Cerity Partners LLC Sells 3,729 Shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

Cerity Partners LLC cut its position in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) by 20.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 14,842 shares of the casino operator’s stock after selling 3,729 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC’s holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $750,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of LVS. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new stake in Las Vegas Sands in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new position in Las Vegas Sands in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its holdings in Las Vegas Sands by 73.5% during 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 in the last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 63.0% during the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 885 shares of the casino operator’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 342 shares during the period. 39.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Las Vegas Sands Trading Up 2.7 %

Shares of LVS opened at $32.74 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $40.10 and its 200-day simple moving average is $46.47. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.35. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.13 billion, a PE ratio of 16.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.99. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 12-month low of $30.18 and a 12-month high of $56.61.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last issued 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 return on equity of 45.82% and a net margin of 12.80%. As a group, research analysts predict that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 earnings per share for the current year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. This is a boost from Las Vegas Sands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.05%. Las Vegas Sands’s payout ratio is 50.76%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Macquarie increased their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $57.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Barclays dropped 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 report on Wednesday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $60.00 to $59.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced 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. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Las Vegas Sands from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $60.00 to $69.00 in a research report on Friday, January 3rd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Las Vegas Sands presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $59.08.

Las Vegas Sands Company Profile

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.