The Ensign Group Acquires Two Utah Skilled Nursing Facilities


MISSION VIEJO, Calif., May 1, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ensign Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:ENSG), the parent company of the Ensign™ group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services, home health care, hospice care, assisted living and urgent care companies, announced today that it acquired the operations and real estate of Wasatch Healthcare and Rehabilitation, a 63-bed skilled nursing facility in Ogden, Utah and St. George Rehabilitation, a 130-bed skilled nursing facility in St. George, Utah. Both acquisitions were effective May 1, 2015.

"These opportunistic acquisitions further solidify Ensign's presence in the important Utah healthcare market," said Christopher Christensen, Ensign's President and Chief Executive Officer. He added that the these new operations cluster very well with the skilled nursing, assisted living, home health and hospice operations already serving patients and residents in Northern and Southern Utah.

"Each of these operations brings an amazing team of caregivers into our group," said Jorge Rojas, President of Milestone, Ensign's Utah-based portfolio subsidiary. "We are excited about joining with them to continue providing the highest quality of care and service to each patient and their family members," he added. Mr. Rojas also noted that he expects operations at the newly-acquired facilities, which had an aggregate occupancy rate of approximately 51% at acquisition, to be mildly accretive to earnings in 2015.

In a separate transaction on the same day, an Ensign subsidiary also acquired Bainbridge Island Health and Rehabilitation, a 69-bed skilled nursing operation in Bainbridge Island, Washington. The Washington purchase was Effective May 1, 2015 and Ensign will retain ownership of the real estate for the facility.

These acquisitions bring Ensign's growing portfolio to 150 healthcare facilities, twenty-five of which are owned, twelve hospice agencies, thirteen home health agencies, three home care businesses and sixteen urgent care clinics across 12 states. Mr. Christensen reaffirmed that Ensign continues to see a very healthy pipeline for growth opportunities within its existing footprint and in new markets. He also indicated that the organization is actively seeking and negotiating several other transactions to acquire real estate and to lease both well-performing and struggling skilled nursing, assisted living and other healthcare related businesses.

About Ensign™

The Ensign Group, Inc.'s independent operating subsidiaries provide a broad spectrum of skilled nursing and assisted living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, home health and hospice services, urgent care services and other rehabilitative and healthcare services at 150 facilities, twelve hospice companies, thirteen home health businesses, three home care businesses and sixteen urgent care clinics in California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin. More information about Ensign is available at http://www.ensigngroup.net.



            

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