AMC Leisure (AMC) Q3 2021 earnings

The AMC Burbank 16 and the Batman bronze statue in Downtown Burbank.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin | GC Illustrations or photos | Getty Illustrations or photos

AMC Amusement shares fell much more than 5% in extended investing Monday even although the film theater operator posted a third-quarter reduction that was narrower than anticipated.

“Our financial results continue on to make improvements to,” CEO Adam Aron mentioned in a assertion Monday. “A person can see and experience that our market and our enterprise are on a path of recovery and improvement. … Nonetheless, even amidst such very good information, we are not yet where we want and need to be.”

This is what the corporation claimed when compared with what Wall Road was expecting, based on a study of analysts by Refinitiv:

  • Loss per share: 44 cents vs. 53 cents anticipated
  • Revenue: $763.2 million vs. $708.3 million expected

As moviegoers returned to theaters, AMC posted a web reduction of $224.2 million, or 44 cents for every share, in contrast with a decline of $905.8 million, or $8.41 for each share, a 12 months back. Analysts experienced expected the firm to get rid of 53 cents for each share, according to a survey from Refinitiv.

Earnings rose to $763.2 million from $119.5 million very last 12 months, and topped the $708.3 million analysts experienced predicted.

The firm’s inventory originally popped after the greater-than-expected effects were being released. On the other hand, shares quickly reversed directions, as investors observed more problems ahead. AMC shares have been at the heart of this year’s meme stock trend, skyrocketing a lot more than 2,025% in 2021.

AMC stated that all of its domestic cinemas have been open as of Sept. 30, as were being 99% of its global theaters. The firm explained 40 million attendees considered movies for the duration of the 3rd quarter, up from 22 million in the next quarter, many thanks to new blockbuster titles these types of as “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings” and “Free Dude,” and growing vaccination charges.

During the quarter, the business observed admission profits rise to $425.1 million from $62.9 million in the yr-back period. Its foods and beverage sales also surged to $265.2 million from just $29.1 million on a 12 months-in excess of-yr basis.

Nonetheless, AMC’s running prices outpaced its earnings, leading the enterprise to write-up a reduction for the quarter.

“We would like to emphasize that no a single should have any illusions that there is not additional problem ahead of us however to be satisfied,” Aron reported. “The virus proceeds to be with us, we need to provide extra tickets in upcoming quarters than we did in the most latest quarter, and adjusted EBITDA is continue to well under pre-pandemic ranges.”

At the stop of the 3rd quarter, AMC experienced extra than $1.8 billion in liquidity, together with hard cash and undrawn revolving credit history traces. Aron stated the business does not anticipate possessing to borrow beneath those people lines of credit in the future 12 months.

This liquidity has permitted AMC to examine — and integrate — new income streams. The enterprise has now acquired new theater leases, begun to provide new content material, like live shows and sporting functions, and it is growing into the popcorn retail small business.

The organization mentioned very last quarter that it would be on the lookout to offer new payment choices these kinds of as bitcoin. On Monday’s earnings simply call, Aron stated that AMC continues to appear at other cryptocurrencies it can accept and has spoken with third functions about launching its personal cryptocurrency.