May 5 (Reuters) – AMC Entertainment beat quarterly revenue estimates on Tuesday, as a recovering box office and strong demand for its premium movie formats helped the cinema chain draw more moviegoers.
Shares of the Leawood, Kansas-based company rose over 2% in extended trading.
• The results suggest AMC’s strategy to lean into its network of premium large format screens is paying off, allowing it to capture a larger share of a recovering market.
• The company benefited from a stronger film slate in early 2026, including Ryan Gosling-starrer “Project Hail Mary.”
• The theater chain reported first-quarter revenue of $1.05 billion compared with analysts’ average estimate of $968.5 million, according to data compiled by LSEG.
• AMC has focused on maximizing revenue from moviegoers through innovative pricing and its popular loyalty programs.
• The theater operator also announced “Arena One at AMC,” a live entertainment platform launching in June, transforming AMC theater auditoriums into interactive, real-time “arenas.”
• The exhibitor has also been expanding its footprint of premium screens, including IMAX and Dolby Cinema, as well as its own “XL” branded screens.
• “We are optimistic about the entire 2026 film slate, especially in the second half of 2026, which we believe will see more continued robust growth, adding up to a record post-pandemic box office for full year 2026,” CEO Adam Aron said.
• AMC posted a loss of 36 cents per share, in line with estimates.
(Reporting by Anhata Rooprai in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
