Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. Increases Stock Position in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 11.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 575,663 shares of the casino operator’s stock after buying an additional 59,675 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $29,025,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the third quarter worth $26,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. UMB Bank n.a. increased 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 valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 247 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 63.0% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 885 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares during the period. Finally, Kestra Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Las Vegas Sands during the fourth quarter worth about $47,000. 39.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Las Vegas Sands Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LVS opened at $38.15 on Monday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $43.56 and a 200-day simple moving average of $47.81. 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 cap of $27.31 billion, a PE ratio of 19.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.07. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 12 month low of $36.62 and a 12 month high of $56.61.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last released 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%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 earnings per share for the current year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were given 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 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.62%. Las Vegas Sands’s dividend payout ratio is 50.76%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LVS has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup increased their target price 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. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $51.00 to $49.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $62.00 to $61.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 29th. Macquarie upped their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $57.00 to $58.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average 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.