Oriental Land posts record-high profits, sales in FY 2008

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TOKYO, May 7 Kyodo -
Oriental Land Co., the operator of the Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea
entertainment resorts, said Thursday it posted record-high group operating and
pretax profits as well as sales in fiscal 2008 ended in March as a record
number of people visited the theme parks.
The company said its group operating profit in fiscal 2008 rose 28.7 percent
from the previous year to 40.10 billion yen and its pretax profit increased
41.1 percent to 38.82 billion yen on sales of 389.24 billion yen, up 13.7
percent.
The company said it logged a group net profit of 18.09 billion yen, up 22.8
percent, despite extraordinary losses mainly in its retailing business.
In fiscal 2008, a record-high 27.22 million people visited the theme parks, up
7.1 percent from the previous year, as Tokyo Disneyland marked its 25th
anniversary, according to Oriental Land.
The company said it will pay a full-year dividend of 70 yen per share including
a 30 yen midterm dividend already paid, up from the previous year's full-year
dividend of 60 yen.
For fiscal 2009 ending next March, the company expects to post a pretax profit
of 32.65 billion yen, down 15.9 percent, and a net profit of 20.69 billion yen,
up 14.4 percent. It is forecasting a group operating profit of 34.14 billion
yen, down 14.9 percent, on projected sales of 370 billion yen, down 4.9
percent.
Oriental Land also announced the same day it will introduce one new attraction
each at the theme parks to attract more visitors.
The company said it plans to open an attraction in 2011 featuring dioramas and
pictures based on scenes from the movie ''Cinderella'' at Tokyo Disneyland's
Cinderella Castle.
It also plans to open a ride based on the movie ''Toy Story'' at DisneySea in
2012 called ''Toy Story Mania!'' in which visitors will be able to view
three-dimensional images with 3D glasses.
==Kyodo
2009-05-08 00:14:40