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Ensign Group, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and GAAP earnings grew: Consolidated revenue was $1.39 billion, up 18.4%. GAAP diluted EPS was $1.67, up 21.9% from $1.37, and GAAP net income was $99.7 million, up 24.2%. Source
  • Adjusted earnings rose similarly: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.85, up 21.7%, and adjusted net income was $110.2 million, up 23.9%. Adjusted figures exclude stock-based compensation and system implementation costs. Source
  • Occupancy set new highs: Same Facilities occupancy reached 84.3% and Transitioning Facilities occupancy 85.1%, which management described as new record highs for the quarter. Source
  • Medicare revenue and days rose: Same Facilities Medicare revenue rose 9.8% and Transitioning Facilities 9.2%. Medicare days rose 5.2% and 4.3%. The total Medicare daily revenue rate was $821.83, from $783.71. Source
  • 22 operations added this quarter: Management said 22 operations were added during the quarter and since, including 21 real estate assets. Operations acquired during 2025 and since now total 71. Source
  • Survey results outperformed peers: Management cited CMS data showing same-store facilities outperformed peers in annual survey results by 22% at the state level and 31% at the county level. Source
  • Operating cash flow increased: Net cash from operating activities was $100.2 million, from $72.2 million. Investing outflows were $71.2 million, from $243.8 million, and financing activities provided $6.7 million. Source

“We are not dependent on any single payor, region, or utilization trend.”

Barry Port, Ensign’s Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Diluted EPS Sourcefiscal year 2026$7.48 to $7.62Raised from $7.41 to $7.61
Revenue Sourcefiscal year 2026$5.81 billion to $5.86 billionRaised from $5.77 billion to $5.84 billion
Diluted shares and tax rate Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately 60.0 million diluted shares; 25.0% tax rateKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Diluted EPS guidance raised, which management tied to first-quarter strength and to acquisitions announced the day before. Source
  • Guidance raised: Revenue guidance raised in the same update. Source
  • Guidance kept: Share count and tax-rate basis unchanged from the prior release. Source
  • New: Acquisition-closing assumption moved to the second quarter of 2026, from the first quarter of 2026 in the prior release. Source

Earnings and revenue

  • Revenue and GAAP earnings grew: Consolidated revenue was $1.39 billion, up 18.4%. GAAP diluted EPS was $1.67, up 21.9% from $1.37, and GAAP net income was $99.7 million, up 24.2%. Source
  • Adjusted earnings rose similarly: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.85, up 21.7%, and adjusted net income was $110.2 million, up 23.9%. Adjusted figures exclude stock-based compensation and system implementation costs. Source
  • Non-GAAP adjustments increased: Stock-based compensation was $13.9 million, from $10.7 million. System implementation costs were $3.0 million, from $0.3 million. Acquisition costs were $0.3 million, from $0.5 million. Source

Census and skilled services

  • Occupancy set new highs: Same Facilities occupancy reached 84.3% and Transitioning Facilities occupancy 85.1%, which management described as new record highs for the quarter. Source
  • Skilled mix rose sequentially: Skilled mix by nursing revenue was 50.7%, from 50.2%, and by nursing days 32.0%, from 31.4%. Managed care and Medicare census rose sequentially from the prior quarter. Source
  • Recently acquired facilities scaled: The 48 recently acquired facilities produced $156.1 million of skilled services revenue, against $28.1 million a year earlier, with operational bed occupancy of 80.5%, from 70.1%. Source
  • Transitioning facilities revenue grew: The 50 Transitioning Facilities generated $195.5 million of skilled services revenue, up 9.3%, and patient days rose 4.5%. Source

“We continue to learn from and improve our transition process and believe that those lessons are showing through in the performance of our recently acquired acquisitions.”

Chad Keetch, Ensign’s Chief Investment Officer and Executive Vice President

Payor mix and Medicare

  • Medicare revenue and days rose: Same Facilities Medicare revenue rose 9.8% and Transitioning Facilities 9.2%. Medicare days rose 5.2% and 4.3%. The total Medicare daily revenue rate was $821.83, from $783.71. Source
  • Managed care volumes grew across portfolio: Management pointed to managed care volume across the portfolio. The total managed care daily revenue rate was $600.27, from $566.74. Source
  • Payor mix by service revenue: Medicaid was 39.3% of service revenue and Medicare 24.3%. Managed care was 18.9%, from 19.5%, and private and other payors 12.0%, from 11.0%. Source

Costs and expenses

  • Cost of services increased: Cost of services was $1,095.8 million, from $927.8 million. Rent cost of services was $65.5 million, from $57.1 million, and general and administrative expense was $74.2 million, from $62.6 million. Source
  • Depreciation and total expenses rose: Depreciation and amortization was $28.8 million, from $24.2 million. Total expenses were $1,264.3 million, from $1,071.7 million. Source

“Ms. Snapper noted that as the Company’s liquidity remains strong, it plans to continue its long history of paying dividends into the future.”

Suzanne Snapper, Ensign’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Acquisitions and growth

  • 22 operations added this quarter: Management said 22 operations were added during the quarter and since, including 21 real estate assets. Operations acquired during 2025 and since now total 71. Source
  • Pipeline spans portfolios and single sites: The pipeline includes larger portfolios, landlords replacing tenants, non-profits divesting post-acute assets and single or double sites. Several additions are lined up for Q2 and Q3 of 2026. Source
  • Texas expansion highlighted: Management said the company expanded its presence in key markets in each state, particularly Texas. Most listed Standard Bearer real estate acquisitions are in Texas, with one in Wisconsin. Source
  • Building-by-building transition method: Management described a building-by-building transition approach, with larger deals broken into smaller clusters, and said it applies to single operations, small portfolios and larger portfolios. Source
  • Leasing and acquiring real estate: Management said the strategy continues to include both leasing and acquiring real estate, and that the company is actively seeking performing and underperforming operations in several states. Source

Standard Bearer and real estate

  • Standard Bearer income and FFO rose: Standard Bearer revenue rose 27.1% and FFO rose 26.6%. Segment income was $10.8 million, from $8.6 million, after intercompany interest of $9.8 million and a management fee of $2.2 million. Source
  • Rental revenue mostly from Ensign affiliates: Rental revenue was $36.1 million, of which $30.8 million came from Ensign affiliates. The 173 owned properties include 137 leased to Ensign-affiliated operators and 37 to third parties. Source
  • Real estate assets owned: Ensign owns 179 real estate assets, 141 of which are operated by an Ensign affiliate. Management said the company continues to both lease and acquire real estate. Source

Clinical quality and leaders

  • Survey results outperformed peers: Management cited CMS data showing same-store facilities outperformed peers in annual survey results by 22% at the state level and 31% at the county level. Source
  • 5-Star measures outperformed: Same-store operations outperformed industry peers in 5-Star Quality Measure results by 24% nationally and 20% at the state level. Source
  • Low ratings at acquisition noted: Management noted that many of these facilities were 1- and 2-star buildings at acquisition, and cited this as context for the survey results. Source
  • Local leaders credited: Management credited local leaders and their teams with clinical outcomes and with earning the trust of patients, families and local communities. Source

Capital, cash and dividends

  • Cash and credit available: Management reported approximately $539.5 million of cash on hand and $591.6 million of available line-of-credit capacity. Source
  • Operating cash flow increased: Net cash from operating activities was $100.2 million, from $72.2 million. Investing outflows were $71.2 million, from $243.8 million, and financing activities provided $6.7 million. Source
  • Quarterly dividend paid: The company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.065 per share of common stock. Source
  • Debt and equity balances: Long-term debt was $136.5 million, from $137.5 million, and total equity was $2,369.7 million, from $2,234.8 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • Form 10-Q filing: The Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 was expected to be filed with the SEC on the release date. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Same Facilities skilled services revenue Source$979,208 thousand, up 6.8%
Total actual patient days Source2,896,034, up 14.1%
Same Facilities actual patient days Source2,145,381, up 3.2%
Operational bed occupancy, total Source84.0%, up from 81.9%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said hospital and managed care volumes may ebb and flow as patients move through the system. Source
  • External: Management said payors becoming more disciplined does not necessarily reduce volume, and shifts higher acuity patients toward operators with proven quality. Source
  • External: Management said one plan tightening in a market has been offset in the past through share gains, referrals and admissions. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management referred to earlier statements that financial performance reflects its patient-focused culture. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release said several additions were lined up for the first quarter of 2026; this release does not state their status.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.