South Dakota Investment Council Sells 3,900 Shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

South Dakota Investment Council decreased its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 4.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 89,854 shares of the casino operator’s stock after selling 3,900 shares during the period. South Dakota Investment Council’s holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $4,615,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the third quarter worth about $26,000. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake in Las Vegas Sands by 73.5% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 583 shares of the casino operator’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 247 shares during the period. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the third quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the third quarter worth about $43,000. Institutional investors own 39.16% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Las Vegas Sands

In other Las Vegas Sands news, CEO Robert G. Goldstein sold 60,187 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $53.02, for a total transaction of $3,191,114.74. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.91% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Las Vegas Sands Stock Performance

Shares of Las Vegas Sands stock opened at $44.00 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $46.76 and a 200 day simple moving average of $47.18. The firm has a market cap of $31.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.34, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.08. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $36.62 and a fifty-two week 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.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The casino operator reported $0.54 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.58 by ($0.04). Las Vegas Sands had a net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 45.82%. Sell-side analysts predict that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were given a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.27%. This is a boost from Las Vegas Sands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. Las Vegas Sands’s dividend payout ratio is currently 50.76%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LVS has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $62.00 to $61.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $51.00 target price (down previously from $54.00) on shares of Las Vegas Sands in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $60.00 to $59.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.58.

Las Vegas Sands Company 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.