Macquarie Issues Positive Forecast for The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) Stock Price

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) had its price objective increased by equities researchers at Macquarie from $165.00 to $166.00 in a research note issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an "outperform" rating on the stock. Macquarie's price objective would indicate a potential upside of 26.72% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Stephens upped their price objective on The Ensign Group from $163.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of The Ensign Group from $167.00 to $172.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on shares of The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $168.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on The Ensign Group from $170.00 to $155.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, UBS Group began coverage on The Ensign Group in a report on Thursday, November 21st. They set a "buy" rating and a $175.00 price target for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $165.17.

The Ensign Group Stock Performance

ENSG traded down $4.91 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $131.00. The company had a trading volume of 774,208 shares, compared to its average volume of 432,409. The business has a 50-day moving average of $137.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $143.76. 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 Ensign Group has a 1 year low of $113.27 and a 1 year high of $158.45. The company has a market cap of $7.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.94.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $1.36 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%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that The Ensign Group will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at The Ensign Group

In related news, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.48, for a total transaction of $96,936.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 30,752 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,258,536.96. This trade represents a 2.23 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Christopher R. Christensen sold 39,086 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $148.52, for a total value of $5,805,052.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 12,539 shares in the company, valued at $1,862,292.28. This trade represents a 75.71 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 40,486 shares of company stock worth $5,995,390. Company insiders own 3.90% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of The Ensign Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new position in The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 190.1% during the fourth quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 206 shares of the company's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 135 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of The Ensign Group by 150.6% during the fourth quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 208 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC boosted its holdings in shares of The Ensign Group by 115.2% in the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 284 shares of the company's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the period. Finally, USA Financial Formulas purchased a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $54,000. 96.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.