Meeder Asset Management Inc. Boosts Stake in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

Meeder Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 40.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 126,310 shares of the casino operator’s stock after buying an additional 36,567 shares during the quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $6,487,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new stake in Las Vegas Sands during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its position in Las Vegas Sands by 73.5% during 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 during the last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. acquired a new position in Las Vegas Sands in the fourth quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its holdings 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 buying an additional 342 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 39.16% of the company’s stock.

Las Vegas Sands Trading Down 5.4 %

Shares of LVS opened at $38.15 on Monday. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a twelve month low of $36.62 and a twelve month high of $56.61. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.35. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.36, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.07. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $43.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $47.81.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The casino operator reported $0.54 earnings per share 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 45.82%. On average, research analysts predict that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were given a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. This is a positive change from Las Vegas Sands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.62%. Las Vegas Sands’s payout ratio is currently 50.76%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LVS has been the topic of several recent research reports. Barclays dropped their price target on Las Vegas Sands from $61.00 to $58.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $62.00 to $61.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Las Vegas Sands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $60.00 to $69.00 in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $66.00 to $62.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Las Vegas Sands 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.