AMC's record revenue boosts stock price, CEO counters industry pessimistic forecasts

Sina Finance
2026.07.21 13:23

AMC Entertainment's revenue and core profit in the second quarter reached a historic high of 106 years, with the stock price soaring by 26.8%. CEO Adam Aron countered the industry's pessimistic forecasts, stating that the company's capabilities are underestimated. Benefiting from the summer blockbuster craze and a premium strategy, EBITDA surpassed $300 million. The company continues to deleverage, extending the debt maturity date to after 2029, and holds an optimistic outlook for box office performance in 2026

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. announced its second-quarter financial results on Monday, showing that both revenue and core profit reached the highest records in its 106-year history. Boosted by this news, AMC's stock price surged 26.8% on the same day, closing at $2.46, with trading volume exceeding four times the three-month average.

The financial report indicated that AMC's revenue in the second quarter increased by 14.2% year-on-year, reaching approximately $1.6 billion, while adjusted EBITDA soared 70% to $321.4 million, surpassing the $300 million mark for the first time. The company achieved free cash flow of $190.1 million and held approximately $778 million in cash (excluding restricted funds) at the end of the quarter.

The growth in performance was attributed to the surge in moviegoers due to the influx of summer blockbusters. Global movie attendance in the second quarter exceeded 71 million, a year-on-year increase of 13.5%. North American box office revenue grew by 11.4%, outpacing the overall industry growth rate of 10.7%. The European market performed particularly well, with attendance increasing by 18% and adjusted EBITDA soaring by 337% year-on-year. The premium strategy proved effective, with food and beverage and merchandise sales revenue increasing by 15.3%, and premium large-format screens contributed to more than half of the box office revenue for "Odyssey" in its opening weekend.

AMC CEO Adam Aron stated during the earnings call, "In AMC's 106-year history, we have never had a quarter like this." He also pushed back against the long-term naysayers of the cinema industry, claiming they have "seriously underestimated AMC's will and capability."

On the financial front, the company continues to improve its balance sheet. Since the end of 2020, it has reduced debt by approximately $1.7 billion and extended the maturity of significant debt obligations to after 2029 through refinancing and equity issuance, expecting that the improvement in leverage will save about $51 million in interest expenses annually.

Aron expressed optimism for the full year, noting that 2026 is expected to be the strongest year for box office performance post-pandemic, with upcoming blockbusters such as "Spider-Man: A New Day," "Dune: Part Three," and "Avengers: Endgame" supporting growth

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