ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2015 Merlin Entertainments plc Annual Report and Accounts 2015 MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS Financial highlights and key performance indicators CONTENTS MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS IS EUROPE’S LEADING AND THE WORLD’S SECOND-LARGEST VISITOR ATTRACTION OPERATOR. OUR AIM IS TO DELIVER MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES TO MILLIONS OF VISITORS ACROSS OUR GROWING PORTFOLIO OF MIDWAY ATTRACTIONS AND THEME PARKS. WE ARE DRIVEN BY SIX GROWTH DRIVERS AND OUR UNIQUE CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION RESOURCE ‘MERLIN MAGIC MAKING’ STRATEGIC REPORT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WHICH SITS AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TABLE OF CONTENTS 107 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 2 CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT 108 CONTENTS 3 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OUR STRATEGY AND BUSINESS MODEL 4 OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 109 Financial­highlights­and­KPIs­(1), (2), (3) At the end of 2015 Merlin at a glance 4 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Merlin operated: Merlin’s brands 6 OF FINANCIAL POSITION 110 Strategy and global presence 8 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT Merlin’s growth drivers 10 OF CHANGES IN EQUITY 111 Visitors Revenue 2015 strategic developments 12 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS 112 62.9m +0.3% £1,278m +2.3% CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT 14 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 113 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT 16 MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS PLC OPERATIONAL REVIEW - MIDWAY ATTRACTIONS 20 COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 155 OPERATIONAL REVIEW - LEGOLAND PARKS 24 NOTES TO THE MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS PLC OPERATIONAL REVIEW - RESORT THEME PARKS 28 COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 157 MERLIN MAGIC MAKING 32 46.5 54.0 59.8 62.8 62.9 933 1,074 1,192 1,249 1,278 TEAM MERLIN 36 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES 40 Underlying EBITDA Underlying operating profit GROUP FINANCIAL REVIEW 46 SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION 162 £402m -2.1% £291m -6.2% ‘BEING A FORCE FOR GOOD’ - CORPORATE FINANCIAL RECORD 163 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THE MERLIN WAY 51 GLOSSARY 164 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 58 296 346 390 411 402 222 258 290 311 291 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 59 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT 62 HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY Like for like revenue growth Basic EPS COMMITTEE REPORT 66 +0.4% 16.8p (2014:16.0p) AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT 70 Return on capital employed (4) Adjusted EPS DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION REPORT 76 9.7% (2014:10.6%) 17.8p (2014:17.7p) NOMINATION COMMITTEE REPORT 97 DIRECTORS’ REPORT 98 DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT 101 INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT 102 Non-­financial­KPIs­(1), (5), (6), (7) 2014 2015 Customer satisfaction (5) ✔ ✔ Staff engagement (6) ✔ ✔ Health and safety (7) ✔ ✘ Footnotes to this Annual Report and Accounts: • Unless otherwise stated, the terms ‘Merlin’, ‘Merlin Entertainments’, ‘the Group’, ‘We’ and ‘Us’ refer to the Company (Merlin Entertainments plc) and, as applicable, its subsidiaries and/or interests in joint ventures. • Unless otherwise stated, references to ‘year’ or ‘2015’ mean the 52 week period ended 26 December 2015 and references to ‘previous year’ or ‘2014’ mean the 52 week period ended 27 December 2014. • References to visitors mean all individual visits to Merlin owned or operated attractions. Footnotes (see page 3 for further footnotes to this Annual Report and Accounts): (1) The KPIs shown above are Merlin’s key financial and non-financial performance indicators. • The terms ‘financial statements’, ‘consolidated financial statements’ and ‘accounts’ are used interchangeably. (2) Figures presented for 2011 are based on underlying trading figures compiled on a 52 week basis for ease of comparison. Statutory numbers for 2011 were prepared on a 53 week basis. • Like for like growth refers to the growth between 2014 and 2015 on a constant currency basis using 2015 exchange rates and includes all businesses owned and opened before the start of 2014. (3) Group profit before tax for 2015 was £237 million (2014: £226 million). • EBITDA is defined as profit before finance income and costs, taxation, depreciation and amortisation and is after taking account of attributable profit after tax of joint ventures. (4) Return on capital employed is based on underlying operating profit after tax divided by average net operating assets. • In order to show the underlying business performance of the Group; enhance comparability from period to period and with other companies; and to provide information consistent with how (5) Source - customer satisfaction surveys: measure is based on 90%+ rating as ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’. it is measured internally, underlying information presented excludes exceptional items that are classified separately within the financial statements (see note 2.2 to the financial (6) Source - annual employee surveys: measure is based on 80%+ rating for ‘staff engagement’ (see page 37 for further details). statements on page 118 for further details). (7) The accident at Alton Towers overshadowed all other Health and Safety measures and accordingly we did not achieve the measure we set ourselves. • Percentages are calculated based on figures before rounding and are then rounded to one decimal place. 2 3 Merlin Entertainments plc Annual Report and Accounts 2015 Main Contents Indoor attractions located in OUR STRATEGY city centres or resorts MIDWAY and business model (1) 44% 99 ATTRACTIONS 21 COUNTRIES OUR VISION IS TO BECOME THE 4 CONTINENTS 1-2 HOUR EXPERIENCE WORLDWIDE LEADER 6 GLOBAL CHAINABLE BRANDS. NEW BRAND IN BRANDED, ‘DREAMWORKS TOURS - SHREK’S ADVENTURE!’ LAUNCHED THIS YEAR LOCATION BASED ENTERTAINMENT. MIDWAY ATTRACTIONS Merlin’s unique creative Outdoor attractions with rides and and production shows, complemented with themed resource accommodation LEGOLAND PARKS 6 ATTRACTIONS 34%(1) 5 COUNTRIES 3 CONTINENTS 1-3 DAY EXPERIENCE LEGO THEMED ACCOMMODATION, RIDES, Sitting at the heart SHOWS AND INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES of everything 3 NEW PARKS IN DUBAI, JAPAN AND we do SOUTH KOREA UNDER DEVELOPMENT Find out more on 22%(1) pages 32 to 35 RESORT Merlin has two core products: THEME PARKS THEME PARKS 6 Midway attractions, which Theme parks, which ATTRACTIONS UK, GERMANY, ITALY are typically smaller, indoor are larger multi-day 1-3 DAY EXPERIENCE attractions located in city destination venues, ACCOMMODATION, RIDES, SHOWS AND centres or resorts. with on-site themed INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES AROUND accommodation. A CENTRAL THEME The theme parks are managed in two Operating Groups: Footnotes: (1) Based on 2015 revenue. LEGOLAND Parks and Resort Theme Parks. 4 5 Merlin Entertainments plc Annual Report and Accounts 2015 Main Contents OUR STRATEGY THEME PARKS and business model With Playful Learning at the heart of the experience, our six LEGOLAND resorts across Europe, North America and Asia offer a unique LEGO themed experience MERLIN’S BRANDS for families with children aged two to twelve years, including highly themed accommodation and based on interactivity, imagination and family fun. MIDWAY With 47 sites, SEA LIFE is the Madame Tussauds’ heritage Alton Towers Resort is the Insane fun is on offer at world’s biggest aquarium brand, and the breathtaking artistry UK’s number one theme THORPE PARK, the UK’s built around the notion of Amazing of the figures at our 19 sites park resort, set in 500 acres third biggest theme park and Discoveries, and home to a variety differentiate it from other of beautiful Staffordshire acknowledged thrill capital of creatures from shrimps and wax attractions. Famous Fun countryside. Boasting two for teenagers, young adults starfish to seahorses, rays, sharks is the heart of the themed hotels, ‘The Enchanted and older families. The and seals. SEA LIFE campaigns experience, where visitors Village’ lodges and an indoor resort now includes the actively on a variety of conservation are encouraged to interact waterpark, it invites families, unique THORPE SHARK issues prioritised around breeding, with all the historical and teenagers and young adults Hotel, offering bite-sized rescue and protection of the celebrity figures from alike into a world of rooms in a stunning marine environment. Napoleon to One Direction. Fantastical Escapism. waterfront location. 13 LEGOLAND Discovery The nine Dungeons are a Wild Adventure is at the Heide Park is Germany’s Centres are the ultimate unique mix of dark, historical heart of Chessington World third biggest theme park LEGO indoor playground, horror and irreverent of Adventures Resort, with with rides and attractions with over two million bricks humour delivered through exotic themed lands and appealing to all ages, set in under one roof. With Playful set piece shows performed rides mixed with amazing four lands of Extraordinary Learning at the heart of the by live actors, rides and creatures from around the Adventure. The resort experience, they create a spine chillingly themed sets. world. Guests can stay in attracts visitors from all over fun filled and interactive Scary Fun is the goal, the heart of the adventure Germany and beyond, who environment where children delivered daily to families, at our Safari and Azteca can stay in the Heide Park and parents are inspired teenagers and young adults. resort hotels. Adventure Hotel or adjacent to be creative. Holiday Village. At ‘DreamWorks Tours - Gardaland Resort is Italy’s Shrek‘s Adventure!’ guests leading theme park. Located play their part in a unique on the edge of Lake Garda, Each of our four Eye and interactive DreamWorks it boasts rides for all ages set observation attractions experience, where the choices in a beautifully landscaped offers the ultimate viewing they make decide the outcome. Jousting, knights,