TIDM888
RNS Number : 6482R
888 Holdings plc
05 May 2009
?
888 Holdings Public Limited Company
("888")
Interim Management Statement
Q1 2009 Key Performance Indicators and Trading Update*
888, one of the world's most popular online gaming entertainment companies is
pleased to provide the following trading update for the first quarter of 2009.
Highlights
* Total Operating Income US$57 million, a decrease of 4% compared to Q4 2008 and
a 2% decrease on a daily average basis
* Total Operating Income B2C Emerging Offering at US$5 million, flat on Q4
2008 and a 1% increase on a daily average basis
* Total Operating Income B2B US$12 million, an increase of 13% compared to Q4 2008
and a 16% increase on a daily average basis
* Latest white label deal with UK's Racing Post launched in record time
* New Bingo TV campaign launched in the UK
* Innovative televised poker tournament Poker Ashes tournament launched
* Two large scale poker leagues launched in the UK and Australia
* Live casino targeted at European customers launched
* Soft games/quick play games tab suite launched
* New Poker version launched incorporating 25 features and design changes
* All percentages in this release are calculated without rounding.
Key Performance Indicators
Set out below are 888's key performance indicators for the first quarter of 2009
split for the first time between our B2C and B2B lines of business. Historical
KPIs since Q1 2008 prepared on a consistent basis are set out in the Appendix.
Group
* Total Operating Income US$57 million (Q4 2008: US$60 million), a decrease of 4%
and a 2% decrease on a daily average basis primarily as a result of a
disappointing B2C performance in March
* As at 31 March 2009, 888 had 6.1 million Casino, Poker and Sport real money
registered customer accounts, representing an increase of 25% since 31 March
2008
B2C
* Total Operating Income B2C at US$45 million (Q4 2008: US$49 million), a decrease
of 8% and a 6% decrease on a daily average basis, mainly as a result of
disappointing March trading
* Total Operating Income B2C Casino at US$27 million (Q4 2008: US$30 million), a
decrease of 10% and an 8% decrease on a daily average basis
* Total Operating Income B2C Poker at US$14 million (Q4 2008: US$15 million), a
decrease of 6% and a 4% decrease on a daily average basis
* Total Operating Income B2C Emerging Offering at US$5 million (Q4 2008: US$5
million), flat on Q4 and a 1% increase on a daily average basis
* Number of active customers B2C Casino and Poker at 168,000, a decrease of 5%
compared to Q4 2008
* Number of active customers B2C Casino at 62,000, a decrease of 7% compared to Q4
2008
* Number of active customers B2C Poker at 133,000, a decrease of 3% compared to Q4
2008
* Quarterly Total Operating Income B2C per active Casino and Poker customer was
US$269, a 3% decrease compared to Q4 2008
* Quarterly Total Operating Income B2C per active Casino customer was US$429, a 3%
decrease compared to Q4 2008
* Quarterly Total Operating Income B2C per active Poker customer was US$103, a 3%
decrease compared to Q4 2008
B2B
* Total Operating Income B2B at US$12 million (Q4 2008: US$11 million), an
increase of 13% and a 16% increase on a daily average basis
Current Trading
Trading in Q2 to date improved compared to the first quarter of the year. During
the first 33 days of the second quarter daily average revenue, across B2C and
B2B lines of business, increased by more than 3% and new customer recruitment
increased by more than 6%, in each case compared to the first quarter of 2009.
B2C progress was led by Emerging Offering and improved Casino trading however
poker was weaker.
888's recent white lable deal with the UK's Racing Post has already been
implemented, in record time and further deals are in various stages of
regulatory approval. In the UK, a new Bingo TV campaign was launched to
stimulate Bingo growth. The innovative "Poker Ashes" televised poker tournament
was launched in Australia and will be shortly launched in the UK featuring
celebrities such as Shane Warne and Darren Gough in addition to two large-scale
poker leagues launched in the UK and Australia across hundreds of pubs.
Live casino targeted at European customers was launched comprising the popular
Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat on a web based platform which is fully
integrated into 888's back office. A soft games/quick play games tab suite was
also launched, offering 30 casual games. Finally, a new Poker version was
launched incorporating 25 features and design changes following extensive
consultation with customers and business partners including time bank, quick
seat, hand history and money transfer between accounts.
The group's financial position is strong with approximately US$110 million cash
equivalents (of which approximately US$32 million represent liabilities to
customers) and no debt leaving the group in a sound position to exploit M&A
opportunities when they become available. As such, the board remains confident
about further progress during the year.
Material Events, Transactions and Financial Position
There have been no material events, transactions or changes in the financial
position of 888 since the year end other than as set out above.
Commenting on today's announcement, Gigi Levy, Chief Executive Officer, said:
"Our B2B business continued to show strong growth during the first quarter of
2009. Trading in B2C continued to be challenging reflecting the weak economic
backdrop. Despite monthly sequential growth in January and February trading in
March was weaker. Whilst we are encouraged by improved trading in April across
all our lines of business we now start to enter the historically quieter
seasonal period. However, our various business initiatives are progressing well,
including our developing B2B offering and we therefore expect to grow the
business further during the year."
Analyst and Investor Conference Call
Gigi Levy, Chief Executive Officer and Aviad Kobrine, Chief Financial Officer,
will be hosting an analyst and investor conference call at 9.30am (BST) today.
Dial-in number: +44 (0)20 7138 0842
Passcode:6492024
UK replay number:+44 (0)207 806 1970
Replay passcode:6492024
Contacts and enquiries
+--------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| 888 | |
+--------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| Gigi Levi, Chief Executive Officer | +350 200 49800 |
+--------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| Aviad Kobrine, Chief Financial Officer | +350 200 49800 |
+--------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| | |
+--------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| Bell Pottinger Corporate & Financial | |
+--------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| Ann-marie Wilkinson / Nick Lambert / Andrew | +44 (0)20 7861 |
| Benbow | 3232 |
+--------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
This announcement includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be,
"forward-looking statements". By their nature, forward-looking statements
involve risk and uncertainty since they relate to future events and
circumstances. Forward-looking statements may and often do differ materially
from actual results. Any forward-looking statements in this announcement reflect
888's view with respect to future events as at the date of this announcement.
Save as required by law or by the Listing Rules of the UK Listing Authority, 888
undertakes no obligation publicly to release the results of any revisions to any
forward-looking statements in this announcement that may occur due to any change
in its expectations or to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this
announcement.
Appendix
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| | 2008 | 2009 |
+------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+-----------+
| | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| B2C TOI (US$m)* | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Casino | 35.8 | 36.3 | 34.8 | 29.6 | 26.7 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Poker | 21.9 | 19.7 | 17.4 | 14.5 | 13.7 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Emerging Offering | 1.0 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Total Operating Income B2C | 58.7 | 59.6 | 56.7 | 49.0 | 45.1 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| B2C KPI | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| TOI Casino US$m* | 35.8 | 36.3 | 34.8 | 29.6 | 26.7 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Active Players Casino (000) | 74.3 | 74.0 | 72.5 | 66.9 | 62.1 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| TOI Casino per active player US$ | $ 482 | $ 491 | $ 480 | $ 443 | $ 429 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| TOI Poker US$m* | 21.9 | 19.7 | 17.4 | 14.5 | 13.7 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Active Players Poker (000) | 158.4 | 153.0 | 149.3 | 136.7 | 133.1 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| TOI Poker per active player US$ | $ 138 | $ 129 | $ 117 | $ 106 | $ 103 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| TOI Casino & Poker US$m* | 58.7 | 59.6 | 56.7 | 49.0 | 45.1 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Active Players Casino & Poker | 199.1 | 195.9 | 193.7 | 176.5 | 167.7 |
| (000) | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| TOI Casino & Poker per active | $ 295 | $ 304 | $ 293 | $ 278 | $ 269 |
| player US$ | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| B2B TOI (US$m)* | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Total Operating Income B2B | 7.4 | 9.7 | 11.0 | 10.5 | 11.9 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Total Operating Income (US$m) | 66.1 | 69.2 | 67.7 | 59.5 | 57.0 |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| *Rounded | | | | | |
+------------------------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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