Ensign Group Reports Record Fiscal Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 Financial Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Acquisition activity expands footprint — Multiple small-to-mid market acquisitions in AZ, TX and WI broaden the revenue base; accretive over time but require execution and capital deployment. Nursing Home Giant Expands Footprint
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/street tone constructive — Recent buy/outperform calls and above‑consensus price targets give potential upside if management hits guidance; valuation sensitivity remains to execution. Assessing Ensign Group (ENSG) Valuation
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend continuity — Company paid an increased quarterly dividend and reiterated commitment to payouts, but yield remains modest vs. peers; supports shareholder signal rather than major income appeal. Q4 Press Release (PDF)
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue slight miss vs. estimates — Service revenue (~$1.36B) was marginally below some analyst expectations, which capped upside despite the EPS beat and could temper near-term multiple expansion. ENSG Misses Q4 Sales Expectations
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — Director Barry M. Smith disclosed a sale of 700 shares and broader recent insider sales are visible in filings; persistent selling can raise short‑term governance/sentiment questions. Barry Smith Sells 700 Shares

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have commented on ENSG. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Ensign Group in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $206.00 price target (up from $177.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Friday, November 14th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on The Ensign Group from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Stephens upped their target price on shares of The Ensign Group from $185.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $220.00 price target (up from $205.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, The Ensign Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $196.40.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.46 and a quick ratio of 1.46. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $176.91 and its 200 day moving average price is $173.10. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 0.88.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last posted its earnings results on Monday, November 3rd. The company reported $1.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.05. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 16.77% and a net margin of 6.80%.The company had revenue of $1.30 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.28 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.39 earnings per share. The Ensign Group’s revenue was up 19.8% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current year.

The Ensign Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a dividend of $0.065 per share. This is a positive change from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.26 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.1%. The Ensign Group’s payout ratio is currently 4.65%.

Insider Transactions at The Ensign Group

In related news, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.59, for a total transaction of $121,513.00. Following the sale, the director owned 23,652 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,105,750.68. This represents a 2.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, VP Beverly B. Wittekind sold 8,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $175.48, for a total value of $1,474,032.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 32,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,752,058.92. This represents a 20.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 50,388 shares of company stock worth $9,027,059 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Ensign Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Private Trust Co. NA increased its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 156.5% during the fourth quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 159 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 97 shares during the period. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC increased its position in The Ensign Group by 125.6% during the 4th quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 194 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 76.9% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 207 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caitlin John LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $39,000. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Company Profile

The Ensign Group, Inc is a diversified provider of post-acute healthcare services in the United States, operating a network of skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, home health and hospice care centers. The company’s model emphasizes integrated care by employing multidisciplinary teams—including nursing staff, therapists and physicians—to deliver personalized rehabilitation and long-term care services for seniors and other patients recovering from injury, illness or surgery.

Through its owned and managed centers, The Ensign Group offers a broad spectrum of rehabilitation services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy.