Las Vegas Sands Makes Newsweek List of Most Responsible US Companies

Posted on: December 21, 2021, 11:02h. 

Last updated on: December 21, 2021, 01:12h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) is making the grade as one of the most responsible American companies, based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics, according to Newsweek’s annual rankings.

Sands ESG
Sands Cotai Central in Macau, seen above. Las Vegas Sands scores well in the annual Newsweek ESG corporate survey. (Image: South China Morning Post)

Each year, the publication evaluates the 2,000 largest US-based companies as measured by revenue, It uses key performance indicators, as well as a poll of more than 11,000 respondents, to construct the rankings.

Calculation of each company’s final score is based on data collected through detailed analysis of the three areas, environmental, social and corporate governance. The top 500 companies with the highest scores are awarded,” said Sands in a statement.

Companies are rated on all three ESG components, with 100 being the highest score in each category. With environmental, social and governance scores of 93.5, 72.3 and 72, respectively, Sands’ overall grade is 79.2, placing at number 136 on the Newsweek list.

That’s good for the top spot among all domestic gaming companies. LVS also sports the highest-ranking among the five Nevada-based firms on the list.

Sands Has Strong ESG Credentials

In the gaming industry in particular, the ESG credentials of Sands are impressive.

News of the company’s place on the Newsweek rankings comes just a few weeks after its Sands China unit was added to the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index. Last year, the casino operator was also included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index, making it the first gaming equity to be included in both of those benchmarks. At that time, LVS was the only gaming name in those benchmarks. The Las Vegas-based operator retained its spot in that index this year.

ESG investing is an increasingly popular style among money managers and retail investors. However, many of the equity benchmarks that adhere to ESG principles intentionally exclude specific industries. Those typically include adult entertainment, alcohol, civilian firearms manufacturers, tobacco, and, yes, casino gaming.

“Sands’ performance was highlighted by its environmental score of 93.5 out of 100, demonstrating the company’s leadership in reducing emissions and waste, mitigating climate change, promoting water stewardship, and building environmentally responsible integrated resorts,” said the company referencing its Newsweek ranking.

Modest Gaming Representation

Other Nevada-based casino operators on the list are MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) and Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:CZR). But at scores of 446 and 455, respectively, those companies are well behind Sands.

Overall, Sands is in the second spot in the hotels, dining, and leisure category, according to Newsweek, trailing only Host Hotels.

In that group, LVS paces ahead of well-known companies, including Walt Disney and Netflix.

Sands, MGM, and Caesars are the only casino operators on the Newsweek list.