Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) Holdings Trimmed by Poplar Forest Capital LLC

Poplar Forest Capital LLC decreased its stake in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 26.5% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 308,726 shares of the casino operator’s stock after selling 111,075 shares during the period. Las Vegas Sands accounts for 2.9% of Poplar Forest Capital LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 19th biggest position. Poplar Forest Capital LLC’s holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $15,856,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position 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 valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 247 shares during the period. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 3rd quarter valued at $43,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 39.16% of the company’s stock.

Las Vegas Sands Stock Up 2.3 %

LVS opened at $44.74 on Friday. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $36.62 and a fifty-two week high of $56.60. The business has a 50-day moving average of $45.98 and a 200-day moving average of $47.25. 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 company has a market capitalization 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 results on Wednesday, January 29th. The casino operator reported $0.54 earnings per share 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%. Equities research analysts forecast that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently weighed in on LVS. Citigroup increased their price target on Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on Las Vegas Sands from $66.00 to $62.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 29th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Las Vegas Sands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $60.00 to $69.00 in a research note on Friday, January 3rd. UBS Group increased their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on 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 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, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $59.42.

About Las Vegas Sands

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.