Investments in unconsolidated companies

Investments in unconsolidated companies represent equity interests of 50% or less and in which OEH exerts significant influence, but does not have effective control of these unconsolidated companies and, therefore, accounts for these investments using the equity method. These investments include the 50% ownership in rail and hotel joint venture operations in Peru and in Hotel Ritz by Belmond, the 25% ownership in Eastern and Oriental Express Ltd, and the Buzios land joint venture which is 50% owned and further described below.

In June 2007, OEH acquired 50% of a company holding real estate in Buzios, Brazil for a cash consideration of $5,000,000. OEH planned to build a hotel and villas on the acquired land and to purchase the remaining share of the company when the building permits were obtained from the local authorities. In February 2009, the Municipality of Buzios commenced a process for the compulsory purchase of the land by the municipality in exchange for a payment of fair compensation to the owners. In April 2011, the State of Rio de Janeiro declared the land an area of public interest, with the intention that it will become part of an environmental park which is being created in the area. The compulsory purchase of the land is therefore expected to be carried out by the State of Rio de Janeiro. OEH is currently in negotiation to recover its investment in the project and fully expects to do so.

Summarized financial data for OEH’s unconsolidated companies are as follows:



	March 31, 2014	December 31, 2013
	$’000	$’000

Current assets	61,766	64,145

Property, plant and equipment, net	342,595	342,731
Other assets	24,014	24,142
Non-current assets	366,609	366,873

Total assets	428,375	431,018

Current liabilities	153,803	154,213

Long-term debt	32,843	37,043
Other liabilities	129,284	127,002
Non-current liabilities	162,127	164,045

Total shareholders’ equity	112,445	112,760

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	428,375	431,018



	Three months ended
	March 31, 2014		March 31, 2013
	$’000		$’000

Revenue	34,715		35,160

Gross profit¹	18,481		19,262

Net earnings²	(352	)	(994	)

¹ Gross profit is defined as revenues less cost of services of the unconsolidated companies.

² There were no discontinued operations, extraordinary items or cumulative effects of a change in an accounting principle in the unconsolidated companies.

Included in unconsolidated companies are OEH’s hotel and rail joint ventures in Peru, under which OEH and the other 50% participant must contribute equally additional equity needed for the businesses. If the other participant does not meet this obligation, OEH has the right to dilute the other participant and obtain a majority equity interest in the affected joint venture company. OEH also has rights to purchase the other participant’s interests, which rights are exercisable in limited circumstances such as the other participant’s bankruptcy.

There are guarantees and contingent guarantees to unconsolidated companies which are not recognized in the condensed consolidated financial statements. The contingent guarantees for each Peruvian joint venture may only be enforced in the event there is a change in control of the relevant joint venture, which would occur only if OEH’s ownership of the economic and voting interests in the joint venture falls below 50%, an event which has not occurred. As at March 31, 2014, OEH does not expect that it will be required to fund these guarantees relating to these joint venture companies.

The Company has contingently guaranteed, through 2018, $15,900,000 of debt obligations of the joint venture in Peru that operates four hotels and, through 2014, a further $676,000 of its debt obligations. See Note 4 for information regarding guarantees and long-term debt of the rail joint venture in Peru.

At March 31, 2014, long-term debt obligations totaling $83,379,000 of Hotel Ritz by Belmond in Madrid, Spain, in which OEH has a 50% equity investment, have been classified within current liabilities in the joint venture’s stand-alone financial statements as it was out of compliance with the debt service coverage ratio covenant in its first mortgage loan facility. Discussions with the lender to bring the hotel into long-term compliance are continuing, although this non-compliance is not expected to have a material impact on OEH’s financial flexibility. OEH and its joint venture partner have each guaranteed $10,336,000 of the debt obligations, and $995,000 of a working capital loan facility.