The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance
by Sarita Garza · The Markets DailyThe Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG – Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 7.410-7.610 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 6.930. The company issued revenue guidance of $5.8 billion-$5.8 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $5.7 billion.
The Ensign Group Price Performance
Shares of NASDAQ:ENSG traded down $0.42 on Wednesday, hitting $173.18. The stock had a trading volume of 492,804 shares, compared to its average volume of 329,452. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 1.46 and a current ratio of 1.46. The company has a market capitalization of $10.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.88. The Ensign Group has a twelve month low of $118.73 and a twelve month high of $193.99. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $177.19 and its 200-day moving average price is $173.10.
The Ensign Group (NASDAQ:ENSG – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $1.82 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.75 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $1.36 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.37 billion. The Ensign Group had a return on equity of 16.77% and a net margin of 6.80%.The Ensign Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.410-7.610 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that The Ensign Group will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current year.
The Ensign Group Increases Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, January 31st. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st were given a $0.065 dividend. This is a boost from The Ensign Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.26 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.2%. The Ensign Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 4.65%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of The Ensign Group in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on The Ensign Group from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $220.00 target price (up previously from $205.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Stephens raised their target price on The Ensign Group from $185.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $206.00 price target (up from $177.00) on shares of The Ensign Group in a research note on Friday, November 14th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $196.40.
Check Out Our Latest Report on ENSG
Insider Activity
In other news, Director John O. Agwunobi sold 146 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $178.31, for a total transaction of $26,033.26. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 9,087 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,620,302.97. This represents a 1.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, COO Spencer Burton sold 2,209 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $180.00, for a total transaction of $397,620.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 51,165 shares in the company, valued at $9,209,700. This represents a 4.14% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 50,634 shares of company stock worth $9,073,521. Corporate insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.
The Ensign Group News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting The Ensign Group this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Company beat Q4 EPS and delivered a record 2025 with adjusted EPS of $6.57 and GAAP diluted EPS of $5.84; management issued FY‑2026 guidance of $7.41‑$7.61 EPS (above consensus) and revenue guidance around $5.77‑$5.84B — signals of continued margin progress and growth. Press Release — FY2025 Results & 2026 Guidance
- Positive Sentiment: Operational strength: same‑store and transitioning occupancy hit all‑time highs (83.8% / 84.9%), Medicare mix and skilled days increased — supports higher revenue per patient and the better EPS outlook. Quiver AI summary — Results & Metrics
- Positive Sentiment: Acquisition and real‑estate activity continuing: multiple facility and real‑estate purchases (AZ, TX, WI) and growth of the Standard Bearer REIT expand scale and FFO — supports revenue growth and recurring rental income. Skilled Nursing News — Expansion Coverage
- Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly revenue ($1.36B) was essentially flat with expectations but slightly below the consensus print (~$1.37B), tempering the reaction to the EPS beat. Press Release PDF — Q4 Detail
- Neutral Sentiment: Strong liquidity position (≈$504M cash + ~$592M available on credit line) and low reported leverage support balance‑sheet flexibility for further acquisitions, but continued M&A will require execution. Press Release — Liquidity & Balance Sheet
- Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: a director disclosed a sale (Barry M. Smith sold 700 shares) and third‑party datasets show a pattern of insider sales (multiple execs) with few/zero purchases — can create investor concern around share conviction. InsiderTrades — Barry M. Smith Sale
- Negative Sentiment: Ongoing reliance on acquisitions to drive much of the recent growth increases execution and integration risk; investors may discount guidance if M&A slows or insurance/reimbursement pressures increase. Press Release — M&A Commentary
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ENSG. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its position in shares of The Ensign Group by 76.9% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 207 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. Wexford Capital LP bought a new stake in shares of The Ensign Group during the third quarter worth approximately $41,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Ensign Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $53,000. Johnson Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of The Ensign Group during the third quarter worth approximately $65,000. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in The Ensign Group by 150.3% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 383 shares of the company’s stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.12% of the company’s stock.
The Ensign Group Company Profile
The Ensign Group, Inc is a diversified provider of post-acute healthcare services in the United States, operating a network of skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, home health and hospice care centers. The company’s model emphasizes integrated care by employing multidisciplinary teams—including nursing staff, therapists and physicians—to deliver personalized rehabilitation and long-term care services for seniors and other patients recovering from injury, illness or surgery.
Through its owned and managed centers, The Ensign Group offers a broad spectrum of rehabilitation services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy.