Handelsbanken Fonder AB Grows Stock Position in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG)

Handelsbanken Fonder AB boosted its stake in shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) by 32.9% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 16,967 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 4,200 shares during the quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB’s holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $2,254,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of ENSG. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in The Ensign Group by 190.1% during the 4th quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 206 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in The Ensign Group by 150.6% in the fourth quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 208 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC increased its stake in The Ensign Group by 115.2% in the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 284 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the period. Finally, Asset Planning Inc purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group in the fourth quarter worth $80,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.12% of the company’s stock.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

ENSG opened at $129.09 on Tuesday. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $113.27 and a 12-month high of $158.45. The company has a current ratio of 1.56, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $134.39 and its 200-day simple moving average is $142.88. The company has a market capitalization of $7.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.26, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.94.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.47 by ($0.11). The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.07% and a net margin of 6.99%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $0.0625 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.19%. This is an increase from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 4.89%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have weighed in on ENSG. Macquarie increased their target price on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. UBS Group began coverage on The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $175.00 target price on the stock. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $155.00 target price on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Truist Financial reduced their target price on The Ensign Group from $170.00 to $155.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on The Ensign Group from $167.00 to $172.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, The Ensign Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $165.17.

Insider Activity at The Ensign Group

In related news, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.48, for a total transaction of $96,936.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 30,752 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,258,536.96. This trade represents a 2.23 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Daren Shaw sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.66, for a total value of $259,320.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 26,325 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,413,299.50. The trade was a 7.06 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 42,486 shares of company stock valued at $6,254,710 over the last quarter. 3.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.