Optimize Financial Inc Buys Shares of 13,278 Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)

Optimize Financial Inc bought a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 13,278 shares of the casino operator's stock, valued at approximately $682,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Townsquare Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the fourth quarter valued at $218,000. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $760,000. Abacus FCF Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Las Vegas Sands by 46.4% during the fourth quarter. Abacus FCF Advisors LLC now owns 88,762 shares of the casino operator's stock valued at $4,559,000 after buying an additional 28,148 shares during the period. Bank of Nova Scotia raised its stake in Las Vegas Sands by 2.2% in the fourth quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 47,153 shares of the casino operator's stock worth $2,422,000 after buying an additional 997 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Polymer Capital Management HK LTD purchased a new stake in Las Vegas Sands during the fourth quarter worth $2,311,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 39.16% of the company's stock.

Las Vegas Sands Price Performance

Las Vegas Sands stock traded up $0.88 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $32.74. The company had a trading volume of 5,739,478 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,104,888. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 12-month low of $30.18 and a 12-month high of $56.61. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $40.45 and its 200-day simple moving average is $46.76. 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 $23.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.99.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly 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 return on equity of 45.82% and a net margin of 12.80%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 EPS for the current year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were issued a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.05%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 10th. 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%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LVS has been the subject of several recent research reports. Citigroup boosted their price target on Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $47.00 to $45.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Las Vegas Sands from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price target for the company from $60.00 to $69.00 in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Barclays decreased 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. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $62.00 to $61.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus 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.