Kestra Investment Management LLC Invests $47,000 in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

Kestra Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 924 shares of the casino operator’s stock, valued at approximately $47,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of LVS. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in shares of 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 in the last quarter. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Vestor Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $43,000. Finally, Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $43,000. 39.16% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Las Vegas Sands

In related news, CEO Robert G. Goldstein sold 60,187 shares of Las Vegas Sands stock in a transaction on Friday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.02, for a total transaction of $3,191,114.74. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.91% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LVS has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of 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. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Las Vegas Sands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $60.00 to $69.00 in a research note on Friday, January 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $62.00 to $61.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Finally, Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $61.00 to $58.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $59.58.

Las Vegas Sands Stock Down 2.1 %

Shares of LVS opened at $44.00 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $31.50 billion, a PE ratio of 22.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.08. The company’s fifty day moving average is $46.76 and its two-hundred day moving average is $47.06. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $36.62 and a fifty-two week high of $56.60. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.35.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last posted its earnings results 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%. Analysts forecast 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 issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. This is a positive change from Las Vegas Sands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 10th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.27%. Las Vegas Sands’s payout ratio is presently 50.76%.

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.