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MGM Resorts' (MGM) Q4 Earnings Break Even, Revenues Beat

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MGM Resorts International (MGM - Free Report) reported break-even earnings in the fourth quarter of 2017. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at earnings of 7 cents. The company posted earnings of 11 cents in the prior-year quarter.

Total revenues of $2.6 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.5 billion by 4% and increased 5.5% year over year. The improvement was backed by higher revenues in MGM China and at the company's domestic resorts.

MGM China

MGM China’s net sales increased 10% year over year to $549 million, courtesy of higher revenues from main-floor table games.
Main-floor table games revenues increased 21%, owing to a 10% rise in volume and year-over-year hold percentage increase of 200 basis points (bps) to 21%.

However, VIP table games revenues suffered a fall of 5%, in spite of a turnover increase of 23% in the quarter. Hold percentage declined 60 bps year over year to 3.1%.

MGM China’s adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization) increased 7% to $147 million.

Domestic Operations

MGM Resorts owns and operates several properties in Las Vegas. Apart from this, it owns a number of assets in Mississippi and Michigan.

Net revenues of $1.9 billion in the company's domestic resorts increased 5% from the prior-year quarter. Notably, casino revenues rose 13% owing to the opening of MGM National Harbor in December 2016.

Room revenues fell 5%. While Las Vegas Strip RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) decreased 4% in the quarter, average daily rate (ADR) remained flat. However, occupancy dipped 4%.

Operating income at the company's wholly owned domestic resorts deteriorated 2% to $305 million. Also, adjusted EBITDA inched up 1% to $496 million owing to operations at MGM National Harbor.

Income From Unconsolidated Affiliates – CityCenter Holdings

MGM’s urban complex, CityCenter (located in Las Vegas, with 50% stakes owned by the company), operates through two segments — Resort and Residential. Currently, the company has three properties — Aria, Vdara and Mandarin Oriental — under the Resort operations.

Net revenues from CityCenter rose 1% year over year to nearly $306 million on the back of an increase in food and beverage revenues.

Adjusted EBITDA was also up 7% to $97 million.

MGM Resorts International Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

 

 

Balance Sheet

MGM Resorts ended the quarter with cash and cash investments of $1.5 billion as of Dec 31, 2017, compared with $1.4 billion as of Dec 31, 2016.

The company returned $580 million to shareholders through buybacks and dividends during 2017.

On Feb 19, the company approved a 9% hike in the quarterly dividend from $0.11 per share to $0.12 per share totaling $68 million. The dividend will be payable on Mar 15, 2018 to holders of record as of  Mar 9.

Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider

MGM Resorts carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

A few other top-ranked stocks in the hotel space include Choice Hotels (CHH - Free Report) , Hilton (HLT - Free Report) and Marriott (MAR - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2.

Choice Hotels, Hilton and Marriott’s earnings for 2018 are projected to increase 20%, 32% and 18.4% respectively.

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