Thursday, December 21, 2006

Standard & Poor's '07 Outlook - Hotel & Gaming sector


12.11.06

Part 2:
What Will '07 Bring for Key Sectors?


S&P Ratings sizes up prospects for industry groups in the coming year. Part 2 includes a look at media & entertainment, oil & gas, and retailers

Hotel & Gaming: Growth Will Moderate
Standard & Poor's expects solid lodging industry performance again in 207, with revenue per available room (RevPAR) in the U.S. likely to grow in the mid-single-digits. S&P does, however, expect a decline in the rate of RevPAR growth from about 8% in each of the last three years. With still-record-high occupancy levels across all price segments, pricing power in the industry remains strong, mitigating any concern about a meaningful slowdown in 2007. Given prospects for continued strength in global lodging markets, Standard & Poor's would expect an upward bias again in 2007 for ratings, in the absence of debt-financed acquisitions, including those that take companies private.

For the U.S. gaming industry, S&P expects revenue growth to moderate further in 2007, reflecting a continued gadual slowing of the U.S. economy. Despite an anticipated modest decline in consumer discretionary spending, industry revenues are still expected to expand overall. From a ratings perspective, S&P does not expect overall credit quality in the sector to materially deteriorate in coming periods despite aggressive expansion plans by many industry participants. However S&P lowered the rating on Harrah's Entertainment (HET) to below investment grade on the news that it received an offer to be acquired by private equity investors.

Still, with most companies in the gaming industry carrying stable or positive outlooks, any weakness in credit quality will most likely be reflected by outlook revisions rather than rating changes. Further debt-funded transactions, however, could prompt more downgrades. (Full Story)

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Ilitch has backed loosing sports teams and pizza, but casinos in Detroit? Forbes.com 10.09.06 ● Marian Ilitch #1 on "25 Most Powerful People" to Watch 2006” global gaming business o1.oo.o5 ● My Kingdom for a Casino Forbes 05.08.06 ● Big Lagoon’s casino dream awakens north coast journal 07.28.05 ● Shinnecocks launch legal claim to Hamptons land newsday.com 06.16.05 ● Ilitch Plans to Expand Casino Empire RGTonline.com 07.05.05 ● Ilitch outbids partners MichiganDaily.com 04.14.05 ● Ilitch enmeshed in NY casino dispute detnews.com 03.20.05 ● Marian Ilitch, high roller freep.com 03.20.05 ● MGM Mirage to Decide on Offer for Casino in Detroit rgtonline.com 04.16.05 ● Secret deal for MotorCity alleged freep.com 02.15.05 ● Los Coyotes get new developer desertdispatch.com 02.08.05 Detroit casino figure to finance Barstow project LasVegasSun.com 07.07.03 ● Indian Band trying to put casino in Barstow signonSanDiego.com 06.04.03 Pizza matriarch takes on casino roles detnews.com 10.23.02 ● Vanderbilt gets short straw in negotiations for a casino Lansing Journal 10.06.02 ● Indians aim to drive family from tribe in vicious dispute san diego union tribune 04.09.00 ●Malik owns 2000 Michigan Quarter Horse of the Year Michigan.gov 01.01.00 ● Detroit Team to run Michigan’s newest Indian casino detnews.com 05.23.99 Tiger ties tangle Marian Ilitch detnews.com 04.29.99 ● Three investors must sell their Detroit casino interests gamblingmagazine.com 04.25.99 ● Partners’ cash revived election; They say money was crucial to Prop-E detnews.com 04.25.99 Investors have troubled histories las vegas review journal 04.27.99 ● Investor served probation for domestic assault on 12 year old boy detnews.com 04.25.99 Can a pair win a jackpot?: local men hope to... crainsdetroit.com 03.17.97

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