Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) – What Are Analysts Saying About This Stock?

Shares of Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE:EHC) have earned a consensus rating of “Buy” from the eight ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $154.25.

Several research firms have recently issued reports on EHC. Wall Street Zen upgraded Encompass Health from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, October 31st. KeyCorp raised their price objective on Encompass Health from $147.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, October 30th. Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $155.00 price objective on shares of Encompass Health in a research note on Friday, October 30th. TD Cowen boosted their target price on Encompass Health from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Encompass Health from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th.

Encompass Health Stock Up 1.1%

Encompass Health stock opened at $142.68 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. Encompass Health has a 1-year low of $92.77 and a 1-year high of $143.36. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $125.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $111.36. The company has a market capitalization of $14.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.29, a P/E/G ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.83.

Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 28th. The company reported $1.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.36 by $0.16. Encompass Health had a net margin of 10.17% and a return on equity of 18.35%. The firm had revenue of $1.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.60 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.23 earnings per share. Encompass Health’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Encompass Health will post 6.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Encompass Health Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 4th will be given a $0.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 4th. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Encompass Health’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 13.12%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Encompass Health

In related news, EVP John Darby sold 4,858 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.09, for a total transaction of $588,255.22. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 75,041 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,086,714.69. This represents a 6.08% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of EHC. Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in Encompass Health in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $232,000. Boston Partners acquired a new position in shares of Encompass Health during the third quarter worth approximately $158,053,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Encompass Health by 5.4% during the third quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 46,041 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,594,000 after buying an additional 2,372 shares during the last quarter. Composition Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Encompass Health by 17.4% during the third quarter. Composition Wealth LLC now owns 5,652 shares of the company’s stock worth $687,000 after buying an additional 836 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Voya Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Encompass Health by 4.7% in the third quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 10,354 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,258,000 after acquiring an additional 466 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 97.25% of the company’s stock.

Encompass Health Company Profile

Encompass Health Corporation is a U.S. healthcare provider focused on inpatient rehabilitation. The company operates rehabilitation hospitals that offer specialized care for people recovering from conditions such as strokes, brain and spinal cord injuries, orthopedic conditions, and other illnesses or injuries. Its hospitals provide coordinated rehabilitation services, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy, alongside medical care. Encompass Health serves patients through facilities across the United States.