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Gaming – Regional - UOB Kay Hian 2020-08-21: Genting Hong Kong’s Payment Default Triggers Concerns

GENTING SINGAPORE LIMITED (SGX:G13) | SGinvestors.io GENTING SINGAPORE LIMITED (SGX:G13)

Gaming - Regional - Genting Hong Kong’s Payment Default Triggers Concerns

  • Genting Hongkong (GENHK)’s abrupt temporary payment suspension to all its financial creditors has stoked up fears that its sister companies would be forced to bail out GENHK. Nevertheless, it is more likely to be a prelude to GENHK’s restructuring of its US$3.4b debt, coupled with additional fund raising within the financial community.
  • Maintain OVERWEIGHT on regional gaming, although gaming stocks can only stage strong recoveries with a vaccine discovery or containment of COVID-19 pandemic.



Genting Hong Kong (GENHK) suspends payments to creditors.

  • Non-rated Genting Hong Kong (GENHK)’s subsidiary Dream Global Limited defaulted on a EUR3.7m ship construction fees due on 17 August and triggered a temporary suspension of payment to all creditors. The group intends to preserve its liquidity to maintain critical operation services, and is in the midst of negotiation with related parties for debt restructuring proposals. GENHK’s outstanding financial indebtedness is at US$3.37b as of 31 July.


GENHK issues 1H20 profit warning.

  • Meanwhile, GENHK had warned in an earlier filing that its 1H20 unaudited losses are expected to be not less than US$600m, as compared with 1H19 net losses of US$55.2m. This is mainly due to suspension of its casino cruise ships, shipyard operations and also other businesses such as Resorts World Manila and Zouk nightclub in Singapore on the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We expect GENHK to reach a pragmatic agreement with its creditors and to also secure additional financing

  • We expect GENHK to reach a pragmatic agreement with its creditors and to also secure additional financing to stay afloat in the interim period, until a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus is discovered, or until the pandemic is reasonably contained to allow GENHK to fully resume its cruise operations.
  • We envision that GENHK would be able to eventually issue fresh debt and/or equity, albeit at high interest costs and significant equity discounts, just like the US peers which have done so in 2Q20.


We do not envisage GENHK’s sister listcos to be forced to bail out GENHK

  • We do not envisage GENHK’s sister listcos to be forced to bail out GENHK, and creditors of the Lim family’s pledged GENHK shares do not have alternative recourse... GENHK’s debt obligations are ring-fenced to only its assets (e.g. cruise ships), and the current default does not trigger any cross defaults on Genting Berhad (GENT), Genting Malaysia (GENM) and Genting Singapore (SGX:G13). However, we note that Genting Singapore has minor direct dealings with GENHK which leases office space from Genting Singapore (see overleaf in PDF report attached below).
  • In terms of share margin, while the Lim family has already pledged most of its direct 76% controlling stake in GENHK, creditors have no recourse beyond the GENHK share collateral in the case of a margin call default (GENHK shares plunged 38% yesterday).


…but expect modest to moderate knee-jerk reaction, more so for Genting Berhad.

  • Our anticipation for modest to moderate downside reactions by Genting Malaysia’s and Genting Berhad’s share prices are supported by the fact Genting Singapore's share price fell only 2.1% yesterday. However, Genting Berhad shares could be more impacted (purely due to soft investor sentiment) vs Genting Malaysia, noting that the Lim family has also pledged 32% of the controlling stake in Genting Berhad (up from 4% in 2019).


Maintain our BUY (on weakness) calls for Genting Malaysia and Genting Berhad, and HOLD call for Genting Singapore.






Vincent Khoo CFA UOB Kay Hian Research | Jack Goh Tooan Orng UOB Kay Hian | https://research.uobkayhian.com/ 2020-08-21
SGX Stock Analyst Report HOLD MAINTAIN HOLD 0.690 SAME 0.690



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