Headlands Technologies LLC Has $262,000 Holdings in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG)

Headlands Technologies LLC trimmed its position in The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) by 64.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,974 shares of the company’s stock after selling 3,524 shares during the quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC’s holdings in The Ensign Group were worth $262,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the 4th quarter valued at $90,747,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in The Ensign Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $36,167,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in The Ensign Group by 54.6% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 649,764 shares of the company’s stock valued at $93,449,000 after acquiring an additional 229,586 shares during the period. World Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in The Ensign Group in the third quarter worth about $21,744,000. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in The Ensign Group by 32.7% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 417,482 shares of the company’s stock worth $55,467,000 after purchasing an additional 102,782 shares during the period. 96.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

Shares of ENSG stock opened at $129.33 on Friday. The Ensign Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $113.27 and a 52 week high of $158.45. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.43 billion, a PE ratio of 25.31, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.98. 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 stock’s fifty day moving average is $131.63 and its 200-day moving average is $139.42.

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

The Ensign Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 31st will be given a $0.0625 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.19%. The Ensign Group’s payout ratio is 4.89%.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Ensign Group

In other news, Chairman Christopher R. Christensen sold 39,086 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the chairman now owns 12,539 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,862,292.28. This trade represents a 75.71 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares of the business’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 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 ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 42,486 shares of company stock worth $6,251,714. Insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on ENSG shares. Truist Financial lowered their price objective 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. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $155.00 price objective on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Macquarie lifted their price objective on The Ensign Group from $165.00 to $166.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $165.17.

The Ensign Group 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.