National Pension Service Has $30.39 Million Stock Holdings in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

National Pension Service cut its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 6.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 591,692 shares of the casino operator’s stock after selling 44,050 shares during the period. National Pension Service owned 0.08% of Las Vegas Sands worth $30,389,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the third quarter valued at approximately $230,000. State of Alaska Department of Revenue lifted its position in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 2.5% in the third quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 41,060 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $2,066,000 after buying an additional 995 shares during the last quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund lifted its position in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 5.1% in the third quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 688,547 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $34,661,000 after buying an additional 33,273 shares during the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC lifted its position in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 99.2% in the third quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 42,197 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $2,124,000 after buying an additional 21,012 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. lifted its position in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 3.3% in the third quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 78,267 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $3,940,000 after buying an additional 2,496 shares during the last quarter. 39.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Las Vegas Sands Price Performance

Las Vegas Sands stock opened at $44.74 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $45.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $47.31. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a one year low of $36.62 and a one year high of $56.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.35, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market cap of $32.03 billion, a PE ratio of 22.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.08.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The casino operator reported $0.54 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by ($0.04). Las Vegas Sands had a return on equity of 45.82% and a net margin of 12.80%. As a group, research analysts expect that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 10th were paid a $0.25 dividend. This is a positive change from Las Vegas Sands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 10th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.24%. Las Vegas Sands’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 50.76%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LVS has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised Las Vegas Sands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $60.00 to $69.00 in a research report on Friday, January 3rd. UBS Group raised their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Barclays lowered their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $61.00 to $58.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $66.00 to $62.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Finally, Citigroup increased their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.42.

Las Vegas Sands Profile

Las Vegas Sands Corp., together with its subsidiaries, develops, owns, and operates integrated resorts in Macao and Singapore. It owns and operates The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, the Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao, The Plaza Macao and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, and the Sands Macao in Macao, the People’s Republic of China; and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.