Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Net Revenue of $48.6 Million and Adjusted EBITDA of $12.0 Million
Board of Directors Approves Share Repurchase Program for Up to Three Million Shares
(firmenpresse) - RENO, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 10/22/14 -- Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. (NASDAQ: MCRI) ("Monarch" or "the Company") today reported operating results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2014, as summarized below:
Amounts in thousands except per share data:
John Farahi, Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Monarch, commented: "Despite ongoing construction disruption at Monarch Black Hawk, total net revenue for the quarter was largely in line with the prior year''s third quarter. Adjusted EBITDA of $12.0 million was 6.2% lower than in the prior year quarter, an improvement from the year-over-year performance reported in our first and second quarters. The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter was due primarily to higher casino operating expense.
"The first phase of our three phase project to redesign and upgrade the existing Monarch Black Hawk facility was completed and opened in August and has been well received by our guests. Work on the second phase is currently underway and we remain on pace to complete all three phases of the work in the third quarter of 2015.
"We continue to move forward with our city-approved master plan to expand and transform Monarch Black Hawk into a full-scale casino resort. While modifications to portions of the master plan aimed at both enhancing the project and reducing construction costs have delayed the finalization of our plans, timeline and budget, we believe these modifications will allow us to generate a more attractive return on our investment. We expect to complete construction plans late in the fourth quarter of 2014 and then commence the bidding process. This will position us to announce the project''s timeline and budget in the first quarter of 2015.
"Finally, we are closely monitoring the upcoming November 4th referendum vote that if passed would expand gaming into Denver, Black Hawk''s primary feeder market. We continue to work with our industry partners in Black Hawk to ensure voters are fully informed on this issue as they head to the polls."
Consolidated net revenue of $48.6 million declined 0.8% year over year, as lower casino revenue at Monarch Black Hawk, and to a lesser extent Atlantis, drove a 1.4% decline in total casino revenue. Monarch Black Hawk casino revenue continues to be impacted by disruption from the ongoing redesign and upgrade of the property, which has caused a temporary 13% reduction in the number of slot machines on the gaming floor in order to accommodate the work.
The Company''s food and beverage revenue increased 6.1% while hotel revenue decreased 4.0% in the third quarter of 2014. The decline in hotel revenue is primarily attributable to lower convention and meeting business in the city of Reno.
The Company generated consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of $12.0 million in the third quarter of 2014, a decline of $0.8 million, or 6.2%, from the same period a year ago.
Casino operating expense as a percentage of casino revenue increased to 42.0% for the third quarter of 2014 compared to 40.0% in the third quarter of 2013 due primarily to lower casino revenue and higher complimentaries expense. Food and beverage operating expense as a percentage of food and beverage revenue decreased to 38.8% from 40.4% in the 2013 third quarter. Hotel operating expense as a percentage of hotel revenue decreased to 25.1% for the third quarter of 2014 compared to 27.3% for the prior year due primarily to lower repairs and maintenance expense.
Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses for the 2014 third quarter decreased slightly to $13.4 million from $13.5 million in the 2013 third quarter.
In the third quarter of 2014, the Company incurred $0.8 million of expense related to the campaign against the proposed 2014 ballot initiative in Colorado which would expand gaming to certain horse racing facilities in the state. The $0.8 million of expense is in addition to the $1.0 million incurred during the second quarter of 2014. Were the ballot initiative to succeed, the Company would reconsider its expansion plans at Monarch Black Hawk.
Depreciation expense in the third quarter of 2014 increased by $0.6 million from the prior year primarily due to accelerated depreciation on the existing garage structure at Monarch Black Hawk recognized in anticipation of its possible early removal from service as part of the master plan expansion project.
During the 2014 third quarter, the Company made net principal payments of $5.5 million which reduced the amount outstanding on its credit facility to $43.4 million at September 30, 2014. Capital expenditures of $3.5 million in the third quarter of 2014 were funded from operating cash flows and primarily represent costs related to the Monarch Black Hawk master development plan, including the ongoing redesign and upgrade of the existing facility.
Interest expense for the 2014 third quarter decreased to $0.3 million from $0.4 million in the third quarter of 2013 due to a lower interest rate driven by our lower leverage and lower outstanding borrowings.
The Company announced that Monarch''s Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to 3,000,000 shares of the Company''s common stock. This authorization provides the Company with the opportunity to repurchase stock as part of its overall long-term capital allocation strategy.
Shares may be repurchased from time to time in the open market at prevailing market prices, in privately negotiated transactions, or by other means in accordance with federal securities laws. The actual timing, number and value of shares repurchased under the program will be determined by management at its discretion and will depend on a number of factors, including the market price of the Company''s stock, general market and economic conditions and applicable legal requirements. This authorization does not obligate the Company to acquire any specific amount of common stock and the program may be suspended or delayed at the Company''s discretion at any time.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which are subject to change, including, but not limited to, comments relating to (i) future operating performance; (ii) economic and market conditions; (iii) plans, objectives and expectations regarding Atlantis and/or Monarch Black Hawk; and (iv) plans, costs, financing, construction, completion and opening timelines of redesigned and/or expanded facilities at Monarch Black Hawk. Actual results and future events and conditions may differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statements. With respect to the Monarch Black Hawk redesign and expansion projects, important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation:
construction factors, including delays, increased costs of labor and materials, availability of labor and materials, zoning issues, environmental restrictions, soil and water conditions, weather and other hazards, site access matters and building permit issues;
access to available and reasonable financing on a timely basis, including the ability of the Company to restructure its credit facility on acceptable terms;
changes in laws and regulations permitting expanded and other forms of gaming in our key markets;
the outcome of the proposed 2014 ballot initiative in Colorado which would expand gaming into certain horse racing facilities in the state; and
the effects of local and national economic, credit and capital market conditions on the economy, in general, and on the gaming industry, in particular.
Additional information concerning potential factors that could affect all forward looking statements, including the Company''s financial results is included in the Company''s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available on the Company''s website at .
Please see the separate Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income (unaudited) below.
Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to operating income (as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles), as an indicator of the Company''s operating performance, as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities (as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) or as a measure of liquidity. This item enables comparison of the Company''s performance with the performance of other companies that report Adjusted EBITDA, although some companies do not calculate this measure in the same manner and therefore, the measure as presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies.
Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc., through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, a hotel/casino facility in Reno, Nevada, and the Monarch Casino Black Hawk (formerly the Riviera Black Hawk Casino) in Black Hawk, Colorado, approximately 40 miles west of Denver. For additional information on Monarch, visit Monarch''s website at .
The Atlantis features approximately 61,000 square feet of casino space; 824 guest rooms; eight food outlets; two espresso and pastry bars; a 30,000 square foot health spa and salon with an enclosed year-round pool; two retail outlets offering clothing and traditional gift shop merchandise; an 8,000 square-foot family entertainment center; and approximately 52,000 square feet of banquet, convention and meeting room space. The casino features approximately 1,450 slot and video poker machines; approximately 37 table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and others; a race and sports book; a 24-hour live keno lounge; and a poker room.
The Company acquired the Monarch Casino Black Hawk, the first casino encountered by visitors arriving from Denver on Highway 119, in April 2012. The property features approximately 32,000 square feet of casino space, approximately 710 slot machines, 9 table games, a 250 seat buffet-style restaurant, a snack bar and a parking structure with approximately 500 spaces. The slot machine count has been temporarily reduced to approximately 620 to accommodate redesign and upgrade work on the facility. Monarch owns a 1.5 acre land parcel contiguous to the Monarch Casino Black Hawk which is zoned for gaming and is included in the city approved master planned expansion. Once completed, the master plan will nearly double the casino space and will add a 22 story hotel tower with 507 guest rooms and suites, an upscale spa and pool facility, four restaurants, additional bars, a new parking structure and associated support facilities. The planned ten story parking structure will increase total parking on site from approximately 500 spaces to approximately 1,550 parking spaces.
- financial tables follow -
Ron Rowan
Chief Financial Officer
775/825-4700
Joseph Jaffoni, Richard Land, James Leahy
JCIR
212/835-8500
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Datum: 22.10.2014 - 14:05 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 1312081
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