AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC) shares rose 11% after the movie theater chain reported second-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, driven by a strong slate of summer blockbuster releases.
The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.14 for the quarter ended June 30, compared with analysts' expectations for a loss of $0.02 per share.
Revenue increased 14.2% year over year to a record $1.60 billion, above the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion.
AMC said the quarter marked the highest quarterly revenue and adjusted EBITDA in its 106-year history. Adjusted EBITDA rose 69.6% from a year earlier to $321.4 million, while adjusted net earnings were $104.3 million, compared with an adjusted net loss of $0.5 million in the prior-year period.
The company reported a net loss of $11.4 million, compared with a net loss of $4.7 million a year earlier. Cash and cash equivalents increased to $778.4 million at the end of the quarter from $423.7 million a year earlier.
AMC attributed the strong performance to robust box office demand, noting that six films generated domestic opening weekend box office receipts exceeding $75 million during the second quarter.
The company also pointed to growth across its US and European operations, with domestic revenue rising 13% and European attendance increasing 17.9% year over year.
AMC CEO Adam Aron said that the results demonstrated the operating leverage of AMC's business model as revenue increased, highlighting record quarterly revenue and adjusted EBITDA alongside $190.1 million in free cash flow.
"The second quarter of 2026 was nothing short of extraordinary for AMC. In our 106-year history, never before has AMC had such superb results,” he said.
Looking ahead, Aron pointed to a strong theatrical release schedule, citing the opening weekend performance of The Odyssey and upcoming releases including Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday. He wrote that AMC believes 2026 will be the strongest post-pandemic year for the domestic and global box office.
The company also highlighted progress in strengthening its balance sheet during the quarter, including refinancing $400 million of debt, raising approximately $285 million through equity offerings and reducing principal debt by about $282 million. AMC said it has no currently expected debt maturities until 2029 and expects lower interest costs following recent refinancing and leverage improvements.