Merlin Entertainments has posted strong end of year results, recording a compounded annual growth rate from 2010 to 2014 of 12.6 per cent.

Over the year, Merlin generated £1.25bn (US$1.9bn, €1.7bn) in revenue, posting a £411m (US$637m, €561m) pre-tax profit. The attractions giant was able to deliver positive growth from existing attractions along with the continued rollout of its various brands.

2014 saw significant investment across Merlin’s 100-strong attractions portfolio. On the back of the highly successful Lego Movie, the Lego brand continued to expand, with new developments including Merlin’s seventh Legoland Discovery Center in the US, plans to open new Legoland theme parks in South Korea, Japan and Dubai, as well as a number of successful Lego launches including the Legends of Chima waterpark at Legoland California and a Lego Star Wars attraction at its Malaysia theme park.

In the past year, Merlin welcomed more than 62 million visitors to its 105 attractions. 2014 ended positively for the company, with like-for-like revenue growth in resort theme parks increasing thanks to a considerable Halloween product offering, an unseasonably warm autumn in the UK and the continued strong performance of the Legoland parks in California and Florida. After a difficult start to the year, Midway Attractions’ performance improved in Q3 and Q4, with solid returns in both the UK and China.