The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Stake Boosted by Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank

Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its holdings in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) by 2.5% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 13,427 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 331 shares during the quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank’s holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $1,931,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. FMR LLC grew its holdings in The Ensign Group by 42.3% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,995,971 shares of the company’s stock worth $287,061,000 after buying an additional 593,779 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in The Ensign Group by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,322,526 shares of the company’s stock worth $163,577,000 after buying an additional 35,862 shares in the last quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC lifted its position in The Ensign Group by 0.9% in the third quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 1,110,692 shares of the company’s stock worth $159,740,000 after purchasing an additional 10,221 shares during the period. Baillie Gifford & Co. acquired a new stake in The Ensign Group in the third quarter worth approximately $151,827,000. Finally, Van Berkom & Associates Inc. lifted its position in The Ensign Group by 2.1% in the second quarter. Van Berkom & Associates Inc. now owns 877,211 shares of the company’s stock worth $108,502,000 after purchasing an additional 18,412 shares during the period. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have weighed in on ENSG. Truist Financial upped their target price on The Ensign Group from $160.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. UBS Group began coverage on The Ensign Group in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $175.00 target price for the company. Stephens upped their target price on The Ensign Group from $163.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Oppenheimer increased their price objective on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $168.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on The Ensign Group from $167.00 to $172.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, The Ensign Group currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $164.33.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Barry Port sold 2,000 shares of The Ensign Group stock in a transaction on Friday, October 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total transaction of $310,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 53,716 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,325,980. This trade represents a 3.59 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 3.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:ENSG opened at $145.62 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $147.77 and a 200-day moving average of $139.51. The company has a market capitalization of $8.34 billion, a PE ratio of 35.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a current ratio of 1.56. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a one year low of $104.18 and a one year high of $158.45.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.38 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $1.08 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.07 billion. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 17.21% and a net margin of 5.84%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 15.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.10 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.02 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Ensign Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 30th were paid a dividend of $0.06 per share. This represents a $0.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 30th. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 5.81%.

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.