TPS East Africa narrows loss but sales flat

What you need to know:

  • Interest costs dropped sharply from Sh108 million to Sh54.7 million in the period under review.

Listed hospitality firm TPS East Africa narrowed her losses by 41 per cent in the six months through June 2016 compared to the same period last year, but sales remained subdued.

The company which owns and operates hotel and lodge facilities in Eastern Africa saw its net loss drop from Sh97m in the first six months of 2015 to Sh57 million in the same period this year.

Sales dropped slightly to Sh2.65 billion from Sh2.67 billion the previous period on what the company attributed to slow recovery after travel advisories were lifted in 2015 adding that the second half of the year looks encouraging.

“Given the seasonal nature of tourism in East Africa, the results for the first half cannot be used as basis for forecasting full-year earnings,” TPS said in a statement to the bourse.

Interest costs dropped sharply from Sh108 million to Sh54.7 million in the period under review.

The management noted low occupancies in the coastal region due to difficulties in marketing the region with lack of direct flights to Mombasa from source markets.

TPS said that it had commenced the refurbishment of its city hotel circuit. "The move comes on account of increased competition within the city hotel portfolio from the new international chains that have set up shop in the last two years, all targeting the corporate and business traveller segment," Standard Investment Bank noted.

Kenya’s security sentiment has improved significantly with the capital city hosting major global events on trade and investment and hosting key global figures.

The board did not recommend declaration of an interim dividend for period.