As we approach the halfway point for 2012, now's a good time to look back at what's happening with the stocks that interest you. By making sure you know the important things that a company accomplished -- as well as the setbacks it experienced -- you can make a better decision about whether it's a smart investment for your portfolio.

Today, let's take a look at Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS). The company named after the once-capital of the gaming world has been a leader in taking the Vegas model well beyond its home nation's shores and now relies on faraway casino centers such as Macau and Singapore for the bulk of its profits. A hiccup in Asian growth, though, has the gaming industry worried about the future. Let's take a quick look at how the stock is doing so far this year.

Stats on Las Vegas Sands

2012 YTD Return 1.6%
Market Capitalization $32.7 billion
Revenue, Most Recent Quarter $2.76 billion
Year-Over-Year Revenue Growth, Most Recent Quarter 30.8%
Net Income, Most Recent Quarter $499 million
Year-Over-Year Net Income Growth, Most Recent Quarter 72.5%
CAPS Rating (out of 5) ***

Source: S&P Capital IQ, company reports.

What's going on with Las Vegas Sands this year?
Las Vegas Sands has a long history that goes back almost to the founding of the Vegas Strip. But the original Sands Hotel is long gone, and the company has moved on to seek riches around the world. As a pioneer of the gambling center of Macau, Las Vegas Sands paved the way to huge growth that Vegas competitors Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: WYNN) and MGM Resorts (NYSE: MGM) have sought to emulate. Then, Las Vegas Sands was fundamental in the development of the Cotai Strip, where Melco Crown Entertainment (Nasdaq: MPEL) followed with its City of Dreams project and where Wynn and MGM are still in the process of trying to join them.

Now, Las Vegas Sands is still trying to expand. Its venture in Singapore has gone well, and CEO Sheldon Adelson hopes to create his EuroVegas project in Spain that would help unify European casino patrons. Such a project would cost $35 billion but could go a long way toward diversifying the company's exposure, with the side effect of boosting the ailing Spanish economy in the process.

The problem recently has been the threat of an Asian slowdown. If Chinese growth does in fact slow, it could hit Macau, which has been the growth driver for the company. That's a big part of why shares haven't moved much this year, but if the economy in Asia doesn't turn out as badly as many fear, then it could make Las Vegas Sands a winning bet.

Las Vegas Sands has good odds in the long run, but it's not a sure bet. To get some other promising stock ideas, let me invite you to learn about three smart long-term stock plays in the Fool's latest special report. It's yours for the taking and is absolutely free, but don't miss out -- click here and read it today.

Click here to add Las Vegas Sands to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.