Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) Hits New 52-Week Low – Time to Sell?

Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS)’s stock price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $36.33 and last traded at $36.43, with a volume of 1192358 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $39.04.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on LVS shares. Macquarie upped their price objective 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. Citigroup raised their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $64.50 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Barclays dropped their price target on 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. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $51.00 to $49.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price 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. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $59.42.

Las Vegas Sands Stock Down 7.4 %

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 stock has a market cap of $25.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.35, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.07. The business’s fifty day moving average is $43.22 and its two-hundred day moving average is $47.74.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last released its 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%. Equities analysts forecast that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Las Vegas Sands Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 10th were issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.77%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. This is a boost from Las Vegas Sands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. Las Vegas Sands’s payout ratio is 50.76%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Las Vegas Sands

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new stake in Las Vegas Sands during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust purchased a new stake in Las Vegas Sands in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its stake in Las Vegas Sands by 73.5% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 583 shares of the casino operator’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 247 shares in the last quarter. Optiver Holding B.V. purchased a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the fourth quarter worth about $36,000. 39.16% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.