1st Dec 2015 07:15
LONDON (Alliance News) - Theme parks and attractions operator Merlin Entertainments PLC on Tuesday said trading has remained in line with its expectations and it is on track for the year to December 27, despite continued tough trading in its Resort Theme Parks operating division.
The FTSE 100-listed company, which runs attractions and parks ranging from Legoland to Madame Tussauds and the London Eye, said like-for-like revenue growth for its Legoland Parks division has remained robust in the 47 weeks to November 21, while its Midway Attractions business has seen growth, albeit at lower levels due to challenging markets in London and Hong Kong, which has been offset by strength elsewhere in Asia.
For the Resort Theme Parks operating arm, however, trading at Alton Towers has remained significantly weaker year-on-year, though the year-on-year declines have eased in recent weeks.
In June, Smiler ride at the Alton Towers theme park crashed, injuring 16 people in total and four seriously, with two of the latter having legs amputated due to the severity of their injuries. The park closed briefly and visits were depressed over the park's key summer months.
The company said it expects its full-year results to meet its expectations, though it noted peak season for its attractions in Australia and New Zealand remains ahead.
Merlin will publish its annual results on February 25, 2016
By Sam Unsted; [email protected]; @SamUAtAlliance
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