Gaming and hotel services firm Macau Legend Development Ltd reported a first-half net loss of nearly HKD182.5 million (US$23.3 million), on revenue that fell by 22.7 percent year-on-year, to HKD420.2 million. The half-year loss was an improvement on the HKD485.5-million loss recorded in the first six months of 2022, according to a Wednesday filing.
The Hong Kong-listed firm has business linked to one casino in Macau – Legend Palace (pictured) – under a so-called services agreement with Macau licensee SJM Holdings Ltd. During the first half of last year, the company was also linked to two other casinos in Macau – Landmark and Babylon.
Babylon Casino ceased operations since January 1 this year, and the firm discontinued the provision of services in Landmark Casino at the end of June last year. The company also “ceased its VIP gaming promotion business” in Macau earlier this year.
Macau Legend owns a tourism complex called Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, a waterfront area close to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal on Macau peninsula, and where Legend Palace is located. The company also runs the Savan Legend gaming resort in Laos.
For the six months ended June 30, gaming revenue declined by 49.2 percent year-on-year, to approximately HKD228.2 million.
Macau Legend had a total of 33 gaming tables in Macau as of June 30, compared to 190 tables a year ago. The group had 17 mass-market gaming tables and 12 VIP tables at its casino resort in Laos.
In June, Macau Legend said it had signed a letter of intent to sell the Savan Legend property for a total consideration of US$45.0 million. The deal was expected to close by the second half of September.
Macau Legend recorded non-gaming revenue of HKD192.0 million for the first half of 2023, up 103.2 percent from a year earlier. The increase in non-gaming revenue “was mainly due to the increase in revenue from hotel rooms,” as a result of a rise in the number of tourists to Macau following the relaxation of travel restrictions since January, stated the company.
The group reported positive adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of HKD103.8 million in the first six months of 2023, an improvement on the HKD160.5-million EBITDA loss in the prior-year period.
Macau Legend said in its latest interim report that the firm’s management “has been holding discussions” with its lenders “to amend the loan covenants and loan repayment schedule in the group’s favour”.
“Subsequent to the end of the reporting period, in August 2023, a loan-restructuring arrangement has been agreed in-principle by both the banks and the group in respect of the amendment of the loan covenants and loan repayment schedule, and a formal agreement is pending to be executed,” it noted.
In December last year, the lenders had agreed to further amend the minimum net assets undertaking of Macau Legend to HKD2.80 billion by way of another waiver, up to December 31, 2023.
As of June 30, Macau Legend had cash and bank balances in the amount of HKD96.4 million. The group had outstanding bank borrowings of about HKD2.13 billion, and unsecured, non-guaranteed and interest-bearing other borrowings of HKD480.0 million.
