ARGA Investment Management LP Acquires 1,577,042 Shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

ARGA Investment Management LP grew its holdings in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 32.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 6,501,382 shares of the casino operator’s stock after buying an additional 1,577,042 shares during the quarter. Las Vegas Sands comprises 10.9% of ARGA Investment Management LP’s investment portfolio, making the stock its biggest holding. ARGA Investment Management LP owned 0.90% of Las Vegas Sands worth $333,911,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of LVS. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new stake in Las Vegas Sands in the third quarter valued at $26,000. CVA Family Office LLC increased its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 118.8% in the 3rd quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 560 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 304 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 73.5% in the fourth 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 purchased a new stake in Las Vegas Sands during the third quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the third quarter worth about $43,000. 39.16% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Las Vegas Sands Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:LVS opened at $44.63 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $32.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.08. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $49.69 and a 200-day simple moving average of $46.82. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 52 week low of $36.62 and a 52 week high of $56.60. The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.09.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last posted its quarterly 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 43.76%. Equities research analysts forecast that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.69 EPS for the current year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 10th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.24%. This is an increase from Las Vegas Sands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. Las Vegas Sands’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 40.61%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on LVS. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $60.00 to $59.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Las Vegas Sands from $55.00 to $64.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $52.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Las Vegas Sands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the company from $60.00 to $69.00 in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $59.58.

Insider Buying and Selling at Las Vegas Sands

In related news, CEO Robert G. Goldstein sold 60,187 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.02, for a total value of $3,191,114.74. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Robert G. Goldstein sold 24,324 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.00, for a total transaction of $1,264,848.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 60,187 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,129,724. This represents a 28.78 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.