AMC posts surprise profit, record revenue as blockbuster films lift ticket sales

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. Class A

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. Class A

AMC

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- Theater chain AMC Entertainment AMC.N posted a surprise second-quarter adjusted profit and record revenue that beat Wall Street expectations, as blockbuster titles like "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" and "Obsession" boosted ticket sales.

Shares of the Leawood, Kansas-based entertainment company jumped 16.5% in premarket trading on Monday.

  • The cinema industry entered 2026 with a broader slate of theatrical releases after years of disruption from the pandemic and Hollywood strikes.

  • Major studios, including Disney and Universal, have committed to supporting exclusive theatrical release windows for many major films, a trend movie theater operators say helps drive cinema attendance.

  • During the second quarter, AMC reported its highest-ever revenue of $1.60 billion. Analysts on average estimated sales of $1.47 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

  • Adjusted earnings per share came in at 14 cents, compared with a 6-cent loss expected.

  • During the second quarter, six different films delivered domestic opening weekend grosses exceeding $75 million, AMC said.

  • Attendance at AMC's U.S. and international markets rose 12% and about 18%, respectively, during the quarter ended June 30.