Great companies like Merlin Entertainments generate whole ecosystems around themselves, with employees and their families, shareholders, investors, suppliers, stakeholders and customers benefiting from the wealth, energy and opportunity they create
In this issue of Attractions Management we pause to take a special, in-depth look at Merlin Entertainments, following its successful floatation in November last year and news it’s been named New Company of The Year 2013 at the London Stock Exchange PLC Awards (page 30).
Great companies generate whole financial eco-systems around themselves and a look at the numbers gives clues to the extent of that developing around Merlin.
Although its value at floatation was around $5bn, it’s already added $1bn to this, as well as reporting trading figures with an EBITDA of £390m and an increase in operating profit of 12.3 per cent on like for like revenue growth of 6.7 per cent.
Merlin employs 22,000 people and thousands who were shareholders at the time of the floatation benefited from it. In addition, 3,000 employees have taken advantage of a sharesave scheme introduced in January.
In his report on page 32, Deloitte’s Nigel Bland examines the organisations and individual investors who’ve benefited from involvement with Merlin. It’s a long list, including investment vehicles such as Apax, Blackstone, CDC, CVC, DIC, F&C/Graphite, HPE, Kirkbi A/S and Pearson, the former owner of The Tussauds Group.
Two represented private money: DIC who invested for the crown prince of Dubai and Kirkbi for Lego’s founders, while Bland says HPE was owned by BT’s pension fund, so those with BT pensions will benefit from this slice of investment.
The money came from all over the world: current fund CVC raised 46 per cent of its investment in the US, 17 per cent in Europe and 16 per cent in the UK, with the rest coming from Asia, the Middle East and Canada, so Merlin’s powers of wealth generation have benefited investors globally.
And the company generates value in other ways too. As a facility-based business, Merlin strikes property deals according to what’s appropriate, and those involved – such as Prestbury, which did a sale and leaseback deal with Merlin in summer 2007 – have seen the value of their covenants strengthened by the increase in value.
But with Merlin, the endgame is always the customer. Nearly 60 million people enjoyed the attractions last year and Varney told us he was adamant the floatation should be open to them, saying: “Some people tried to talk us out of having a retail offer because of the huge administrative burden involved. But this is a company people really want to own shares in – we sold 12.5 per cent to the general public.”
Those of us with long enough memories and faith in the industry recall the days when it commanded no respect among investors or governments and being called a Mickey Mouse business was an insult. How times have changed. Varney and his team have turned this right around and you feel they’re really only just getting started.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2014 issue 1
Editor's letter: Creating Wealth
Great companies like Merlin Entertainments generate whole
ecosystems around themselves, with employees and their families,
shareholders, investors, suppliers, stakeholders and customers
benefiting from the wealth, energy and opportunity they create
Profile: Alberto Zamperla
The Italian ride entrepreneur is
attracting international attention for
his ambitious plans to build a new
cultural attraction in the heart of
Venice. Liz Terry finds out more
Planetariums: Science in the sky
We talk to Techmania's CEO Vlastimil
Volak and designer Glenn Smith
about the opening of the first 3D
Planetarium in the Czech Republic
Museums: Sea Views
Exploring underwater museums with
eco-sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor
Great companies like Merlin Entertainments generate whole ecosystems around themselves, with employees and their families, shareholders, investors, suppliers, stakeholders and customers benefiting from the wealth, energy and opportunity they create
In this issue of Attractions Management we pause to take a special, in-depth look at Merlin Entertainments, following its successful floatation in November last year and news it’s been named New Company of The Year 2013 at the London Stock Exchange PLC Awards (page 30).
Great companies generate whole financial eco-systems around themselves and a look at the numbers gives clues to the extent of that developing around Merlin.
Although its value at floatation was around $5bn, it’s already added $1bn to this, as well as reporting trading figures with an EBITDA of £390m and an increase in operating profit of 12.3 per cent on like for like revenue growth of 6.7 per cent.
Merlin employs 22,000 people and thousands who were shareholders at the time of the floatation benefited from it. In addition, 3,000 employees have taken advantage of a sharesave scheme introduced in January.
In his report on page 32, Deloitte’s Nigel Bland examines the organisations and individual investors who’ve benefited from involvement with Merlin. It’s a long list, including investment vehicles such as Apax, Blackstone, CDC, CVC, DIC, F&C/Graphite, HPE, Kirkbi A/S and Pearson, the former owner of The Tussauds Group.
Two represented private money: DIC who invested for the crown prince of Dubai and Kirkbi for Lego’s founders, while Bland says HPE was owned by BT’s pension fund, so those with BT pensions will benefit from this slice of investment.
The money came from all over the world: current fund CVC raised 46 per cent of its investment in the US, 17 per cent in Europe and 16 per cent in the UK, with the rest coming from Asia, the Middle East and Canada, so Merlin’s powers of wealth generation have benefited investors globally.
And the company generates value in other ways too. As a facility-based business, Merlin strikes property deals according to what’s appropriate, and those involved – such as Prestbury, which did a sale and leaseback deal with Merlin in summer 2007 – have seen the value of their covenants strengthened by the increase in value.
But with Merlin, the endgame is always the customer. Nearly 60 million people enjoyed the attractions last year and Varney told us he was adamant the floatation should be open to them, saying: “Some people tried to talk us out of having a retail offer because of the huge administrative burden involved. But this is a company people really want to own shares in – we sold 12.5 per cent to the general public.”
Those of us with long enough memories and faith in the industry recall the days when it commanded no respect among investors or governments and being called a Mickey Mouse business was an insult. How times have changed. Varney and his team have turned this right around and you feel they’re really only just getting started.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2014 issue 1
Editor's letter: Creating Wealth
Great companies like Merlin Entertainments generate whole
ecosystems around themselves, with employees and their families,
shareholders, investors, suppliers, stakeholders and customers
benefiting from the wealth, energy and opportunity they create
Profile: Alberto Zamperla
The Italian ride entrepreneur is
attracting international attention for
his ambitious plans to build a new
cultural attraction in the heart of
Venice. Liz Terry finds out more
Planetariums: Science in the sky
We talk to Techmania's CEO Vlastimil
Volak and designer Glenn Smith
about the opening of the first 3D
Planetarium in the Czech Republic
Museums: Sea Views
Exploring underwater museums with
eco-sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
+ More news
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