Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) Price Target Lowered to $50.00 at Morgan Stanley

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) had its price objective decreased by Morgan Stanley from $55.00 to $50.00 in a report published on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. Morgan Stanley currently has an overweight rating on the casino operator’s stock.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on the company. Barclays decreased their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $57.00 to $52.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Susquehanna dropped their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $59.00 to $51.00 and set a positive rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $65.00 to $55.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Argus cut shares of Las Vegas Sands from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, StockNews.com cut Las Vegas Sands from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $55.25.

Las Vegas Sands Price Performance

Shares of LVS opened at $39.70 on Wednesday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $40.37 and its 200-day moving average is $45.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.29, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $29.58 billion, a PE ratio of 19.18, a PEG ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 1.11. Las Vegas Sands has a fifty-two week low of $36.62 and a fifty-two week high of $55.65.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The casino operator reported $0.55 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.56 by ($0.01). Las Vegas Sands had a net margin of 14.08% and a return on equity of 44.41%. The company had revenue of $2.76 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.82 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.46 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Las Vegas Sands will post 2.45 EPS for the current year.

Las Vegas Sands Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 6th were paid a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 6th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.02%. Las Vegas Sands’s payout ratio is 38.65%.

Institutional Trading of Las Vegas Sands

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Bank & Trust Co acquired a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Accent Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the 4th quarter worth approximately $39,000. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. increased its position in Las Vegas Sands by 93.2% during the 2nd quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. now owns 906 shares of the casino operator’s stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 437 shares in the last quarter. Vestor Capital LLC bought a new position in Las Vegas Sands in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Finally, Fidelis Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Las Vegas Sands in the first quarter valued at approximately $43,000. 39.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.