17 May 2006
MD & A Q1/2006
Central Pattana Public Company Limited
Management's Discussion and Analysis
Consolidated Financial Results : Q1/2006
OVERALL PERFORMANCE
Central Pattana Plc., reported consolidated net profit in
Q1/2006 of 457.0 MB,an increase of 92.1 MB.,or 25.2% from Q1/2005.
This came mainly from the increase of rental income from The
Offices at CentralWorld which currently has a sales progress of
more than 90% of leasable area and from the new expanded leasable
area of Central Town Rattanathibet which was completed in September
2005. Moreover, the Company also received property management fee
income from CPNRF and profit sharing from investment in CPNRF.
In the light of the substantial difference between Q1/2006
and Q1/2005 due to the financial lease of building and utility
system of Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 to CPNRF in August 2005,
the performance of Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 were partially
transferred out to CPNRF which was the main contribution to the
changes in the Company's performance when comparing this years
result to last year. For comparative purpose, additional analysis
has been prepared to see what the Company's performance would have
been if Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama3 performance and other items
associated with the financial lease were excluded in calculation in
Q1/2006 as well as Q1/2005.
In Q1/2006,The Company has continuously renovated and expanded
CentralWorld Plaza to modernize and to increase its salable area.
This project will be relaunched in 2 phases, however most of the
area will be opened within the first half of this year. Although
the Company has invested in a large capital expenditure,net
interest bearing debt to equity ratio was only 0.4 times,much lower
than the Company's policy of 1 time. This was due to the Company's
financing source, which came mainly from cash proceeds from
properties lease to CPNRF since last year and from cash flow from
operation in this quarter.
Revenues
In Q1/2006,total rental & service and food & beverage revenues
were 1,594.4 MB.,an increase of 25.2 MB. or 1.6% from Q1/2005, even
though some revenues of Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 were
partially transferred out to CPNRF. The reasons that total revenue
still increased were due to three distinct sources. Firstly, the
Offices at CentralWorld experienced a strong take up rate
increasing its occupancy rate from 25% in Q1/2005 to 82% in Q1/2006
and from higher rental rate per sq.m. in new contracts. Secondly,
Central Town Rattanathibet was relaunched in September 2005 with
greater leasable area which contributed to higher revenue. Lastly,
all other existing projects attained higher revenue due to
increases in rental rates and higher revenue from common area
promotions. For comparative purpose, excluding the revenue of
Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 in Q1/2006 as well as Q1/2005,
total rental & service and food & beverage revenues of the
Company's other properties would have increased 15.8% from Q1/2005.
Other income in Q1/2006 was 132.8 MB.,an increase of 53.7 MB.
or 67.8% from Q1/2005. This was mainly due to property management
fee income from CPNRF of 35.2 MB.and realized income of operating
lease of land of Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 to CPNRF of 14.5
MB.
In addition, the investment in CPNRF has contributed a profit
sharing of 67.2 MB. to the Company in Q1/2006.
Cost and Operating & Administrative expenses
In Q1/2006, cost of rental & service and food & beverage were
860.3 MB., a slight increase of 6.9 MB. or 0.8% from Q1/2005. This
was due to a portion of cost and depreciation of Central Plaza Rama
2 and Rama 3 being transferred to CPNRF. Excluding cost of Central
Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 in Q1/2006 as well as Q1/2005 for
comparative purpose, cost of rental & service and food & beverage
of the Company's other properties in this quarter would have
increased 8.0% from the same quarter of last year as a result of
higher operating costs at The Offices at CentralWorld and from new
salable area of Central Town Rattanathibet and from higher cost of
electricity due to higher electricity usage and higher electricity
rate (Bt/unit).
Operating and administrative expenses in Q1/2006 was 211.2
MB., a slight increase of 2.3 MB., or 1.1% from the same period of
last year. The result was due to partial expense of Central Plaza
Rama 2 and Rama 3 being transferred to CPNRF. Excluding operating
and administrative expenses of Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 in
Q1/2006 as well as Q1/2005 for comparative purpose, these expenses
of the Company's other properties would have increased 7.9% Y-o-Y.
due to higher people cost and higher advertising & promotion
expenses. Many promotional campaigns were launched this quarter
including events such as Central Plaza Summer 2006 : A Passage to
Dubai and a Fashion Show on the Beach as a part of the Pattaya
Music Festival.
Financial Position as at March 31, 2006
Assets
As at March 31, 2006, the consolidated assets were 32,940.8
MB., a decrease of 435.5 MB, or 1.3% from December 31, 2005. The
decrease mainly came from the payment of construction and
renovation for Central World Plaza, Central Town Rattanathibet and
Central Pinklao Office Tower B (completed and opened in March 2006
and sales progress is now more than 60%) and also from depreciation
of property and equipment.
Liabilities
As at March 31, 2006, the consolidated liabilities were
20,697.6 MB, a decrease of 889.6 MB.,or 4.1% from December 31, 2005
due to the payment to contractor of 521.3 MB., loan repayment of
242.5 MB.and repayment of matured promissory note for land purchase
of 170.0 MB. However, some liabilities that increased came from
deposits received and guarantees for leasehold right from new
tenants of Central World Plaza of 97.1 MB and 116.9 MB respectively.
Shareholders' Equity
Shareholders' equity as at March 31, 2006 was 12,243.2 MB, an
increase of 454.1 MB., or 3.9% from December 31, 2005 due to net
profit for the period.
Financial Ratio Analysis
Profitability
In Q1/2006 gross profit margin was 46.0%, a slight increase
from the same period of last year at 45.6%. This came from revenue
and cost of Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 being partially
transferred to CPNRF according to the properties leased contract.
Excluding revenue and cost of Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 in
Q1/2006 as well as Q1/2005 for comparative purpose,the gross profit
margin of the Company's other properties of Q1/2006 would have been
49.7% which would be higher than Q1/2005 by 3.6%. The main reasons
being higher rental income from The Offices at CentralWorld and new
salable area of Central Town Rattanathibet and also from the rest
of the Company's projects due to increases in rental rates and
higher rental income from common area usage.
Net profit margin in Q1/2006 was 26.1%, a substantial increase
from 22.1% in Q1/2005 of 4.0%. This was due to an increase of
other income in this quarter such as property management fee income
from CPNRF of 35.2 MB., realized income of operating lease of land
of Central Plaza Rama 2 and Rama 3 to CPNRF of 14.5 MB. and profit
sharing of investment in CPNRF of 67.2 MB.
Return on equity (ROE) in Q1/2006 was 15.7%, a decrease from
16.5% in Q1/2005 of 0.8%. This is due to an increase in
shareholders' equity from higher retained earnings from the gain on
the lease transaction with CPNRF in August 2005.
Financial Policy
In Q1/2006, interest coverage ratio was 4.9 times, an increase
from 3.8 times at Q1/2005. This was due to an increase in cash from
operation resulted from higher rental income especially from
The Offices at CentralWorld and new salable area of Central Town
Rattanathibet as well as deposits received and guarantees for
leasehold right from new tenants of Central World Plaza.
Net interest bearing debt to equity ratio decreased from 0.8
times in Q1/2005 to 0.4 times in this quarter. This mainly came
from cash proceeds from financial lease and operating lease with
CPNRF, repayment of debt in Rama 2 and Rama 3 and an increase in
shareholders' equity since August 2005.
As at March 31, 2006, interest bearing debt comprised of 89%
fixed and 11% floating interest rate with weighted average interest
rate at 5.2% p.a.
Key Ratio Q1/2006 Q1/2005
LIQUIDITY RATIO
Current Assets/Current Liabilities (Times) 1.6 0.6
Accounts Receivable Turnover (Days) 7 6
PROFITABILITY RATIO
Gross Profit Margin (%) 46.0% 45.6%
Net Profit Margin (%) 26.1% 22.1%
Return on Equity (%) 15.7% 16.5%
EFFICIENCY RATIO
Return on Assets (%) 5.5% 5.4%
FINANCIAL POLICY RATIO
Net Interest Bearing Debt to Equity (Times) 0.4 0.8
Interest Coverage (Times) 4.9 3.8