Cedar Fair, L.P. : CEDAR FAIR REPORTS RESULTS THROUGH THE THIRD QUARTER 2012; INCREASES 2013 ANNUAL CASH DISTRIBUTION TO $2.50 PER UNIT
11/06/2012| 08:54am US/Eastern

Recommend:
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2013 cash distribution to increase more than 50% to
$2.50 per limited partner unit, up from $1.60 per unit in
2012
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Net revenues increase $37 million, or 4% through
October
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Company reiterates record full-year guidance for
2012
SANDUSKY, Ohio, Nov. 6, 2012 -- Cedar Fair
Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a leader in regional
amusement parks, water parks and active entertainment,
reported record financial results through the third quarter
ended September 30, 2012, and announced that the
Company's Board approved an increase to its 2013 annual
distribution rate from $1.60 per limited partner (LP) unit in
2012 to $2.50 per LP unit in 2013.
"In recognition of the Company's strong
current-year performance and our positive outlook, I am
extremely pleased with our Board's decision to increase
our 2013 cash distribution to an annualized rate of $2.50 per
limited partner unit in 2013," said Matt Ouimet, Cedar
Fair's president and chief executive officer. "As we
are on pace for a third straight year of record results, our
cash flow is more than sufficient to cover this increased
distribution rate, while we also steadily pay down debt and
strategically invest in our business."
An increase in the distribution was anticipated, as the
Company indicated since the beginning of the year that it
intended to raise the distribution rate to more than $2.00
per LP unit in 2013. The first 2013 quarterly distribution
will be paid on March 15, 2013.
Nine-Month Results
Net revenues through the fiscal 2012 third quarter
increased to $939.2 million from $883.6 million through the
fiscal third quarter ended September 25, 2011. Net income
during this period was $111.6 million, or $2.00 per diluted
LP unit, versus $71.6 million, or $1.28 per diluted LP unit,
for the first nine months of 2011.
The increase in net revenues and net income through the
third quarter resulted largely from the strength of the
Company's operations combined with a 1% increase in the
number of operating days in the period, due to the timing of
the fiscal third-quarter close (39 weeks in 2012 vs. 38 weeks
in 2011). Comparing both the 2012 and 2011 periods on a
39-week basis, total revenues were up approximately $41
million, or 5%; average in-park guest per capita
spending1increased 4%; attendance
increased 1%, or 228,000 visits; and out-of-park revenues
were comparable with the prior year.
Adjusted EBITDA, which management believes is a
meaningful measure of the Company's park-level operating
results, increased to $365.5 million for the first nine
months of fiscal 2012, compared with $346.4 million for the
fiscal nine months ended September 25, 2011. On a comparable
39-week basis, Adjusted EBITDA would have been up
approximately $15 million, or 4%, compared with the period
ended October 2, 2011. See the attached table for a
reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income.
"We experienced another outstanding quarter and
are well on our way to delivering record results for the
third consecutive year," said Ouimet. "Our
management team and employees have successfully executed the
first-year implementation of the FUNforward initiatives we
identified in January, enabling us to increase our average
in-park guest per capita spending by 4% while maintaining our
record attendance base. We remain confident in the strength
and stability of our business model.
"Total revenues through the third quarter, on a
same-week basis, increased across the majority of our parks,
led by Canada's Wonderland and Cedar Point,"
continued Ouimet. "New rides and attractions --
including our immensely popular Leviathan roller coaster at
Canada's Wonderland -- along with premium benefit
offerings and our new e-commerce platform, have combined to
contribute to these strong results. We believe there are
additional opportunities to grow revenues and cash flow as we
head into 2013 and our second year of executing our long-term
strategy."
October Results
Based on preliminary October results, revenues through
October 31, 2012 were $1.036 billion compared with $999
million for the same period a year ago. This is the result of
a 4% increase in average in-park guest per capita spending to
$42.00 and attendance levels that were comparable with last
year's record results (22.7 million visits). Out-of-park
revenues of approximately $108 million through October were
also comparable with this time last year.
Cash and Liquidity
Brian Witherow, Cedar Fair's executive vice
president and chief financial officer, said, "Our
liquidity and cash flow remain strong. Our improved
year-over-year performance on last year's record results
has allowed us to further reduce our leverage in the third
quarter and we anticipate additional measured debt reduction
in the future. At the end of the quarter, our Consolidated
Leverage Ratio2was 3.9 times, down
from 4.3 times at the end of the third quarter in 2011. By
continuing to prudently manage our cash flows, we are able to
maximize our financial flexibility and our ability to create
value for unitholders in both the short and long term through
debt reduction, capital investment and
distributions."
As of September 30, 2012, the Company had $1.13 billion
of variable-rate term debt (before giving consideration to
$800 million of fixed-rate interest rate swaps), $400.7
million of fixed-rate bonds, no outstanding borrowings under
its revolving credit facilities and cash on hand of $96.1
million. During the third quarter, the Company made a $9
million optional prepayment on its term debt and as a result,
there are no scheduled debt payments due before 2015.
The Company also noted that credit facilities and cash
flow from operations are expected to be sufficient to meet
working capital needs, debt service, distributions and
planned capital expenditures for the foreseeable
future.
Distribution Declaration
The Company's Board of Directors also announced
today the declaration of a 2012 fourth-quarter cash
distribution of $0.40 per LP unit. The distribution will be
paid on December 17, 2012, to holders of record as of
December 5, 2012.
Outlook
"As we head into the final quarter of 2012, we
feel very good about our near-term outlook and long-range
potential," said Ouimet. "Based on our performance
to date and our expectations through the end of the year, we
are confident in our ability to deliver a third consecutive
year of record results with revenues between $1.055 billion
and $1.075 billion and Adjusted EBITDA between $385 million
and $395 million.
"As another successful year comes to a close,
Cedar Fair moves into 2013 with tremendous momentum,"
continued Ouimet. "We have a strong capital program in
place for next year at all of our parks, which will be
highlighted by the introductions of a record-setting roller
coaster, GateKeeper, at our flagship park, Cedar Point, and a
new world-class wooden coaster at California's Great
America. Our marketing programs, including our 2013 season
pass initiatives, are also well under way and we continue to
enter into new agreements with strategic corporate alliances.
In everything we do, we remain committed to delivering
excellent value to our unitholders in the short term as well
as delivering on our long-term growth goal of increasing
Adjusted EBITDA to $450 million by 2016."
Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call with analysts today,
November 6, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, which will be
web cast live in "listen only" mode via the Cedar
Fair web site ( www.cedarfair.com
). It will also be available for replay starting at
approximately 1:00 p.m. ET, today, until 11:59 p.m. ET,
Tuesday, November 20, 2012. In order to access the replay of
the earnings call, please dial 1-877-870-5176 followed by the
access code 4563927.
About Cedar Fair
Cedar Fair is a publicly traded partnership
headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio, and one of the largest
regional amusement-resort operators in the world. The Company
owns and operates 11 amusement parks, five outdoor water
parks, one indoor water park and five hotels. Its parks are
located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Virginia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, and
Toronto, Ontario. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens
Family Theme Park in California under a management contract.
Cedar Fair's flagship park, Cedar Point, has been
consistently voted the"Best Amusement Park
in the World"in a prestigious annual poll
conducted byAmusement
Todaynewspaper.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this news release
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including
statements as to the Company's expectations, beliefs and
strategies regarding the future. These statements may involve
risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those described in such statements.
Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected
in such forward- looking statements are reasonable, it can
give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have
been correct. Important factors, including general economic
conditions, adverse weather conditions, competition for
consumer leisure time and spending, unanticipated
construction delays and other factors discussed from time to
time by the Company in reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") could affect
attendance at our parks and cause actual results to differ
materially from the Company's expectations. Additional
information on risk factors that may affect the business and
financial results of the Company can be found in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the filings
of the Company made from time to time with the SEC. The
Company undertakes no obligation to correct or update any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
1Average in-park guest per capita spending
is defined as the Company's total in-park revenues,
including gate admissions and revenue received inside the
park gates for premium benefit offerings, food, merchandise
and games, divided by total attendance.
2Consolidated Leverage Ratio is defined
within the Company's 2010 Amended Senior Secured Credit
Agreement as total debt less the revolving credit facility
divided by trailing twelve month Adjusted EBITDA.
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