GGRAsia – AGEM Index ends 2016 on positive note

AGEM Index ends 2016 on positive note

Jan 09, 2017 Newsdesk Industry Talk, Latest News, Top of the deck, World

The AGEM Index ended 2016 on a positive note judged month-on-month in December, and year-on-year. The sequential gains reported during December 2016 largely offset losses experienced during November 2016.

The index tracks stock prices of listed firms in the casino equipment supply sector.

The composite index stood at 321.28 points at the close of 2016, which represented an increase of 13.14 points, or 4.26 percent, when compared to November 2016.

The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) produces the monthly AGEM Index, in association with research firm Applied Analysis LLC.

The AGEM Index is computed based on the month-end stock price (adjusted for dividends and splits) of each company and weighted based on approximation of market capitalisation. It is based on a 100-point value recorded as of January 2005.

In December 2016, the AGEM Index reported a year-on-year increase for the 15th consecutive month, rising 123.96 points, or 62.8 percent, when compared to December 2015.

During the December 2016 reporting period, nine of the 13 global gaming equipment manufacturers tracked by the index reported year-on-year increases in stock price. The gainers included slot machine suppliers Aristocrat Leisure Ltd, which jumped 51.8 percent on the Australian Securities Exchange; International Game Technology Plc, up 57.7 percent via its listing on the New York Stock Exchange; Tokyo-listed Konami Corp, the parent of Konami Gaming Inc, up approximately 62.6 percent; and Scientific Games Corp, up 56.1 percent via its listing on Nasdaq.

New York-listed payment technology firm Crane Co and Nasdaq-listed casino currency supplier Gaming Partners International Corp were also among the December gainers, with gains of approximately 50.8 percent and of 31.9 percent respectively.

Judged month-on-month, Konami Corp contributed 14.05 points to the AGEM Index in December, due to a 21.3 percent sequential increase in stock price. Australia-listed Ainsworth Gaming Technology Ltd reported December 2016 stock price up 16.6 percent month-on-month and contributed 0.87 points.

Negative contributors sequentially in December included: Crane with a negative 0.98 points due to a 1.86-percent share price decline month-on-month; Scientific Games with a negative 0.78 points to the index due to a 5.08 percent decline in stock price.

AGEM additionally noted in a review of casino technology supplier business activity in 2016: “Skill-based gaming recently entered the market, and the expectation is that these cutting-edge devices will not only enhance the gaming experience for existing customers, but it will attract a whole new demographic.”

The association added: “Nevada legislators were quick to recognise the possibilities of skill-based games when they approved legislation in 2015 authorising their use in casinos. However, Atlantic City casinos recently unveiled the new technology on a live casino floor. In October of 2016, Caesars Entertainment [Corp] launched skill-based games across all three of its Atlantic City properties featuring a total of 21 gaming positions.”