Meliá’s Profits Up By 18% Despite One-Off Impacts

26 February 2016 – Expansión

Meliá ended 2015 with a net attributable profit of €36 million, which represents a 18% increase compared with the previous year. The hotel chain said, however, that the two periods are not comparable, given that last year’s figures were affected by a higher tax rate, following the results of tax inspections launched in 2014 regarding corporation tax settlements made between 2009 and 2012.

In this regard, and in order to reflect the possible impact of these actions, Meliá made a provision amounting to €33 million. The hotel chain also clarified that having analysed the possible consequences in the years open to inspection, it does not expect any significant additional impact on the consolidated accounts in the future. “The company is cooperating with the authorities and hopes to reach a satisfactory agreement”, added the company in a document that it submitted to Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV).

Puerto Rico

Excluding extraordinary effects, such as a €29 million impairment on the Group’s hotel in Puerto Rico, and the provisions required for the aforementioned tax adjustment, Meliá’s net profit before tax amounted to €67 million, up by 200%.

In 2015, the company generated revenues of €1,738 million, which represents a 16% increase (compared with 2014).

The chain highlighted the strong performance of all its divisions in the hotel business, which allowed it to increase its revenues per available room (RevPAR) by 15.1%, thanks to the improvement in the general environment and economies in its key markets, as well as its strategy for branding and repositioning its products.

According to the financial plan, Meliá’s net debt amounted to €768.8 million at the end of the year, which represented a reduction of €216 million with respect to 2014.

Original story: Expansión (by Rebeca Arroyo)

Translation: Carmel Drake