AMC Entertainment’s second quarter was shaped by a sharp recovery in global box office attendance and effective execution of premium theater strategies. Management credited the 25.6% increase in attendance to a robust lineup of major studio releases and highlighted an expanded network of premium large-format screens and targeted marketing programs. CEO Adam Aron noted, “AMC and Odeon rolled out the red carpet for nearly 63 million guests worldwide.” Tight cost controls and a focus on per-patron profitability led to outsized growth in adjusted EBITDA, reflecting the company’s improved operating leverage as revenues climbed.
Is now the time to buy AMC? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Q2 CY2025 Highlights:
- Revenue: $1.40 billion vs analyst estimates of $1.36 billion (35.6% year-on-year growth, 3.1% beat)
- Adjusted EPS: $0 vs analyst estimates of -$0.08 (significant beat)
- Adjusted EBITDA: $189.2 million vs analyst estimates of $153.4 million (13.5% margin, 23.3% beat)
- Operating Margin: 6.6%, up from -4.6% in the same quarter last year
- Market Capitalization: $1.54 billion
While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.
Our Top 5 Analyst Questions From AMC Entertainment’s Q2 Earnings Call
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Eric Christian Wold (Texas Capital Securities) asked about AMC’s strategy for food and beverage pricing versus driving higher customer participation. CEO Adam Aron explained the company is focused on menu variety and boosting per-guest transactions, while also taking selective price increases.
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Wold (Texas Capital Securities) followed up on the recent agreement with National CineMedia, questioning reported changes to pre-show advertising. Aron clarified AMC will streamline its own marketing content to offset added ad time, maintaining a balanced pre-show experience.
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Chad C. Beynon (Macquarie) inquired about AMC’s approach to its theater footprint following a period of net closures. Aron stated the focus is on profitability per location, with new openings consistently outperforming closed venues, and did not rule out future net additions via acquisitions.
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Beynon (Macquarie) also asked about cash flow benefits from capital investments under the latest build initiatives. CFO Sean Goodman noted that depreciation and interest deductions will provide benefits in future years as net operating losses are utilized.
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Retail shareholder question addressed the impact of Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount. Aron responded that the deal could lead to more films released by Paramount, which would benefit AMC and the broader theatrical industry.
Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters
Our analyst team will monitor (1) the impact of fourth quarter blockbuster releases on attendance and per-patron spending, (2) progress on AMC’s premium format expansion and laser projection upgrades, and (3) the effectiveness of new pricing strategies in driving both loyalty membership growth and margin improvement. Additional attention will be paid to further balance sheet initiatives and any developments in AMC’s direct content distribution partnerships.
AMC Entertainment currently trades at $3.01, up from $2.94 just before the earnings. In the wake of this quarter, is it a buy or sell? See for yourself in our full research report (it’s free).
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