Ensign Group Boosts U.S. Presence With Idaho and Texas Facility Buyouts

The Ensign Group, Inc. ENSG recently purchased the real estate and operations of a Boise, ID-based skilled nursing facility, Timber Springs Transitional Care. Equipped with 120 beds, the real estate was acquired through a subsidiary of Standard Bearer Healthcare REIT, Inc., Ensign’s captive real estate company. The facility will now be operated by a tenant entity affiliated with Ensign.Concurrently, the unit of Standard Bearer purchased the real estate of Duncanville, TX-based Duncanville Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. This 124-bed skilled nursing facility will be operated by a third party under a long-term triple net lease arrangement. Both the Idaho and Texas acquisitions have already been effective from the very beginning of July 2025.By collaborating closely with dedicated caregiver teams at its newly acquired facilities, ENSG will deepen its understanding of the unique needs of local communities, enabling it to deliver enhanced, patient-centered care to residents and their families.Following the most recent acquisitions, Ensign Group's portfolio now includes 348 healthcare operations spread across 17 states, with 44 locations also offering senior living services. Additionally, through its subsidiaries—including Standard Bearer—the company owns 146 real estate assets. Around a month before the latest Idaho buyout, ENSG also conducted acquisitions in the state. It purchased the operations of two skilled nursing facilities located in Coeur d’Alene, Ironwood Rehabilitation and Care Center and Lakeside Rehabilitation and Care Center. The facilities are equipped with 80 and 100 beds, respectively.Ensign Group's Motive Behind Such Expansion EffortsThe year 2025 so far has been quite active for the company on the acquisition front. Its steady stream of acquisitions has significantly enhanced its ability to expand into numerous U.S. communities, leading to a strong nationwide presence and addressing critical gaps in care availability and providing much-needed support to underserved populations.Management keeps an eye on detecting opportunistic real-estate buyouts. It also aims to lease struggling skilled nursing, senior living and other healthcare-linked businesses across the United States. An increase in the number of skilled nursing facilities as a result of moves similar to Idaho facility buyout allows the healthcare provider to serve a broader patient population, which can, in turn, fuel strong revenue growth within its Skilled Services segment. This segment derives income from multiple channels, including Medicaid, Medicare, managed care programs and private payors. Historically, Skilled Services has been a major contributor to ENSG’s total revenues, accounting for 97.5% of its revenues in the first quarter of 2025.Meanwhile, the Texas-based facility acquisition is expected to boost rental income of Ensign Group that it earns through its Standard Bearer division. Such income is generated by leasing post-acute care properties acquired from healthcare operators under triple-net lease agreements. These arrangements are advantageous for the company, as it not only earns rental revenues but also shifts property-related expenses to the tenants.ENSG’s Share Price Performance & Zacks RankShares of Ensign Group have gained 17.8% in the past year compared with the industry’s 12.5% growth. ENSG currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchOther Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked stocks in the Medical space are BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. BTSG, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. BCRX and BioLife Solutions, Inc. BLFS, each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.BrightSpring Health’s earnings surpassed estimates in two of the last four quarters and missed the mark twice, the average surprise being 17.49%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BTSG’s 2025 earnings indicates a rise of 55.4% from the 2024 figure. The consensus mark for revenues implies an improvement of 9.1% from the 2024 figure. The consensus mark for BTSG’s 2025 earnings has moved 38.1% north in the past 60 days.The bottom line of BioCryst Pharmaceuticals outpaced estimates in two of the trailing four quarters, matched the mark once and missed the same in the remaining one occasion, the average surprise being 12.94%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BCRX’s 2025 earnings is pegged at 12 cents per share. A loss of 42 cents per share was incurred in the prior year. The consensus mark for revenues implies an improvement of 34.9% from the 2024 figure. BCRX has witnessed six upward estimate revisions for 2025 earnings against none down in the past 60 days.BioLife Solutions’ earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 112.90%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BLFS’ 2025 earnings is pegged at two cents per share. A loss of seven cents per share was incurred in the prior year. BLFS has witnessed one upward estimate revision for 2025 earnings against none down in the past 60 days.Shares of BrightSpring Health, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals and BioLife Solutions have gained 94.6%, 38.8% and 14.3%, respectively, in the past year. 5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the coming year. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +112%, +171%, +209% and +232%.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BCRX): Free Stock Analysis Report BioLife Solutions, Inc. (BLFS): Free Stock Analysis Report The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG): Free Stock Analysis Report BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. (BTSG): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks