Investments in unconsolidated companies

Investments in unconsolidated companies represent equity interests of 50% or less and in which Belmond exerts significant influence, but does not have effective control of these unconsolidated companies and, therefore, accounts for these investments using the equity method. As at March 31, 2017, these investments include the 50% ownership in rail and hotel joint venture operations in Peru, the 25% ownership in Eastern and Oriental Express Ltd, and the Buzios land joint venture which is 50% owned and is further described below.

In June 2007, a joint venture in which Belmond holds a 50% equity interest acquired real estate in Buzios, a beach resort area in Brazil, for a cash consideration of $5,000,000. Belmond planned to build a hotel and villas on the acquired land and to purchase the remaining share of the joint venture company when the building permits were obtained from the local authorities. In February 2009, the Municipality of Buzios commenced a process for the expropriation of the land in exchange for a payment of fair compensation to the joint venture. In April 2011, the State of Rio de Janeiro took over the expropriation process as part of a broader State plan to develop a coastal environmental park. Under applicable law, the State had five years to carry out the expropriation in exchange for fair value, which it failed to do by the April 18, 2016 deadline. As a result, the land returned unencumbered to the joint venture, although is subject to expropriation again. The Company and its joint venture partner are assessing their options, including negotiation with or litigation against the State to seek a permanent resolution of the status of the land, but in any case, the Company expects to recover its investment in the project.

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



	March 31, 2017	December 31, 2016
	$’000	$’000

Current assets	83,258	96,247

Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	298,338	295,662
Other non-current assets	29,651	29,442
Non-current assets	327,989	325,104

Total assets	411,247	421,351

Current liabilities, including $21,120 and $21,021 current portion of third-party debt	91,252	89,785

Long-term debt	148,709	153,876
Other non-current liabilities	28,005	27,545
Non-current liabilities	176,714	181,421

Total shareholders’ equity	143,281	150,145

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	411,247	421,351



	Three months ended
	March 31, 2017	March 31, 2016
	$’000	$’000

Revenue	39,465	38,738

Gross profit¹	25,519	25,844

Net earnings²	827	1,804

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

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

Included in unconsolidated companies are Belmond’s hotel and rail joint ventures in Peru, under which Belmond and the other 50% participant must contribute equally additional equity needed for the businesses. If the other participant does not meet this obligation, Belmond has the right to dilute the other participant and obtain a majority equity interest in the affected joint venture company. Belmond 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 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 Belmond’s ownership of the economic and voting interests in the joint venture falls below 50%, an event which has not occurred and is not expected to occur. As at March 31, 2017, Belmond does not expect that it will be required to fund these guarantees relating to these joint venture companies.

Belmond has contingently guaranteed, through 2021, $17,267,000 of debt obligations of the joint venture in Peru that operates four hotels and has contingently guaranteed the Peru rail joint venture’s obligations relating to the performance of its governmental rail concessions, currently in the amount of $7,261,000, through May 2017.