Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) Stock Holdings Increased by World Equity Group Inc.

World Equity Group Inc. increased its holdings in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 82.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 25,602 shares of the casino operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 11,602 shares during the quarter. World Equity Group Inc.’s holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $1,315,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 73.5% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 583 shares of the casino operator’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 247 shares in the last quarter. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Vestor Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $43,000. 39.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Las Vegas Sands Stock Performance

LVS stock opened at $44.00 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.35. The company has a market capitalization of $31.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.34, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.08. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 12 month low of $36.62 and a 12 month high of $56.60. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $46.76 and a two-hundred day moving average of $47.12.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last posted 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 return on equity of 45.82% and a net margin of 12.80%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently commented on LVS. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $60.00 to $59.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Las Vegas Sands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $60.00 to $69.00 in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $61.00 to $58.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Four 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, Las Vegas Sands has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $59.58.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Robert G. Goldstein sold 60,187 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.02, for a total transaction of $3,191,114.74. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.91% of the company’s stock.

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.