AMC Entertainment posted record revenue and a surprise profit as blockbusters packed theaters

The company posted adjusted earnings of 14 cents per share for the quarter ended June 30, well ahead of the 6-cent loss analysts had been forecasting, according to Reuters. Analyst consensus revenue estimates had pegged sales at $1.47 billion, according to Reuters, citing data from LSEG.

AMC shares surged 16.5% before the opening bell on Monday.

The quarter featured six separate films that each surpassed $75 million at the domestic box office in their opening weekends, the company said. AMC's U.S. theaters drew 12% more visitors than in the same period a year ago, and its European locations saw attendance grow by approximately 18%.

Total domestic revenues grew 13% year over year, outpacing the broader domestic box office, which rose 10.7% to approximately $2.99 billion — the largest box office quarter in seven years, the company said. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded from 13.6% in the same period last year to 20.1% in the second quarter.

For the first six months of 2026, AMC's revenues are up 16.9% compared with the same period a year earlier, the company said. Adjusted EBITDA for the first half of the year reached $359.7 million, up from $131.8 million in the first half of 2025.

AMC CEO Adam Aron attributed the results to a combination of the company's market position, premium offerings, marketing, and cost controls. "Finally, after some admittedly tough years as our industry recovered only slowly from the ravages of COVID-19 and its aftermath, the relentless focus of AMC on delighting our guests as we execute with all cylinders blazing is reflected in our record-setting second quarter financial results," Aron said in a statement.

During the quarter, AMC refinanced $400 million of debt, extending maturities by four years, raised approximately $285 million through equity offerings, and eliminated or initiated the elimination of approximately $282 million of debt, the company said. The actions are expected to reduce annual cash interest expense by $16 million. A reduction in leverage ratios is also expected to trigger a lower interest rate on roughly 75% of AMC's debt, cutting annual interest expense by an additional $51 million, assuming current leverage and benchmark rates hold, AMC said. The company said it has no expected debt maturities until 2029.

AMC is the largest movie theater operator in the United States and globally, with approximately 850 theaters and 9,500 screens worldwide, the company said.