Industry News

NetEnt: Year-end report 2019 and quarterly report October – December 2019

Published

4 years ago

February 14, 2020

Quote from Therese Hillman, Group CEO

“Since December, we have seen all-time highs in the number of players for our Live Casino, which supports our belief in growing revenues from this segment. Since the acquisition, Red Tiger has exceeded our expectations and now forms a vital part of our ongoing improvement efforts within the NetEnt Group. We see good conditions for NetEnt to deliver growth in 2020, supported by our combined game portfolio and Live Casino.”

Fourth quarter 2019

Revenues for the fourth quarter amounted to 512 (465) SEKm
EBITDA of 261 (204) SEKm, corresponding to a margin of 51.0 (43.9)%
EBIT of 161 (146) SEKm, corresponding to a margin of 31.4 (31.4)%
Earnings after tax of 113 (137) SEKm. Earnings per share of SEK 0.47 (0.57) before and after dilution
Red Tiger contributed 96 SEKm to revenues and 70 SEKm to EBITDA

Full year 2019

Revenues for the full year amounted to 1,793 (1,782) SEKm
EBITDA of 855 (816) SEKm, corresponding to a margin of 47.7 (45.8)%
EBIT of 529 (601) SEKm, a margin of 29.5 (33.7)%
Earnings after tax of 429 (577) SEKm. Earnings per share of SEK 1.79 (2.40) before and after dilution
The results include SEK 59 million of acquisition-related transaction costs and amortization, and SEK 29 million of acquisition-related financing costs
Red Tiger was consolidated in September and contributed 126 SEKm to revenues and 93 SEKm to EBITDA
Proposed ordinary cash return to shareholders of SEK 1.00 (2.25) per share

Important events in the fourth quarter

NetEnt released 13 (6) slot games, of which Ozzy Osbourne was the most successful
Red Tiger released 9 (6) slot games, of which Dynamite Riches was the most successful
The platform service NetEnt Connect was introduced in December, with Red Tiger as first supplier
Within Live Casino, a new Auto-Roulette studio was launched

Growth through acquisition

Revenues for the last quarter of the year increased by 10.0 percent to the highest level ever, SEK 512 million (465 SEKm), of which SEK 96 million came from Red Tiger, which was acquired in September. Pro forma⁽¹⁾ in euro terms, our total revenues including Red Tiger decreased by 4.8 percent compared to the corresponding period of 2018. Growth was held back by continued weakness in mainly Sweden and Norway, while our revenues in the US continued to grow significantly. During the period January 1 to February 10, 2020, total gamewin proforma⁽¹⁾ in euro terms for the NetEnt Group including Red Tiger increased by 4.9 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.

Operating income and cash flow in the fourth quarter

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to SEK 261 (204) million in the quarter, of which SEK 70 million was contributed by Red Tiger. The EBITDA margin was 51.0 (43.9) percent. Red Tiger was acquired with the objective to create shareholder value through increased growth and profitability for the new group. The transaction was enabled by NetEnt’s strong balance sheet, which went from a net cash to net debt position, and our long-term goal is to deliver enhanced shareholder returns with a balanced capital structure. Hence, the proposed cash return to shareholders for 2019 is SEK 1.00 (2.25) per share, which supports the company’s cash flow generation and allows for debt to be reduced. This payout level is in line with the company’s dividend policy.

High level of activity and deeper integration with Red Tiger

We released more games than ever in the fourth quarter – 13 (6) from NetEnt and 9 (6) from Red Tiger – and continued to sign deals with and launch customers at a high pace. In addition, the quarter was marked by deepening integration with Red Tiger to realize both revenue- and cost synergies. Red Tiger adds complementary competence to the NetEnt group and we are running a number of common projects at full speed to deliver a significantly enhanced customer offering and player experience. Our first combined game with jackpot mechanics, Piggy Riches, was released in January and has so far been the best release ever for Red Tiger. During 2020, we will be releasing several new jointly developed games. In December, we launched our content aggregation service, NetEnt Connect, with Red Tiger as the first supplier. In 2019, we reduced the number of employees at NetEnt (excluding Red Tiger) while at the same time we stepped up our game production and efforts to develop our Live Casino offering. We continue to focus on cost control and efficiency throughout the NetEnt Group and the integration of Red Tiger forms a vital part of this process.

All-time high in player numbers for Live Casino

We continue according to plan to improve our product and organization within Live Casino, and in December we launched a new Auto-Roulette studio. Feedback on the product enhancements made during 2019 has generally been positive and since December, we have seen all-time highs in player numbers for our Live Casino. We are now expanding the studio in Malta and will soon be offering physical tables to our customers for the first time, as an alternative to our tables with blue screen technology, which should contribute to increased revenues from Live Casino in 2020.

Future outlook

We recently unveiled a number of product news at the ICE exhibition in London, such as a new jackpot concept called Starburst Power Pots, as well as branded games in collaboration with Gordon Ramsay, Street Fighter and Fashion TV – again showing our commitment to creating a world-class player experience.
I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to our employees, customers and shareholders for their support during 2019. Backed by our ongoing focus on efficiency and the acquisition of Red Tiger, we are entering the new year in a stronger position. Our global distribution and two strong brands give us the right basis to increase our market shares in online casino. We see good conditions for NetEnt to deliver growth in 2020, supported by our combined game portfolio and Live Casino.

(1) Comparable figures from the previous year include Red Tiger.

About NetEnt:

NetEnt AB (publ) is a global gaming company, providing premium gaming solutions to the world’s most successful online casino operators. In addition to the company’s NetEnt brand, our portfolio also includes Red Tiger Gaming. Since our start in 1996, we have been a true pioneer in driving the market with innovative games powered by a cutting-edge platform. NetEnt is committed to creating the future of gaming, is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (NET–B) and employs around 1 100 people in Malta, Stockholm, Sofia, Kiev, Krakow, Gothenburg, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, London and New Jersey. For more information, please visit www.netent.com.

Related Topics:NetEnt Therese Hillman Netent Group CEO

Up Next

THETA Live Embed Launches to Bring 24/7 Esports Content and Blockchain Rewards to Any Website, Starting With G FUEL

Don't Miss

MGM China Reports 2019 Annual Results

Click to comment

IAGA

The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) Announces 2024 International Gaming Summit in Washington, D.C.

Published

15 hours ago

April 26, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

the-international-association-of-gaming-advisors-(iaga)-announces-2024-international-gaming-summit-in-washington,-dc.

The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its 41st International Gaming Summit Monday, May 27 through Thursday, May 30, 2024 at The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.

As a premier event that brings together leaders from all global gaming sectors, the Summit will provide operators, suppliers, attorneys, investors, bankers, regulators and other advisor delegates with an unparalleled opportunity to meet and discuss the most important issues facing gaming.

“We are looking forward to holding this year’s 41st Annual International Gaming Summit in Washington, D.C., and are pleased to announce an agenda that includes a specific focus on some of the key sports betting issues the rapidly expanding US market is facing. As part of this focus, we will bring together representatives from global sports betting operators, regulatory agencies, professional sports leagues and other experts to discuss how the industry’s sports betting stakeholders can better work together to ensure a sustainable, responsible sports betting environment that is built on best practices lessons learned from other markets,” John Stawyskyj, President of IAGA, said.

“Beyond our sports betting focus, our diverse agenda includes discussions on other issues of importance including the growing impact of fraud and cyber breaches on regulated operators, a look into the federal and state lobbying process, an update on what’s happening in other gaming markets outside North America, a deep dive into new technologies and how they might impact gaming and more. I look forward to welcoming our delegates to Washington and participating with them in lively discussions about these critical issues and more,” Stawyskyj added.

Charlie Skinner

Marker Trax Appoints John Henderson as Senior Vice President of Operations

Published

15 hours ago

April 26, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

marker-trax-appoints-john-henderson-as-senior-vice-president-of-operations

Marker Trax, a leader in cashless payment solutions for the gambling industry, has announced the appointment of John Henderson as its senior vice president of operations.

As the company continues solidifying its cashless payments sector leadership position, Henderson joins the team to play a key role in leading strategic planning efforts, executing new operator and customer initiatives, directing pursuit of key performance indicators, and ensuring overall product and technology quality control. He reports directly to, and will work closely with, Marker Trax President Charlie Skinner.

Henderson is a seasoned, energetic industry veteran who brings to Marker Trax more than four decades of success in delivering technology-based business solutions, leading innovation-forward companies seeking to increase their industry footprints and to solidify their market shares.

“We’re cementing our leadership position in the cashless space, and John is the right leader, at the right time, to help guide us there. He has tactical expertise, and a long track record of success in the IT space. More than that, though, he’s always eager to innovate – which aligns perfectly with our philosophy and goals. We’re lucky to have him on board,” Charlie Skinner, President of Marker Trax, said.

Immediately prior to joining Marker Trax, Henderson served as chief information officer at WorldStrides, a global leader in educational travel services, and helped the company navigate a business and IT transformation program. Henderson has also held client partner roles at Accenture, IBM, and Cognizant, and has served numerous global brands including Choice Hotels, Hilton Hotels, MGM Resorts, Wynn, Disney, and Royal Caribbean.

“Every step of his career, John’s shown natural aptitude for client relationship management and large-scale systems integrations, and a keen, tactical eye for optimizing performance at all levels of an operation. At Marker Trax, we’re increasing our market footprint through continual innovation, and John’s tactical leadership will be of tremendous benefit to reaching our goals,” Skinner said.

Henderson’s addition caps a prolific run of recent accomplishments for the company. It recently unveiled its innovative consumer product, Moolah Play, secured renewed commitment from partner and global payments leader Euronet Worldwide Inc., and is introducing its cashless credit technology into more markets around the country.

Affinity Interactive

Affinity Interactive Appoints Scott Butera as President & Chief Executive Officer

Published

15 hours ago

April 26, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

affinity-interactive-appoints-scott-butera-as-president-&-chief-executive-officer

Affinity Interactive has announced the appointment of Scott Butera as President & Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Mr. Butera, who most recently led AI’s Sports Information Group (SIG) business, brings over 30 years of experience in gaming, hospitality, media, entertainment, and sports to the pivotal role. In his new capacity, Mr. Butera will set strategy and oversee operations of the Company’s diversified portfolio of casinos resorts across Nevada, Missouri, and Iowa. He will also continue to oversee all print and online media platforms, including Daily Racing Form.

Mr. Butera is an industry veteran who has a history of leading growth and innovation at numerous companies. As CEO of SIG, he led initiatives to develop retail and business products and optimize ecommerce sales for the Daily Racing Form. Under his leadership, SIG experienced significant growth in market share and revenue. Previously, Mr. Butera served as President of Fubo Gaming at Fubo TV Inc. He has also held CEO and President positions at MGM Resorts International, the Arena Football League, Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Tropicana Entertainment, and Trump Entertainment, among others. Earlier in his career, he worked as an investment banker for more than a decade, gaining valuable financial expertise that he later applied to strategic decision-making in the gaming industry. Mr. Butera has a B.A. from Trinity College, where he served as a Trustee, and an MBA from New York University.

“Scott’s operating acumen and deep knowledge of the gaming and entertainment industries have helped AI and Sports Information Group expand product offerings and improve the sports and gaming experience for consumers around the world. I am confident Scott will integrate seamlessly into this expanded role, and under his leadership, Affinity will achieve greater success, continuing to deliver world-class experiences to nearly 1 million users and guests across platforms,” James J. Zenni Jr., Chairman of Affinity Interactive, said.

“Affinity’s mission to elevate the gaming industry through advanced technology and unparalleled customer offerings – both across digital media platforms as well as in-person gaming – remains a driving force behind the business’ success. I am eager to collaborate with Jim and leverage my familiarity with the business as well as my passion for driving innovative change to execute on AI’s long-term strategic priorities,” Mr. Butera said.