EX-4.2 4 a2175777zex-4_2.htm EXHIBIT 4.2

Exhibit 4.2

THE ENSIGN GROUP, INC.

INVESTORS' RIGHTS AGREEMENT

JUNE 6, 2000

TABLE OF CONTENTS

			Page
1.		Registration Rights	1
	1.1	Definitions	1
	1.2	Request for Registration	2
	1.3	Company Registration	3
	1.4	Form S-3 Registration	3
	1.5	Obligations of the Company	4
	1.6	Furnish Information	5
	1.7	Expenses of Registration	5
	1.8	Underwriting Requirements	5
	1.9	Delay of Registration	6
	1.10	Indemnification	6
	1.11	Assignment of Registration Rights	8
	1.12	Market-Standoff Agreement	8
	1.13	Termination of Registration Rights	9
2.		Covenants of the Company	9
	2.1	Delivery of Financial Statements	9
	2.2	Termination of Covenants	9
3.		Co-Sale Right	9
	3.1	Notice of Intended Transfer	9
	3.2	Co-Sale Amount	10
	3.3	Delivery	10
	3.4	Transfer	10
	3.5	No Adverse Effect	10
	3.6	No Participation	10
	3.7	Permitted Transactions	10
	3.8	Termination of Co-Sale Rights	11
4.		Miscellaneous	11
	4.1	Successors and Assigns	11
	4.2	Amendments and Waivers	11
	4.3	Notices	11
	4.4	Severability	11
	4.5	Governing Law	11
	4.6	Counterparts	11
	4.7	Titles and Subtitles	11
EXHIBIT A Investors

THE ENSIGN GROUP, INC.

INVESTORS' RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Investors' Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") is made as of the 6th day of June, 2000 by and among THE ENSIGN GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and the investors listed on Exhibit A hereto, each of which is herein referred to as an "Investor" and Roy E. Christensen, Christopher R. Christensen, Douglas M. Easton, Gregory K. Stapley, J. Richard Toolson, V. Jay Brady, and Charles M. Blalack (each of whom shall be referred to herein as a "Founder").

RECITALS

The Company and the Investors have entered into a Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") of even date herewith pursuant to which the Company desires to sell to the Investors and the Investors desire to purchase from the Company shares of the Company's Series A Preferred Stock. A condition to the Investors' obligations under the Purchase Agreement is that the Company, and the Investors enter into this Agreement in order to provide the Investors with (i) certain rights to register shares of the Company's Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock held by the Investors, and (ii) certain rights to receive or inspect information pertaining to the Company. The Company desires to induce the Investors to purchase shares of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreement by agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

AGREEMENT

The parties hereby agree as follows:

1. Registration Rights. The Company and the Investors covenant and agree as follows:

1.1 Definitions. For purposes of this Section 1:

(a) The terms "register," "registered," and "registration" refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such registration statement or document;

(b) The term "Registrable Securities" means the shares of Common Stock issuable or issued upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the foregoing definition shall exclude in all cases any Registrable Securities sold by a person in a transaction in which his or her rights under this Agreement are not assigned. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Common Stock or other securities shall only be treated as Registrable Securities if and so long as they have not been (A) sold to or through a broker or dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or a public securities transaction, or (B) sold in a transaction exempt from the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act under Section 4(1) thereof so that all transfer restrictions, and restrictive legends with respect thereto, if any, are removed upon the consummation of such sale;

(c) The number of shares of "Registrable Securities then outstanding" shall be determined by the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding which are, and the number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to then exercisable or convertible securities which are, Registrable Securities;

(d) The term "Holder" means any person owning or having the right to acquire Registrable Securities or any assignee thereof in accordance with Section 1.12 of this Agreement;

(e) The term "Form S-3" means such form under the Securities Act as in effect on the date hereof or any successor form under the Securities Act;

(f) The term "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission; and

(g) The term "Qualified IPO" means a firm commitment underwritten public offering by the Company of shares of its Common Stock pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act, the public offering price of which is not less than $11.00 per share (appropriately adjusted for any stock split, dividend, combination or other recapitalization) and which results in

aggregate cash proceeds to the Company of $20,000,000 (net of underwriting discounts and commissions).

1.2 Request for Registration.

(a) If the Company shall receive at any time after the date which is six (6) months after the effective date of the first registration statement for a public offering of securities of the Company (other than a registration statement relating either to the sale of securities to employees of the Company pursuant to a stock option, stock purchase or similar plan or an SEC Rule 145 transaction), a written request from the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities then outstanding that the Company file a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the registration of at least thirty percent (30%) of the Registrable Securities then outstanding (or a lesser percent if the anticipated aggregate offering price, net of underwriting discounts and commissions, would exceed $5,000,000), then the Company shall, within ten (10) days of the receipt thereof, give written notice of such request to all Holders and shall, subject to the limitations of subsection 1.2(b), use commercially reasonable efforts to effect as soon as practicable, and in any event within ninety (90) days of the receipt of such request, the registration under the Securities Act of all Registrable Securities which the Holders request to be registered within twenty (20) days of the mailing of such notice by the Company in accordance with Section 3.3.

(b) If the Holders initiating the registration request hereunder ("Initiating Holders") intend to distribute the Registrable Securities covered by their request by means of an underwriting, they shall so advise the Company as a part of their request made pursuant to this Section 1.2 and the Company shall include such information in the written notice referred to in subsection 1.2(a). The underwriter will be selected by a majority in interest of the Initiating Holders and shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company. In such event, the right of any Holder to include his Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such Holder's participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holder's Registrable Securities in the underwriting (unless otherwise mutually agreed by a majority in interest of the Initiating Holders and such Holder) to the extent provided herein. All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall (together with the Company as provided in subsection 1.5(e)) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 1.2, if the underwriter advises the Initiating Holders in writing that marketing factors require a limitation of the number of shares to be underwritten, then the Initiating Holders shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities which would otherwise be underwritten pursuant hereto, and the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in the underwriting shall be allocated among all Holders thereof, including the Initiating Holders, in proportion (as nearly as practicable) to the amount of Registrable Securities of the Company owned by each Holder; provided, however, that the number of shares of Registrable Securities to be included in such underwriting shall not be reduced unless all other securities are first entirely excluded from the underwriting.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company shall furnish to Holders requesting a registration statement pursuant to this Section 1.2, a certificate signed by the President of the Company stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, it would be seriously detrimental to the Company and its shareholders for such registration statement to be filed and it is therefore essential to defer the filing of such registration statement, the Company shall have the right to defer such filing for a period of not more than 120 days after receipt of the request of the Initiating Holders; provided, however, that the Company may not utilize this right more than once in any twelve-month period.

(d) In addition, the Company shall not be obligated to effect, or to take any action to effect, any registration pursuant to this Section 1.2:

(i) After the Company has effected one (1) registration pursuant to this Section 1.2 and such registration has been declared or ordered effective;

(ii) During the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company's good faith estimate of the date of filing of, and ending on a date one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of, a registration subject to Section 1.3 hereof; provided that the Company is actively employing commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective; or

(iii) If the Initiating Holders propose to dispose of shares of Registrable Securities that may be immediately registered on Form S-3 pursuant to a request made pursuant to Section 1.4 below.

1.3 Company Registration. If (but without any obligation to do so) the Company proposes to register (including for this purpose a registration effected by the Company for shareholders other than the Holders) any of its stock under the Securities Act in connection with the public offering of such securities solely for cash (other than a registration relating solely to the sale of securities to participants in a Company stock plan or a transaction covered by Rule 145 under the Securities Act, a registration in which the only stock being registered is Common Stock issuable upon conversion of debt securities which are also being registered, or any registration on any form which does not include substantially the same information as would be required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of the Registrable Securities), the Company shall, at such time, promptly give each Holder written notice of such registration. Upon the written request of each Holder given within twenty (20) days after mailing of such notice by the Company in accordance with Section 3.3, the Company shall, subject to the provisions of Section 1.8, cause to be registered under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities that each such Holder has requested to be registered.

1.4 Form S-3 Registration. In case the Company shall receive from any Holder or Holders of not less than thirty percent (30%) of the Registrable Securities then outstanding a written request or requests that the Company effect a registration on Form S-3 and any related qualification or compliance with respect to all or a part of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holder or Holders, the Company will:

(a) promptly give written notice of the proposed registration, and any related qualification or compliance, to all other Holders; and

(b) as soon as practicable, effect such registration and all such qualifications and compliances as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate the sale and distribution of all or such portion of such Holder's or Holders' Registrable Securities as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any other Holder or Holders joining in such request as are specified in a written request given within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such written notice from the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such registration, qualification or compliance, pursuant to this Section 1.4: (i) if Form S-3 is not available for such offering by the Holders; (ii) if the Holders, together with the holders of any other securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such registration, propose to sell Registrable Securities and such other securities (if any) at an aggregate price to the public (net of any underwriters' discounts or commissions) of less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000); (iii) if the Company shall furnish to the Holders a certificate signed by the President of the Company stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, it would be seriously detrimental to the Company and its shareholders for such Form S-3 Registration to be effected at such time, in which event the Company shall have the right to defer the filing of the Form S-3 registration statement for a period of not more than one hundred and twenty (120) days after receipt of the request of the Holder or Holders under this Section 1.4; provided, however, that the Company shall not utilize this right more than once in any

twelve month period; (iv) if the Company has already effected three (3) registrations on Form S-3 for the Holders pursuant to this Section 1.4; (v) in any particular jurisdiction in which the Company would be required to qualify to do business or to execute a general consent to service of process in effecting such registration, qualification or compliance; or (vi) during the period ending one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of a registration statement subject to Section 1.3.

(c) Subject to the foregoing, the Company shall file a registration statement covering the Registrable Securities and other securities so requested to be registered as soon as practicable after receipt of the request or requests of the Holders. Registrations effected pursuant to this Section 1.4 shall not be counted as demands for registration or registrations effected pursuant to Sections 1.2 or 1.3, respectively.

1.5 Obligations of the Company. Whenever required under this Section 1 to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities, the Company shall, as expeditiously as reasonably possible:

(a) Prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective, and, upon the request of the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities registered thereunder, keep such registration statement effective for up to one hundred twenty (120) days. The Company shall not be required to file, cause to become effective or maintain the effectiveness of any registration statement that contemplates a distribution of securities on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act.

(b) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection with such registration statement as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement for up to one hundred twenty (120) days.

(c) Furnish to the Holders such numbers of copies of a prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other documents as they may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of Registrable Securities owned by them.

(d) Use its best efforts to register and qualify the securities covered by such registration statement under such other securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as shall be reasonably requested by the Holders, provided that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to qualify to do business or to file a general consent to service of process in any such states or jurisdictions.

(e) In the event of any underwritten public offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing underwriter of such offering. Each Holder participating in such underwriting shall also enter into and perform its obligations under such an agreement.

(f) Notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing, such obligation to continue for one hundred twenty (120) days.

(g) Cause all such Registrable Securities registered pursuant hereunder to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed.

(h) Provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities registered pursuant hereunder and a CUSIP number for all such Registrable Securities, in each case not later than the effective date of such registration.

(i) Use its best efforts to furnish, at the request of any Holder requesting registration of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 1, on the date that such Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters for sale in connection with a registration pursuant to this Section 1, if such securities are being sold through underwriters, or, if such securities are not being sold through underwriters, on the date that the registration statement with respect to such securities becomes effective, (i) an opinion, dated such date, of the counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such registration, in form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and to the Holders requesting registration of Registrable Securities and (ii) a letter dated such date, from the independent certified public accountants of the Company, in form and substance as is customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and to the Holders requesting registration of Registrable Securities.

1.6 Furnish Information. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to take any action pursuant to this Section 1 with respect to the Registrable Securities of any selling Holder that such Holder shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it, and the intended method of disposition of such securities as shall be required to effect the registration of such Holder's Registrable Securities. The Company shall have no obligation with respect to any registration requested pursuant to Section 1.2 or Section 1.4 of this Agreement if, as a result of the application of the preceding sentence, the number of shares or the anticipated aggregate offering price of the Registrable Securities to be included in the registration does not equal or exceed the number of shares or the anticipated aggregate offering price required to originally trigger the Company's obligation to initiate such registration as specified in subsection 1.2(a) or subsection 1.4(b)(2), whichever is applicable.

1.7 Expenses of Registration.

(a) Demand and Piggy-back Registration. All expenses other than underwriting discounts and commissions incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Section 1.2, including (without limitation) all registration, filing and qualification fees, printers' and accounting fees, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the selling Holders selected by them with the approval of the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, shall be borne by the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay for any expenses of any registration proceeding (i) after the First demand registration pursuant to Section 1.2, (ii) after the second "piggy-back" registration pursuant to Section 1.3, or (iii) begun pursuant to Section 1.2 if the registration request is subsequently withdrawn at the request of the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities to be registered (in which case all participating Holders shall bear such expenses), unless the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities agree to forfeit their right to one demand registration pursuant to Section 1.2.

(b) Other Registration. All expenses incurred in connection with a registration requested pursuant to Section 1.4 or not to be paid by the Company pursuant to Section 1.7(a), including (without limitation) all registration, filing, qualification, printers' and accounting fees, and counsel for the Company, and any underwriters' discounts or commissions associated with Registrable Securities, shall be borne pro rata by the stockholders including shares in such Registration Statement and, if it participates, the Company.

1.8 Underwriting Requirements. In connection with any offering involving an underwriting of shares of the Company's capital stock, the Company shall not be required under Section 1.3 to include any of the Holders' securities in such underwriting unless they accept the terms of the underwriting as agreed

upon between the Company and the underwriters selected by it (or by other persons entitled to select the underwriters), and then only in such quantity as the underwriters determine in their sole discretion will not jeopardize the success of the offering by the Company. If the total amount of securities, including Registrable Securities, requested by shareholders to be included in such offering exceeds the amount of securities sold other than by the Company that the underwriters determine in their sole discretion is compatible with the success of the offering, then the Company shall be required to include in the offering only that number of such securities, including Registrable Securities, which the underwriters determine in their sole discretion will not jeopardize the success of the offering (the securities so included to be apportioned pro rata among the selling shareholders according to the total amount of securities entitled to be included therein owned by each selling shareholder or in such other proportions as shall mutually be agreed to by such selling shareholders) but in no event shall the amount of securities of the selling Holders included in the offering be reduced below fifteen percent (15%) of the total amount of securities included in such offering, unless such offering is the initial public offering of the Company's securities, in which case, the selling Holders may be excluded completely if the underwriters make the determination described above and no other shareholder's securities are included. For purposes of the preceding parenthetical concerning apportionment, for any selling shareholder which is a holder of Registrable Securities and which is a partnership or corporation, the partners, retired partners and shareholders of such holder, or the estates and family members of any such partners and retired partners and any trusts for the benefit of any of the foregoing persons shall be deemed to be a single "selling shareholder," and any pro-rata reduction with respect to such "selling shareholder" shall be based upon the aggregate amount of shares carrying registration rights owned by all entities and individuals included in such "selling shareholder," as defined in this sentence.

1.9 Delay of Registration. No Holder shall have any right to obtain or seek an injunction restraining or otherwise delaying any such registration as the result of any controversy that might arise with respect to the interpretation or implementation of this Section 1.

1.10 Indemnification. In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a registration statement under this Section 1:

(a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, and each person, if any, who controls such Holder within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), against any losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (joint or several) to which they may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state law, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any of the following statements, omissions or violations (collectively a "Violation"): (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in such registration statement, including any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein or any amendments or supplements thereto, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law or any rule or regulation promulgated under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law; and the Company will pay to each such Holder, or controlling person, as incurred, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection 1.10(a) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), nor shall the Company be liable to any Holder, or controlling person for any such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action to the extent that it arises out of or is based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with

written information furnished for use in connection with such registration by any such Holder, or controlling person.

(b) To the extent permitted by law, each selling Holder will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who has signed the registration statement, each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, any underwriter, any other Holder selling securities in such registration statement and any controlling person of any such underwriter or other Holder, against any losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (joint or several) to which any of the foregoing persons may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state law, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect thereto) arise out of or are based upon any Violation, in each case to the extent that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by such Holder for use in connection with such registration; and each such Holder will pay, as incurred, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any person intended to be indemnified pursuant to this subsection 1.10(b), in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, or action; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection 1.10(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Holder, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, that in no event shall any indemnity under this subsection 1.10(b) exceed the net proceeds from the offering received by such Holder, except in the case of fraud by such Holder.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 1.10 of notice of the commencement of any action (including any governmental action), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 1.10, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the parties; provided, however, that an indemnified party (together with all other indemnified parties which may be represented without conflict by one counsel) shall have the right to retain one separate counsel, with the reasonable fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, if representation of such indemnified party by the counsel retained by the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such indemnified party and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action, if prejudicial to its ability to defend such action, shall relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the indemnified party under this Section 1.10, but the omission so to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party will not relieve it of any liability that it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 1.10.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 1.10 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an indemnified party with respect to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense referred to therein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party hereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and of the indemnified party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided, that in no event shall any contribution by a Holder under this Subsection 1.10(d) exceed the net proceeds from the offering received by such Holder, except in the case of fraud by such Holder. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties' relative

intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the provisions on indemnification and contribution contained in the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with the underwritten public offering are in conflict with the foregoing provisions, the provisions in the underwriting agreement shall control.

(f) The obligations of the Company and Holders under this Section 1.10 shall survive the completion of any offering of Registrable Securities in a registration statement under this Section 1.

1.11 Assignment of Registration Rights. The rights to cause the Company to register Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 1 may be assigned (but only with all related obligations) by a Holder to a transferee or assignee of at least 150,000 shares of such securities, provided the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the securities with respect to which such registration rights are being assigned; and provided, further, that such assignment shall be effective only if immediately following such transfer the further disposition of such securities by the transferee or assignee is restricted under the Securities Act. For the purposes of determining the number of shares of Registrable Securities held by a transferee or assignee, the holdings of transferees and assignees of a partnership who are partners or retired partners of such partnership (including spouses and ancestors, lineal descendants and siblings of such partners or spouses who acquire Registrable Securities by gift, will or intestate succession) shall be aggregated together and with the partnership; provided that all assignees and transferees who would not qualify individually for assignment of registration rights shall have a single attorney-in-fact for the purpose of exercising any rights, receiving notices or taking any action under Section 1.

1.12 Market-Standoff Agreement.

(a) Market-Standoff Period; Agreement. In connection with the initial public offering of the Company's securities and upon request of the Company or the underwriters managing such offering of the Company's securities, each Holder agrees not to sell, make any short sale of, loan, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose of any securities of the Company (other than those included in the registration) without the prior written consent of the Company or such underwriters, as the case may be, for such period of time (not to exceed one hundred and eighty (180) days) from the effective date of such registration as may be requested by the Company or such managing underwriters and to execute an agreement reflecting the foregoing as may be requested by the underwriters at the time of the Company's initial public offering. In addition, each Holder agrees to be bound by similar restrictions, and to sign a similar agreement, in connection with no more than one additional registration statement filed within twelve months after the closing date of the initial public offering, provided that the duration of the market-standoff period with respect to such additional registration shall not exceed 90 days from the effective date of such additional registration statement.

(b) Limitations. The obligations described in Section 1.12(a) shall apply only if all executive officers and directors of the Company as well as all holders of at least five percent (5%) of the Company's capital stock enter into similar agreements, and shall not apply to a registration relating solely to employee benefit plans, or to a registration relating solely to a transaction pursuant to Rule 145 under the Securities Act.

(c) Stop-Transfer Instructions. In order to enforce the foregoing covenants, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the securities of each Holder (and the securities of every other person subject to the restrictions in Section 1.12(a)).

(d) Transferees Bound. Each Holder agrees that it will not transfer securities of the Company unless each transferee agrees in writing to be bound by all of the provisions of this Section 1.12, provided that this Section 1.12(d) shall not apply to transfers pursuant to a registration statement or transfers after

the twelve-month anniversary of the effective date of the Company's initial registration statement subject to this Section 1.12.

1.13 Termination of Registration Rights. No Holder shall be entitled to exercise any right provided for in this Section 1 after the earlier of (i) three (3) years following the consummation of a Qualified IPO, or (ii) such time as Rule 144 or another similar exemption under the Securities Act is available for the sale of all of such Holder's shares during a three (3) month period without registration.

2. Covenants of the Company.

2.1 Delivery of Financial Statements. The Company shall deliver to each Holder of at least 150,000 shares of Registrable Securities (other than a Holder reasonably deemed by the Company to be a competitor of the Company):

(a) as soon as practicable, but in any event within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an income statement for such fiscal year, a balance sheet of the Company and statement of shareholder's equity as of the end of such year, and a statement of cash flows for such year, such year-end financial reports to be in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), and audited and certified by an independent public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing selected by the Company; and

(b) as soon as practicable, but in any event within thirty (30) days after the end of each of the first three (3) quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, an unaudited profit or loss statement, a statement of cash flows for such fiscal quarter and an unaudited balance sheet as of the end of such fiscal quarter.

2.2 Termination of Covenants.

(a) The covenants set forth in Section 2.1 shall terminate as to each Investor and be of no further force or effect (i) immediately prior to the consummation of a public offering of the Company's common stock, or (ii) when the Company shall sell, convey, or otherwise dispose of or encumber all or substantially all of its property or business or merge into or consolidate with any other corporation (other than a wholly-owned subsidiary corporation) or effect any other transaction or series of related transactions in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the Company is disposed of, provided that this subsection (ii) shall not apply to a merger effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Corporation.

(b) The covenants set forth in Section 2.1 shall terminate as to each Holder and be of no further force or effect when the Company first becomes subject to the periodic reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, if this occurs earlier than the events described in Section 2.2(a) above.

3. Co-Sale Right.

3.1 Notice of Intended Transfer. Any Founder (the "Selling Stockholder") desiring to sell part or all of the shares of the common stock (the "Transfer Shares") of the Company, $0.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), held by such Selling Stockholder shall give all other Founders and Investors a notice (the "Request to Transfer") specifying to whom he desires to transfer the Transfer Shares and the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer. All other Investors and Founders shall have the right, exercisable upon written notice to the Selling Stockholder, within fifteen (15) days after receipt of a Request to Transfer, to request to sell part or all of such party's shares of Common Stock, including shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Company's Series A Preferred Stock, in the transaction described in such Request to Transfer on the same terms and conditions specified in the Request to Transfer (the parties who elect such sale, together with the Selling Stockholder, the "Selling Parties", and all shares of Common Stock requested by the Selling Parties to be included in such transaction, including the Transfer Shares, the "Requested Shares").

3.2 Co-Sale Amount. To the extent the proposed purchaser is not willing to purchase all of the Requested Shares, each Selling Party may sell in such transaction described in the Request to Transfer that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product obtained by multiplying the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that the proposed purchaser is willing to purchase (the "Eligible Shares"), by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock requested by such Selling Party to be included in the transaction and the denominator of which is the total number of Requested Shares.

3.3 Delivery. Each Selling Party shall effect participation in the sale by promptly delivering for transfer to the Selling Stockholder one or more stock certificates, properly endorsed for transfer, which represent the number of shares of Common Stock which such Selling Party elects and is permitted under Section 3.2 to sell in the transaction. If any Selling Party has requested to sell shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Series A Preferred Stock, such Selling Party must effect such conversion and deliver stock certificates representing such shares of Common Stock in accordance with this Section 3.3.

3.4 Transfer. The stock certificate or certificates that the Selling Parties deliver shall be transferred to the prospective purchaser in consummation of the sale of the Eligible Shares pursuant to the terms and conditions specified in the Request to Transfer, and the Selling Parties shall concurrently therewith receive that portion of the sale proceeds to which the Selling Parties are entitled by reason of their participation in such sale.

3.5 No Adverse Effect. The exercise or nonexercise of the rights of each Founder or Investor to participate in one or more sales of Company Stock made by a Selling Stockholder shall not adversely affect such Founder or Investor's rights to participate in subsequent sales of Company Stock pursuant to this Agreement.

3.6 No Participation. If Investors or Founders, as the case may be, elect not to participate in the sale of the shares designated in the Request to Transfer within the time period specified in Section 3.1 above, then the Selling Stockholder may consummate the sale or transfer of such Requested Shares referred to in the Request to Transfer to the prospective purchaser, provided such transaction (i) is completed within ninety (90) days after the expiration of the Investor's right of co-sale as set forth above, (ii) is made at a price and subject to terms no more favorable to the Selling Stockholder than those specified in the Request to Transfer, and (iii) the proposed purchaser agrees in writing to be bound by and comply with the provisions of this Section 3. Any proposed transfer on terms and conditions more favorable than those described in the Request to Transfer, as well as any subsequent proposed transfer or sale of any of shares of the Common Stock shall again be subject to all of the co-sale rights set forth in this Section 3.

3.7 Permitted Transactions. The provisions of this Section 3 shall not apply to:

(a) any pledge of Common Stock made by a Founder or Investor pursuant to a bona fide loan transaction which creates a mere security interest;

(b) any repurchase of Common Stock by the Company;

(d) any transfer by a Founder or Investor to such Founder's or Investor's ancestors, descendants or spouse or to a trust for their benefit; or

(e) any sale or transfer of shares of Common Stock between any Founders and/or Investors;

provided, that, in each case the pledgee, transferee or donee shall agree in writing to be bound by or comply with the provisions of this Section 3.

3.8 Termination of Co-Sale Rights. No Founder or Investor shall be entitled to exercise any right provided for in this Section 3 after the earlier of (i) the consummation of a Qualified IPO, (ii) such time as Rule 144 or another similar exemption under the Securities Act is available for the sale of all of such Founder or Investor's shares of Company stock during a three (3) month period without registration, or (iii) the tenth anniversary of the date of this Agreement.

4. Miscellaneous.

4.1 Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective permitted successors and assigns of the parties (including transferees of any of the Series A Preferred Stock or any Common Stock issued upon conversion thereof). Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.

4.2 Amendments and Waivers. Any term of this Agreement may be amended or waived only with the written consent of the Company and the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities then outstanding. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this paragraph shall be binding upon each holder of any Registrable Securities then outstanding, each future holder of all such Registrable Securities, and the Company.

4.3 Notices. Unless otherwise provided, any notice required or permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficient upon delivery, when delivered personally or by overnight courier or sent by telegram or fax, or forty-eight (48) hours after being deposited in the U.S. mail, as certified or registered mail, with postage prepaid, and addressed to the party to be notified at such party's address or fax number as set forth below or on Exhibit A hereto or as subsequently modified by written notice.

4.4 Severability. If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, the parties agree to renegotiate such provision in good faith. In the event that the parties cannot reach a mutually agreeable and enforceable replacement for such provision, then (a) such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement, (b) the balance of the Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were so excluded and (c) the balance of the Agreement shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.

4.5 Governing Law. This Agreement and all acts and transactions pursuant hereto shall be governed, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws.

4.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

4.7 Titles and Subtitles. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

The parties have executed this Investors' Rights Agreement as of the date first above written.

COMPANY:		FOUNDERS:
THE ENSIGN GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation
By:	/s/ CHRISTOPHER R. CHRISTENSEN	/s/ ROY E. CHRISTENSEN
Christopher R. Christensen, President 32232 Paseo Adelanto, Suite A San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 Fax (949) 487-9300		Roy E. Christensen /s/ CHRISTOPHER R. CHRISTENSEN Christopher R. Christensen
INVESTORS		/s/ DOUGLAS M. EASTON Douglas M. Easton
ENSIGN GROUP INVESTMENTS, L.L.C., A California limited liability company		/s/ GREGORY K. STAPLEY Gregory K. Stapley
By:	/s/ CHARLES M. BLALACK	/s/ J. RICHARD TOOLSON
Charles M. Blalack, Manager		J. Richard Toolson
By:	/s/ T. BROOK TOWNSEND, III	/s/ V. JAY BRADY
T. Brook Townsend, III, Manager		V. Jay Brady
22601 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 200 Malibu, CA 90265 Fax (626) 440-5984 Fax (310) 456-7840		/s/ CHARLES M. BLALACK Charles M. Blalack

EXHIBIT A

INVESTORS


Name/Address/Fax No.		No. of Shares
Ensign Group Investments, L.L.C.		585,295
22601 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 200 Malibu, CA 90265 Fax: (626) 440-5984 Fax: (310) 456-7840 (fax to both)