SEARCH NEWS:

 

A-Max reports results

Consolidated net loss for the year ended 31 March 2008 amounted to HK$1.3 billion, as compared to a loss of HK$119 million over the same period in the prior year. The loss was primarily attributable to non-cash and non-operational charges associated with the acquisition of Greek Mythology. Excluding these one time, non-cash and non-operating items, the Group recorded an operating profit of HK$181 million from continuing gaming and entertainment business for the year ended 31 March 2008, representing growth of approximately 56% over operating profit of HK$116 million in the prior year.

Mr. Ted Chan, CEO of A-Max, said, "During the fiscal year ended 31 March 2008 A-Max completed a share placement that generated net proceeds of approximately HK$1.95 billion. The net proceeds from this share placement provided us with the capitalization necessary to enter the junket aggregation business in Macau through an indirect 80% interest in AMA International Limited ("AMA"). Since effecting this new business model in mid December 2007, we generated aggregate rolling chip volume of approximately HK$139 billion in three and a half months ended 31 March 2008, or approximately HK$40 billion per month. As a result of the success of this transition, A-Max has been transformed from a company that was largely known by local investors to one that currently has a significantly diversified worldwide shareholder base.

"Participating as a market leader in the junket aggregation business allows A-Max shareholders to benefit directly from the rapidly growing VIP market. The continued rapid pace of growth in the VIP segment in Macau is the result of several recent casino openings in the market. This new competitive supply has served to increase the competition for VIP players in the market, which in turn positions gaming intermediaries such as A-Max very favorably.

"Due to the new competitive supply that has entered the market, Greek Mythology's unfavorable location relative to these new casinos and the property's relatively small size, we have chosen to transition our business model away from this entity to focus on the rapidly growing gaming intermediary business in the Macau market. A-Max incurred a one time non-operational, non-cash impairment charge of approximately HK$1.4 billion, and as a result we recorded a loss of approximately HK$1.3 billion for the financial year ended 31 March 2008. Importantly, as a result of this write-down A-Max will reduce its annual amortization cost by more than HK$100 million and future results will more clearly reflect the benefit of our gaming intermediary business model.

"We believe the results of the first few months since our transition into the gaming promotion business highlight the tremendous opportunity for A-Max to participate in the robust growth of the Macau gaming market though our junket aggregation business while underscoring the rationale for transitioning our business model. We have been working exclusively with our strategic partner, the Crown Macau, where we have consistently achieved very high monthly rolling chip volumes in relation to the available supply of VIP tables. With our ability to provide liquidity to our junket partners and a casino that offers some of the market's finest VIP services, we expect to extend the success we have achieved in the initial roll-out of our new junket aggregation business model going forward," concluded Mr. Chan.

< Gaming News