Bridgewater Associates LP Lowers Position in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG)

Bridgewater Associates LP lowered its stake in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG - Free Report) by 75.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,667 shares of the company's stock after selling 26,377 shares during the period. Bridgewater Associates LP's holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $1,246,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Baillie Gifford & Co. acquired a new stake in The Ensign Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $151,827,000. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 42.3% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,995,971 shares of the company's stock worth $287,061,000 after purchasing an additional 593,779 shares during the period. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $18,843,000. F M Investments LLC purchased a new stake in The Ensign Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $14,370,000. Finally, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. acquired a new position in The Ensign Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $9,565,000. 96.12% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at The Ensign Group

In other news, CEO Barry Port sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total transaction of $310,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 53,716 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,325,980. The trade was a 3.59 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 3.90% of the company's stock.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

Shares of The Ensign Group stock traded down $1.06 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $145.15. 248,414 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 375,920. The company has a quick ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The business has a 50-day moving average of $148.16 and a 200 day moving average of $139.12. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.32 billion, a PE ratio of 35.19, a PEG ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 0.95. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $104.18 and a fifty-two week high of $158.45.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.38 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $1.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.07 billion. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 5.84% and a return on equity of 17.21%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 15.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.10 EPS. On average, analysts predict that The Ensign Group, Inc. will post 5.02 EPS for the current year.

The Ensign Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 30th were paid a $0.06 dividend. This represents a $0.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 30th. The Ensign Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 5.81%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on ENSG shares. UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. They set a "buy" rating and a $175.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on The Ensign Group from $167.00 to $172.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $168.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. 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 note on Monday, October 28th. Finally, Stephens lifted their price target on The Ensign Group from $163.00 to $167.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $164.33.

The Ensign Group Company 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.