by winston » Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:51 am
not vested
Sands soars as profits surprise by Macau Mak
Sands China (1928) shares topped 10 percent yesterday after it posted better- than-expected second-quarter results, and the Macau government said it may delay a smoking ban at casinos for a year.
The stock rose 7.93 percent to close at HK$33.35 a three-month high.
Net profit during April to June slumped 37.3 percent to US$388.7 million (HK$3.03 billion) from a year ago.
Revenue fell 25.6 percent to US$1.77 billion.
VIP gaming revenue tumbled 43 percent to US$641 million while mass market earnings saw a 23 percent slide.
But its market share in Macau reached 24.6 percent for the quarter the highest since the first quarter of 2009.
Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson attributed the result to growth in cost efficiency and premium business.
He said Wynn Macau (1128) is specialized in competing. Speaking about his competitors, Adelson said Melco Crown Entertainment chief executive Lawrence Ho Yau-lung has done a good job. But Galaxy Entertainment (0027) and SJM Holdings (0880) are "making mistakes."
Sands will focus on the premium mass market, and is committed to raising dividends. The chairman expected Parisian Macao, the company's newest casino resort, to open in about 12 months.
Credit Suisse said the promise by the firm to maintain its dividend level will benefit the stock. It raised the target price on the stock to HK$39.5.
Deutsche Bank maintained a target price at HK$26, but it ranked Sands as the top Macau gaming stock, as others have less room for cost control.
BNP Paribas expected Sands will lose its market share after the launch of Melco's Studio City Macau in the fourth quarter, lowering its target price to HK$28.5.
Macau lawmakers, meanwhile, will begin another public online consultation on the proposed smoking ban from August to September. Lawmaker Chan Chak-mo expected the proposal will face scrutiny for one year, Macao Daily reported.
The ban proposes to extend the non- smoking area from the current mass tables only to all areas, including VIP rooms.
Source: The Standard HK
It's all about "how much you made when you were right" & "how little you lost when you were wrong"