主席報告
Chairman's Statement
HKF
本人謹以欣悦心情向各股東報告本集團年內之業
績。
溢利
本集團截至一九九七年十二月三十一日止財政年度
之除稅後綜合純利為一億五千二百三十萬港元,較
去年輕微增長百分之一。每股盈利為四十二點七
仙,而去年則為四十二點三仙。
股息
董事會建議派發末期股息每股二十九仙。此末期股
息,連同已派發之中期股息每股八仙,全年合共派
發三十七仙。
業務回顧
渡輪業務
本年度內,船費及運費收益減少四千七百萬港元,
但船隻租賃及遊覽船服務之收益則增加二千九百萬
港元,致使全年之總收入較去年僅減少百分之一。
營運支出因推行成本控制措施而減少百分之五,專
營權及非專營權渡輪業務之整體營運虧損由一九九
六年之七千三百二十萬港元顯著減少百分之四十至
四千四百二十萬港元。期內,專營權渡輪業務虧損
達一億一千九百萬港元,而非專營權渡輪業務錄得
溢利七千五百萬港元,該溢利已全數用作津貼專營
權渡輪之用。
年內,專營權渡輪服務乘客數量下跌百分之十二至
二千九百二十萬人次,除了新市鎮渡輪服務乘客數
量持續下降外,一九九七年梅窩至中環渡輪航線之
乘客數量亦流失近一百萬人次,部份歸因於新開闢
之大嶼山幹線所致。專營權渡輪服務於一九九七年
六月一日實施新收費,加幅百分之八點三,但所得
之收益很大程度上受到市場佔有率減少及經濟規模
效益下降所抵銷。
澳門渡輪服務,由於連串暴力事件令遊客關注,引
致乘客數量及收益較去年分別下降百分之二十一及
百分之十九。
I am pleased to present to the shareholders my report on the operations of the Group.
PROFIT
The Group's consolidated net profit after taxation for the year ended 31 December 1997 amounted to HK$152.3 million,
representing a minor increase of 1% over the previous year.
Earnings per share were 42.7 cents as compared to 42.3
cents in the previous year.
DIVIDENDS
The Board of Directors recommended a final dividend of 29
cents per share. This dividend together with the interim
dividend of 8 cents per share already paid will make a total distribution of 37 cents for the full year.
BUSINESS REVIEW
Ferry Operations
Fare and freight revenue for the year decreased by HK$47
million, but launch hire and excursion revenue increased by
HK$29 million, resulting in a net decrease in total revenue of
1% against the previous year. Expenses decreased by 5% as a
result of cost-saving measures. The overall operating loss of
the franchised and non-franchised ferry operations for the year was significantly reduced by 40% to HK$44.2 million from
HK$73.2 million in 1996. During the period under review,
franchised ferry services recorded an operating loss of
HK$119 million whereas non-franchised ferry services made
an operating profit of HK$75 million, which amount had been
fully utilised to subsidize franchised ferry services.
Patronage in franchised ferry services dropped by 12% to 29.2 million during the year. In addition to the continuous decline in the new town ferry services, patronage in the Mui Wo - Central
route dropped by 1 million in 1997,partly as a result of the opening of the Lantau Link. A fare revision on franchised ferry
services of 8.3% was implemented on 1 June 1997, but the
benefit was more than offset by the decline in market share
and the loss of economy of scale.
The concerns of tourists following repeated violent incidents in Macau caused the patronage and revenue of the Macau ferry
service in the year to decrease by 21% and 19% respectively,
as compared to the previous year.
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