Trevor Croker (pictured in a file photo), chief executive and managing director of Australia-listed slot machine maker and digital content provider Aristocrat Leisure Ltd, has sold more than 120,000 shares in the company. The exercise was valued at approximately AUD7.5 million (US$5.2 million).
According to a filing by Aristocrat on Thursday to the Australian Securities Exchange, the disposal took place in three tranches earlier in the week.
The first tranche, comprising 38,685 shares, was sold on July 13 for almost AUD2.4 million.
Two further sales followed over the next two days, involving 42,000 and 41,000 shares, respectively, for approximately AUD2.6 million and AUD2.5 million.
According to Aristocrat’s filing, Mr Croker’s share sales were conducted through “on-market trades”.
The disposals reduced his interest in Aristocrat by 16.8 percent. Prior to the transactions, he indirectly controlled 723,685 fully paid ordinary shares in the company; afterwards, his holding stood at 602,000 shares.
Mr Croker is also entitled to share rights, with vesting subject to performance.
Aristocrat Leisure saw its net profit after tax and before amortisation of acquired intangibles (NPATA) rise 8.4 percent year-on-year on a reported-currency basis for the half year to March 31. On a constant-currency basis, the increase was 16.3 percent. NPATA totalled AUD794.0 million, compared with AUD732.6 million a year earlier.
Earlier this month, the company’s management said it expected casino openings and expansions across Asia – as well as in Europe and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – to provide the company with “growth and share gain opportunities”.
