Mizuho Securities USA LLC Raises Holdings in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

Mizuho Securities USA LLC grew its holdings in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 43.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 32,984 shares of the casino operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,063 shares during the period. Mizuho Securities USA LLC’s holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $1,694,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of LVS. Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in Las Vegas Sands by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,050 shares of the casino operator’s stock worth $305,000 after buying an additional 213 shares during the last quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC now owns 35,187 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $1,771,000 after acquiring an additional 573 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. grew its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 4.7% in the third quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 5,062 shares of the casino operator’s stock worth $255,000 after acquiring an additional 229 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 12.5% during the third quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 49,368 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $2,485,000 after purchasing an additional 5,495 shares during the last quarter. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its position in Las Vegas Sands by 1.4% during the third quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 5,627,422 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $283,284,000 after purchasing an additional 77,807 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 39.16% of the company’s stock.

Las Vegas Sands Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:LVS opened at $40.21 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $43.83 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $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 capitalization of $28.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.41, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.07. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 1-year low of $36.62 and a 1-year high of $56.61.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last released its 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 net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 45.82%. Research analysts expect 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. 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 represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.49%. This is a boost from Las Vegas Sands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. Las Vegas Sands’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 50.76%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on LVS shares. Macquarie lifted their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $57.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 29th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Las Vegas Sands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $60.00 to $69.00 in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Barclays lowered their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $61.00 to $58.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. 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. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $51.00 to $49.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 24th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price 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.