The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Raises Dividend to $0.06 Per Share

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, December 13th,Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be paid a dividend of 0.0625 per share on Friday, January 31st. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 31st. This is a positive change from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06.

The Ensign Group has increased its dividend payment by an average of 4.7% annually over the last three years and has raised its dividend every year for the last 18 years. The Ensign Group has a payout ratio of 4.1% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect The Ensign Group to earn $5.58 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.25 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 4.5%.

The Ensign Group Price Performance

The Ensign Group stock opened at $133.98 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $145.21 and a 200-day simple moving average of $141.83. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $7.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.44, a PEG ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.92. The Ensign Group has a 52-week low of $110.71 and a 52-week high of $158.45.

The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The company reported $1.39 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.38 by $0.01. The Ensign Group had a net margin of 5.84% and a return on equity of 17.21%. The company had revenue of $1.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.07 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.10 EPS. The Ensign Group’s quarterly revenue was up 15.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Ensign Group will post 5.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

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

Insider Activity at The Ensign Group

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