(Adds details on dividend, recent trading at Perth venue, background on venue closures)
Aug 19 (Reuters) - Australia's biggest casino operator Crown Resorts Ltd (CWN) on Wednesday posted a plunge in annual profit and scrapped its final dividend, as travel curbs to control the spread of the coronavirus starved the company of key patrons.
From March through June, the company was forced to halt gaming activities and parts of other operations at its Melbourne and Perth locations, as government curbs were imposed to control the virus' spread.
The company now faces further challenges as the nation struggles to control a second spike of infections in Melbourne that forced the government to recently re-impose curbs, leading Crown to close the doors at its Melbourne site once again.
Net profit attributable to shareholders fell to A$79.5 million ($57.61 million) for the year ended June 30, from a restated figure of A$401.8 million a year earlier. As a result, the company scrapped its final dividend payout, against 30 cents per share declared last year.
Crown said from July 1 to Aug. 16, main floor gaming revenue at the Perth venue, excluding its VIP program, was up 18%. However, the important VIP play turnover remained "minimal" due to international travel restrictions, it said.
The company added that based on current trading levels, its venue at Perth was not likely to qualify for the government's JobKeeper support program beyond Sept. 27, but the Melbourne operation would, given its continued closure.
Total revenue fell 23.6% to A$2.24 billion for the year.
($1 = 1.3801 Australian dollars)
(Adds details on dividend, recent trading at Perth venue,...
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