Industry Overview - The healthcare sector has underperformed compared to the S&P 500, growing only 2.5% in 2024 versus the benchmark's 23.3% increase [1] - The sector's weighting in the S&P 500 has dropped to a 25-year low of approximately 10%, while total U.S. healthcare spending has surged from $1.4 trillion in 2000 to $4.9 trillion in 2023 [2] - Key growth areas include telehealth, surgery, data analytics, and biotechnology, contributing to a 6.4% growth in the Health Care Select Sector SPDR in 2025 [2] Recent Developments - The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services caused a slump of over 10% in the sector, but his confirmation hearing indicated a potential balanced approach towards health policies [3] - An aging population and rising health issues like obesity and diabetes are driving demand for healthcare services, which are considered defensive investments [4] Long-term Outlook - The healthcare sector is expected to undergo significant changes with the integration of AI in medical research, making it attractive for investors seeking steady cash flow from pharmaceutical companies known for regular dividends [5] Stock Highlights - **GeneDx Holdings Corp. (WGS)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 288% for the current year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate improvement of 86.5% over the past 60 days; Zacks Rank 1 and VGM Score of B [7] - **Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 13.6% for the next year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate improvement of 11.1% over the past 60 days; Zacks Rank 2 and VGM Score of A [8] - **Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RIGL)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 115.7% for the current year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate improvement of 29.4% over the past 60 days; Zacks Rank 1 and VGM Score of A [9] - **The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 12.7% for the current year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate improvement of 2.1% over the past 60 days; Zacks Rank 2 and VGM Score of A [10]

Core Viewpoint - Growth stocks are appealing due to their above-average financial growth, but identifying strong growth stocks is challenging due to inherent volatility and risks [1] Group 1: Growth Stock Identification - The Zacks Growth Style Score system aids in identifying promising growth stocks by analyzing real growth prospects beyond traditional metrics [2] - Ensign Group (ENSG) is currently highlighted as a recommended growth stock with a favorable Growth Score and a top Zacks Rank [2] Group 2: Earnings Growth - Earnings growth is a critical factor for growth investors, with double-digit growth being highly desirable [4] - Ensign Group has a historical EPS growth rate of 16.1%, with projected EPS growth of 10.6% this year, surpassing the industry average of 10.4% [5] Group 3: Asset Utilization - The asset utilization ratio, or sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio, is an important metric for assessing a growth stock's efficiency [6] - Ensign Group's S/TA ratio is 0.94, indicating it generates $0.94 in sales for every dollar in assets, which is higher than the industry average of 0.9 [6] Group 4: Sales Growth - Sales growth is another key indicator, with Ensign Group expected to achieve a sales growth of 12.9% this year, compared to the industry average of 8.6% [7] Group 5: Earnings Estimate Revisions - Positive trends in earnings estimate revisions correlate strongly with stock price movements [8] - Ensign Group has seen upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by 0.2% over the past month [9] Group 6: Overall Assessment - Ensign Group has earned a Growth Score of B and a Zacks Rank 2, indicating it is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors [11]

Investors in The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Mar 21, 2025 $110 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could ...

Group 1: Stock Performance and Technical Analysis - Ensign Group (ENSG) shares have declined by 11.2% over the past week, but a hammer chart pattern formed in the last trading session suggests potential support and a possible trend reversal [1] - The hammer pattern indicates a nearing bottom with potential exhaustion of selling pressure, which is a positive technical signal for the stock [2] - The hammer chart pattern is characterized by a small candle body and a long lower wick, indicating that buying interest has emerged after a downtrend [3][4] Group 2: Fundamental Indicators - There has been an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions for ENSG, which is a bullish indicator suggesting potential price appreciation [6] - Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased by 0.2%, indicating that analysts expect better earnings than previously predicted [7] - ENSG currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), placing it in the top 20% of over 4,000 ranked stocks, which typically outperform the market [8]

Shares of The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG) lost 12% since it reported fourth-quarter 2024 results on Feb. 5, 2025. Despite an earnings beat, the quarterly results were hurt by an elevated expense level due to higher cost of services and rent-cost of services. Nevertheless, the downside was partly offset by improved occupancy rates, higher patient days and higher skilled service revenues. See the Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.ENSG reported fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per ...

Ensign Group (ENSG) closed the last trading session at $131, gaining 0% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $165.17 indicates a 26.1% upside potential.The mean estimate comprises six short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $8.47. While the lowest estimate of $155 indicates an 18.3% increase from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst expects ...

The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe ...

The Ensign Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENSG) Q4 2024 Results Conference Call February 6, 2025 1:00 PM ET Company Participants Chad Keetch - CIO, EVP, and Secretary Barry Port - CEO Spencer Burton - President and COO Suzanne Snapper - EVP, CFO Conference Call Participants Ben Hendrix - RBC Capital Markets A.J. Rice - UBS Operator Hello, and thank you for standing by. My name is Bella, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to The Ensign Group Q4 Earnings Call. [O ...

Ensign Group (ENSG) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.49 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.47 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.28 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 1.36%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this provider of nursing and rehabilitative care services would post earnings of $1.37 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.39, delivering a surprise of 1.46%.O ...

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, California – February 5, 2025 – The Ensign Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENSG), the parent company of the Ensign group of companies, which provide post-acute healthcare services and invest in the long-term healthcare industry, primarily in skilled nursing and senior living facilities, announced operating results for the fiscal year and fourth quarter of 2024, reporting GAAP diluted earnings per share of $5.12 and adjusted earnings per share of $5.50, both for the year ended December 31, 2024. En ...