MGM Resorts International , which sources said last week plans to publicly list shares in its Macau operations at the end of February, reported a smaller loss in the fourth quarter. The casino operator posted a net loss of $139.2 million, or 29 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $433.9 million, or 98 cents a share, last year.

Net revenue was $1.5 billion, in line with analyst estimates.

MGM owns 10 Las Vegas Strip resorts as well as casino-resorts in Mississippi and Michigan and joint ventures in New Jersey and China's Macau. The company's Macau joint venture, which originally filed early last year for an anticipated Hong Kong initial public offering, is expected to raise about $800 million with the upcoming IPO, according to sources. MGM shares had closed at $15.54 on Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. They were down about 2 percent at $15.20 Monday before the markets opened.

(Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee)

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