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Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (CNK)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 2025 delivered record-operational performance despite small misses versus Wall Street: revenue grew 28% YoY to $940.5M, diluted EPS was $0.63, Adjusted EBITDA reached $232.2M with a 24.7% margin; attendance rose 15.8% to 57.9M and per-cap metrics hit all-time highs .
- Wall Street consensus for Q2 2025: revenue $944.0M*, EPS $0.75*, EBITDA $228.2M* vs actual $940.5M, $0.63, and $232.2M respectively; modest misses on revenue and EPS, while EBITDA (company-reported Adjusted EBITDA) exceeded the S&P EBITDA benchmark .
- Capital allocation strengthened: term loan repricing cut interest by 50 bps (~$3.2M annual savings) and with upcoming convert repayment, annual cash interest is expected to fall by ~$24M; quarter-end cash totaled $932M .
- Strategic catalysts: record per caps, premium formats momentum (D-BOX all-time high; second-highest XD revenue), continued loyalty growth (Movie Club +12% YoY to 1.45M) and ScreenX expansion (20 new locations) support medium-term margin upside .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Outperformance in operations and monetization: Adjusted EBITDA rose 63% YoY to $232.2M and margin expanded >500 bps to 24.7% on higher attendance, pricing, and productivity initiatives .
- Premium formats and merchandising: D-BOX revenues reached an all-time high; XD screens generated their second-highest quarterly box office; domestic concession per cap hit $8.34 (all-time high) and merchandise sales growth approached 240% YoY .
- Loyalty and market share durability: Movie Club subscriptions rose 12% YoY to 1.45M; loyalty members drove ~30% of domestic box office; structural market share gains sustained at >100 bps vs 2019 in U.S. and LatAm .
Management quotes:
- “Our second quarter adjusted EBITDA marked our second highest quarterly achievement in the history of our company…” – Sean Gamble, CEO .
- “We successfully repriced our term loan…50 basis points…more than $3,000,000 in annual savings.” – Melissa Thomas, CFO .
What Went Wrong
- Modest miss vs consensus: Q2 revenue and EPS were slightly below S&P Global consensus ($940.5M vs $944.0M*, $0.63 vs $0.75*), reflecting film rental intensity and mix effects despite strong execution .
- Cost headwinds: film rental and advertising rose to 58% of admissions (+220 bps YoY); COGS rate modestly higher on merchandise mix and inflation; elevated repairs/maintenance and insurance in “utilities & other” .
- LatAm comps and content nuances: attendance was flat YoY in LatAm against Inside Out 2’s record prior-year comp; several U.S. hits under-indexed internationally (e.g., Sinners), partially offset by strong family/horror titles .
Financial Results
Core Financials vs Prior Year and Prior Quarter
Notes: Q2 2024 margin computed from reported Adjusted EBITDA and revenue .
Estimates vs Actual (Q2 2025)
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Note: S&P EBITDA “actual” for Q2 2025 was $225.5*, while company-reported Adjusted EBITDA was $232.2; differences reflect definition (Adjusted vs standard EBITDA).
Segment Breakdown (Revenue and Attendance)
KPIs
Additional highlights: Domestic concession per cap reached $8.34 (all-time high) in Q2 2025 .
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “Our team grew revenue 28% year over year to $941,000,000…Adjusted EBITDA increased…to $232,000,000 with over 500 basis points of margin expansion to 24.7%.” – Sean Gamble, CEO .
- “We ended the quarter with $932,000,000 of cash…We successfully repriced our term loan…50 basis points…more than $3,000,000 in annual savings…we expect a $24,000,000 reduction in our annual cash interest expense.” – Melissa Thomas, CFO .
- “Movie Club now has 1,450,000 members…up 12% year over year…accounted for nearly 30% of domestic box office.” – Sean Gamble, CEO .
Q&A Highlights
- Convert/warrants and capital returns: Management intends to settle convert principal in cash; warrants likely in shares but will be evaluated; board remains open to increasing returns (dividends/buybacks) contingent on leverage and liquidity .
- PLF strategy: Cinemark emphasizes premium experience across all auditoriums; expanding D-BOX and ScreenX while balancing PLF share (~15% box office) within overall programming .
- Costs outlook: G&A down on lower stock comp; COGS rate pressured by merchandise mix and inflation; repairs/maintenance (~$8–10M annual headwind) weighted toward Q3 .
- Market share trajectory: Structural gains (~100 bps vs 2019) expected to sustain; share may temper in Q4 amid crowded blockbuster slate and capacity constraints .
- Tax legislation: 100% bonus depreciation and EBITDA-based interest limitation expected to meaningfully lower cash taxes; quantification forthcoming .
Estimates Context
- Q2 2025 comparison: Slight misses vs S&P Global consensus on revenue and EPS; company-reported Adjusted EBITDA exceeded S&P EBITDA benchmark (definition differences) .
- Forward setup: S&P Global shows Q3 2025 consensus revenue ~$841.0M* and EPS ~$0.46* (actuals now available in S&P), and Q4 2025 consensus revenue ~$869.3M* and EPS ~$0.52*, implying deceleration post-summer before a robust Q4 slate; estimate paths likely refine on premium mix, merchandising, and lower interest expense run-rate.*
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Operational strength outweighed modest consensus misses: record per caps, premium formats, and loyalty monetization underpin sustainable margin expansion into a richer slate environment .
- Capital structure de-risking is material: cash repayment of convert principal and term loan repricing support ~$24M annual cash interest reduction, expanding FCF conversion .
- Watch mix-driven cost dynamics: film rental rates elevated with blockbuster concentration; merchandise boosts revenue but slightly raises COGS rate; repairs/maintenance remains a 2H headwind .
- Market share resilient but may compress in crowded quarters due to capacity constraints; focus shifts to maximizing absolute EBITDA/FCF through pricing, scheduling, and loyalty .
- Strategic growth continues: incremental D-BOX and ScreenX installations, laser conversion, and loyalty scale are durable drivers; CJ 4DPLEX expansion adds differentiated experiential supply .
- Near-term trading: Expect sensitivity to Q3 seasonal taper and Q4 blockbuster cadence; medium-term thesis rests on slate normalization (2026 strong), monetization levers, and lower interest drag .
Appendices and Additional Items
Additional Q2-Relevant Press Releases
- “Cinemark Sets the Scene: Investing in Innovation…” (Aug 1): reaffirmed investments in laser projectors (~25% of circuit by YE), XD leadership, D-BOX footprint (>450 auditoriums), and merchandising expansions .
- ScreenX expansion with CJ 4DPLEX (Jul 30): 20 new locations (incl. first in LatAm) by 2026, enhancing premium format mix .
- Dividend declaration (Aug 13): $0.08 quarterly cash dividend, payable Sept 10, record Aug 27 .
Additional Operating Detail (Q2 2025 8‑K Schedules)
- Admissions revenue $467.1M; concession revenue $377.7M; other revenue $95.7M; film rental and advertising $270.8M; global salaries/wages $109.4M; total cost of operations $767.0M .
- Balance sheet: cash/equivalents $931.6M; total assets $4,914.7M; long-term debt (net) $2,336.3M; total equity $457.0M .
- Segment Adjusted EBITDA: U.S. $188.1M; International $44.1M (Q2) .
Webcast/IR Access
- Live/replay via https://ir.cinemark.com .