Caesars Entertainment Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results

LAS VEGAS, March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) today reported the following fourth quarter and full year 2014 results and recent developments:

• Consolidated net revenues increased 6% year-over-year driven by growth at CGP LLC and CERP
• Consolidated results led by strength in social and mobile games and new hospitality offerings were offset by unfavorable hold at Caesars Palace and increased operating expenses
• CEOC announced comprehensive debt restructuring plan on December 19, which includes a significant reduction in CEOC's long-term debt and annual interest payments
• Caesars Acquisition Company and Caesars Entertainment announced on December 22 an agreement to merge in a combined company that will be positioned for sustainable long-term growth and value creation

Summary Financial Data

The table below highlights certain GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures on a consolidated basis:

Management Commentary

"Ongoing strength in the interactive business, new hospitality offerings and sequential improvement in same-store regional results were key drivers of our fourth quarter performance despite the continuation of exceptionally unfavorable hold at Caesars Palace," said Gary Loveman, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Caesars Entertainment. "As we begin 2015, we are highly focused on enhancing performance at CEOC through a series of cost initiatives and the implementation of the previously announced financial restructuring plan. With more than 80% of first lien noteholders supporting the plan, we are committed to working with additional creditor groups to build greater consensus and complete the restructuring process as quickly as possible."

Other Key Matters During the Quarter        

In the discussion below, the words "Company," "Caesars," "Caesars Entertainment," "CEC," "we," and "our" refer to Caesars Entertainment Corporation and its consolidated entities, unless otherwise stated or the context requires otherwise.

Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA for Caesars Entertainment Corporation was $372 million. Top-line results benefited from the addition of The Cromwell, Horseshoe Baltimore, and the High Roller as well as new hospitality offerings.  Furthermore, strong growth in CIE provided over $60 million in incremental revenue in the quarter.  These increases to revenue were negatively impacted by approximately $60 million of unfavorable year-over-year hold at Caesars Palace, higher start-up costs from new properties as well as new food and beverage outlets, and increased overhead expenses.  

The Company is intensely focused on ensuring operating costs are aligned with the current environment to enhance CEC's profitability. To that end, the Company is acting aggressively to reduce expenses and increase EBITDA across the Company through a variety of identified initiatives in operations, marketing and corporate expenses. CEC will no longer consolidate CEOC beginning with the CEOC bankruptcy filing on January 15, 2015.  Including CEOC and the entities (CES, CERP, CGP LLC and their consolidated subsidiaries) that will remain in CEC's consolidated results subsequent to CEOC's bankruptcy filing, we expect to produce an incremental $250 to $300 million of EBITDA in 2015 as a result of these actions, with the overwhelming majority of this increase to be driven by cost savings. During the fourth quarter, the Company realized approximately $9 million in cost savings but the real benefits from these efforts will be seen beginning in the first quarter of 2015.

On December 19, 2014, CEOC reached an agreement with certain of CEOC's first lien noteholders regarding terms of a financial restructuring plan, which would significantly reduce long-term debt and annual interest payments, and result in a stronger balance sheet for CEOC. The restructuring support agreement has now been signed by over 80% of the first lien noteholders.

Additionally, on December 22, 2014, Caesars Entertainment and Caesars Acquisition Company announced a definitive agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction. The planned merger will position the combined company to support the restructuring of CEOC without the need for any significant outside financing.

To implement the financial restructuring, CEOC and certain of its U.S. subsidiaries voluntarily filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago on January 15, 2015. All Caesars Entertainment properties, including those owned by CEOC, are open for business and are continuing to operate in the ordinary course. The restructuring is conditioned upon the release of all pending and potential litigation claims against Caesars Entertainment, Caesars Acquisition Company and related parties. The proposed restructuring plan remains subject to approval by the Bankruptcy Court and the receipt of required gaming regulatory approvals.           

Financial Results

The financial results presented below leverage a management view and include Caesars with its four reportable segments and Parent/Other. Segment results are presented consistent with the way CEC management assesses these results, which is a consolidated view that adjusts for the impact of certain transactions between reportable segments within Caesars, as described below.  As a result, the results of certain reportable segments presented in this release differ from the financial statement information presented in their separate filings.

Segment Net Revenues⁽⁹⁾ 

Segment Income/(loss) from Operations⁽⁹⁾

Cash and Available Revolver Capacity

Each of the entities comprising Caesars Entertainment's consolidated financial statements have separate debt agreements with restrictions on usage of the respective entity's capital resources. CGP LLC is a variable interest entity that is consolidated by Caesars Entertainment, but is controlled by its sole voting member, Caesars Acquisition Company ("CAC"). CAC is a managing member of CGP LLC and therefore, controls all decisions regarding the liquidity and capital resources of CGP LLC.

Conference Call Information

Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) will host a conference call at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time Monday, March 2, 2015 to review its fourth quarter results. The call will be accessible in the Investor Relations section of www.caesars.com.

If you would like to ask questions and be an active participant in the call, you may dial 877-637-3676, or 832-412-1752 for international callers, and enter Conference ID 84866985 approximately 10 minutes before the call start time. A recording of the live call will be available on the Company's website for 90 days after the event.

About Caesars

Caesars Entertainment is the world's most diversified casino-entertainment provider and the most geographically diverse U.S. casino-entertainment company. CEC is mainly comprised of the following three entities: the majority owned operating subsidiary Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, wholly owned Caesars Entertainment Resort Properties and Caesars Growth Partners, in which we hold a variable economic interest. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, 77 years ago, CEC has grown through development of new resorts, expansions, and acquisitions, and its portfolio of subsidiaries now operate 49 casinos in 14 U.S. states and five countries. The Company's resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah's®, and Horseshoe® brand names. CEC's portfolio also includes the London Clubs International family of casinos. CEC is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence, and technology leadership. The Company is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

Forward Looking Information

This release includes "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations about future events. Further, these statements contain words such as "will," "expect," "believe," "plan," "would," or "positioned", or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. In particular, they include statements relating to, among other things, future actions, new projects, strategies, future performance, the outcomes of contingencies, such as legal proceedings, the restructuring of CEOC, and future financial results of Caesars. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified, and, consequently, the actual performance of Caesars may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following factors, and other factors described from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein):

• the effects of CEOC's bankruptcy filing on CEOC and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Caesars Entertainment, and the interest of various creditors, equity holders, and other constituents;
• the ability to retain key employees during the restructuring of CEOC;
• the event that the Restructuring Support Forbearance Agreement ("RSA") may not be consummated in accordance with its terms, or persons not party to the RSA may successfully challenge the implementation thereof;
• the length of time CEOC will operate in the Chapter 11 cases or CEOC's ability to comply with the milestones provided by the RSA;
• risks associated with third party motions in the Chapter 11 cases, which may hinder or delay CEOC's ability to consummate the restructuring as contemplated by the RSA;
• the potential adverse effects of Chapter 11 proceedings on Caesars Entertainment's liquidity or results of operations;
• the effects of local and national economic, credit, and capital market conditions on the economy, in general, and on the gaming industry, in particular;
• the ability to realize the expense reductions from our cost savings programs;
• the financial results of CGP LLC's business;
• the impact of our substantial indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements;
• access to available and reasonable financing on a timely basis, including the ability of the company to refinance its indebtedness on acceptable terms;
• the ability of our customer tracking, customer loyalty, and yield management programs to continue to increase customer loyalty and same-store or hotel sales;
• changes in laws, including increased tax rates, smoking bans, regulations or accounting standards, third-party relations and approvals, and decisions, disciplines and fines of courts, regulators and governmental bodies;
• our ability to recoup costs of capital investments through higher revenues;
• abnormal gaming holds ("gaming hold" is the amount of money that is retained by the casino from wagers by customers);
• the effects of competition, including locations of competitors, competition for new licenses, and operating and market competition;
• the ability to timely and cost-effectively integrate companies that we acquire into our operations;
• the potential difficulties in employee retention and recruitment as a result of our substantial indebtedness or any other factor;
• construction factors, including delays, increased costs of labor and materials, availability of labor and materials, zoning issues, environmental restrictions, soil and water conditions, weather and other hazards, site access matters, and building permit issues;
• severe weather conditions or natural disasters, including losses therefrom, losses in revenues and damage to property, and the impact of severe weather conditions on our ability to attract customers to certain of its facilities, such as the amount of losses and disruption to us as a result of Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012;
• litigation outcomes and judicial and governmental body actions, including gaming legislative action, referenda, regulatory disciplinary actions, and fines and taxation;
• acts of war or terrorist incidents, severe weather conditions, uprisings or natural disasters, including losses therefrom, losses in revenues and damage to property, and the impact of severe weather conditions on our ability to attract customers to certain of our facilities, such as the amount of losses and disruption to our company as a result of Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012;
• the effects of environmental and structural building conditions relating to our properties;
• access to insurance on reasonable terms for our assets; and
• the impact, if any, of unfunded pension benefits under multi-employer pension plans.

Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date made.  Caesars disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements.  You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated or, if no date is stated, as of the date of this release.

CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
RECONCILIATION OF NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
TO PROPERTY EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA

Property earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") is presented as a supplemental measure of the Company's performance.  Property EBITDA is defined as revenues less property operating expenses and is comprised of net income/(loss) before (i) interest expense, net of interest capitalized and interest income; (ii) (benefit)/provision for income tax; (iii) depreciation and amortization; (iv) corporate expenses; and (v) certain items that management does not consider indicative of the Company's ongoing operating performance at an operating property level.  In evaluating Property EBITDA, you should be aware that, in the future, the Company may incur expenses that are the same or similar to some of the adjustments in this presentation.  The presentation of Property EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that future results will be unaffected by unusual or unexpected items.

Property EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure commonly used in our industry and should not be construed as an alternative to net income/(loss) as an indicator of operating performance or as an alternative to cash flow provided by operating activities as a measure of liquidity (as determined in accordance with GAAP).  Property EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies within the industry.  Property EBITDA is included because management uses Property EBITDA to measure performance and allocate resources and believes that Property EBITDA provides investors with additional information consistent with that used by management.

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as Property EBITDA further adjusted to exclude certain non-cash and other items required or permitted in calculating covenant compliance under the agreements governing CEOC, CERP, and CGP LLC's secured credit facilities.

Adjusted EBITDA is presented as a supplemental measure of the Company's performance and management believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides investors with additional information and allows a better understanding of the results of operational activities separate from the financial impact of decisions made for the long-term benefit of the Company.

Because not all companies use identical calculations, the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. The following tables reconcile net income/(loss) attributable to the companies presented to Property EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the periods indicated.

Property EBITDA^(a)

Adjusted EBITDA^(a)