SkyCity's Strategic Asset Monetisation Plan for Growth

Undervalued Offers and Strict Conditions

SkyCity Entertainment Group has officially declined two unsolicited, non-binding takeover proposals, which were priced at 70 and 75 NZ cents per share. Among these was a NZ$0.70 per share proposal submitted by Oaktree Capital Management in May, alongside a competing NZ$0.75 bid.

The company's board carefully evaluated the proposals and determined that they fundamentally undervalued the business. Furthermore, both offers came with heavy stipulations, requiring an eight-week due diligence period and imposing strict structural conditions on the operator. Investors seemingly agreed with the board's assessment; following the announcement of the rejection, the SkyCity share price saw an uptick, rising to $0.56.

Advancing the Asset Monetisation Strategy

Instead of pursuing the conditional takeovers, SkyCity has stated that it will proceed with its ongoing asset monetisation programme. This strategic move is expected to deliver a substantial capital return, projected between NZ$275 million and NZ$300 million.

Management is already making significant progress on this front to unlock internal value. The business is currently advancing the unconditional sale of two investment properties, which are expected to generate NZ$74.5 million. Additionally, SkyCity is moving forward with a non-binding heads of agreement for the sale of the Grand Hotel, further solidifying its commitment to its independent growth and restructuring strategy over undervalued external buyouts.