IMAX

Box Office Growth Forecast: Macquarie predicts a 7% growth in the U.S. box office to $9.2 billion, driven by upcoming blockbuster films and a commitment to premium movie experiences, despite a slow start in Q1.

Theatrical Window Discussions: There are ongoing discussions about extending the theatrical window in the U.S. to combat global streaming piracy, with confidence that movie attendance will remain stable even during economic downturns.

IMAX Enhanced Program Expansion: IMAX has launched "Stream it in IMAX Enhanced," a program aimed at improving the quality of live event streaming by utilizing advanced technology to enhance video and audio fidelity for home viewers.

Technological Advancements: The program employs IMAX VisionScience™ technology to optimize live broadcasts, ensuring high-quality experiences comparable to traditional IMAX screenings, and has already been successfully demonstrated during major events like the 2024 Paris Olympics and NBA Finals.

AMC and IMAX Agreement: AMC Entertainment and IMAX Corporation have signed a significant agreement to implement IMAX with Laser technology in over 180 locations, including 12 new theaters and upgrades to 68 existing ones, creating the largest IMAX with Laser circuit globally.

Partnership History and Market Impact: This deal marks IMAX's largest systems agreement in the U.S. since 2018, highlighting the long-standing partnership between AMC and IMAX, which began in 2007, while AMC continues to focus on enhancing premium moviegoing experiences.

Expansion of IMAX at AMC: AMC Theaters has announced an agreement with IMAX to expand their partnership, adding twelve new IMAX locations and upgrading 68 existing ones to IMAX with Laser technology, resulting in the largest IMAX circuit in the world across over 180 locations in the U.S.

Commitment to Premium Experiences: This partnership reflects AMC's ongoing commitment to invest in innovative technology and enhance the moviegoing experience for its customers, aligning with their AMC Go Plan to provide premium offerings and immersive viewing options.

Box Office Upset: Jason Statham's thriller "A Working Man" unexpectedly topped the box office, surpassing Disney's live-action remake of "Snow White."

Decline of "Snow White": The film "Snow White" experienced a significant drop in ticket sales, falling 66% in its second weekend due to negative feedback and backlash.

Box Office Growth Predictions: Wedbush forecasts a 7% increase in North American box office revenue for 2025, with expectations of double-digit growth in the second and fourth quarters, and over 9% growth anticipated for 2026.

National CineMedia Outlook: The firm upgraded National CineMedia to "outperform," citing improved targeting capabilities and ad servicing, which should enhance advertiser bookings as audience attendance rebounds.

IMAX's Resilience: Analyst firm Benchmark believes IMAX Corp. is well-positioned to thrive despite challenging economic conditions, as historical data shows box office sales often grow during recessions.

Consumer Behavior: The trend indicates that consumers continue to seek affordable entertainment options like cinema, highlighting its lasting appeal as a cost-effective leisure activity.

Box Office Performance: Bong Joon Ho's film "Mickey 17," featuring Robert Pattinson, debuted at the top of the North American box office with $19.1 million, surpassing "Captain America: Brave New World."

Financial Outlook: Despite its strong opening, "Mickey 17" has a long way to go to achieve profitability, having cost $118 million to produce, not including marketing expenses, while its global earnings currently stand at $53.3 million.

Virtual Meeting Announcement: A virtual meeting hosted by Seaport Research is scheduled for March 6-7.

Stock Market Insights: TipRanks offers tools to discover top-rated stocks and investment opportunities, including recent updates on IMAX's performance and price target adjustments by analysts.

IMAX's Growth Projections: IMAX Corporation aims for $1.2 billion in box office revenue by 2025, supported by a record 14 films in its "filmed for IMAX" program and strong performance in Greater China, particularly with the success of "Ne Zha 2."

Analyst Sentiment: Despite recent earnings missing estimates, analysts remain optimistic about IMAX's stock, with an average price target of $31.43, indicating a potential upside of 19.10%.

IMAX's Strong Box Office Projections: IMAX is projected to achieve a record $1.2 billion in box office revenue this year, driven by a strong slate of upcoming blockbuster films including new installments of "Mission Impossible," "Jurassic Park," and "Avatar."

Success of 'Ne Zha 2': The Chinese film "Ne Zha 2" has significantly contributed to IMAX's success, grossing $1.6 billion globally, with IMAX accounting for $135 million of that total, highlighting the company's strong performance in the Chinese market.

Imax China's Performance: Imax China experienced a strong start to 2025, largely driven by the success of the animated film "Ne Zha 2," which significantly boosted box office revenues during the Chinese New Year holiday, despite an overall decline in revenue and profits throughout 2024.

Market Challenges: The company faced challenges in 2024 with an 11% revenue drop in the second half of the year and a 30% profit decrease, amid a sluggish recovery in China's film market and increased costs, raising concerns about its future prospects and potential privatization efforts by its parent company.

Record Box Office Performance: IMAX achieved a record-breaking $53 million at the Chinese box office during the 2025 Chinese New Year holiday, surpassing its previous record by 57% and attracting 5.5 million admissions.

Success of "Ne Zha 2": The animated film "Ne Zha 2" led the box office with $36 million, marking the biggest opening weekend for an animated film in IMAX history and quickly becoming one of the highest-grossing local language releases.

Analyst Ratings and Price Target: Rosenblatt Securities analyst Steve Frankel has maintained a Buy rating on IMAX with a price target of $28.00, while the stock currently sits at $23.55. The overall analyst consensus for IMAX is a Strong Buy with a higher price target consensus of $29.71.

Corporate Insider Activity: Recent insider activity shows a negative sentiment towards IMAX, with an increase in insiders selling shares, including CFO Natasha Fernandes who sold nearly 3,000 shares in December 2024.

IMAX Analyst Insights: Analysts maintain a bullish outlook on IMAX, with Barrington's Patrick Sholl giving it a Buy rating and a price target of $30.00, indicating a potential 26.5% upside from its current price.

Meta Platforms Performance: DZ BANK AG analyst Ingo Wermann also holds a Buy rating for Meta Platforms, with an average price target of $751.49, suggesting an 8.8% upside from its recent closing price near its 52-week high.

Conference Call Announcement: IMAX Corporation will hold a conference call on February 19, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its fourth quarter and full-year financial results, accessible via webcast and telephone registration.

Company Overview: IMAX is a leader in entertainment technology with a global network of 1,788 systems across 89 countries, providing unique cinematic experiences through proprietary software and equipment.

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Netflix Analyst Ratings: Citi analyst Jason Bazinet maintains a Hold rating on Netflix with a price target of $920, while the consensus rating is Moderate Buy with an average target of $961.04, indicating potential upside from current levels.

IMAX Analyst Ratings: Roth MKM analyst Eric Handler keeps a Buy rating on IMAX with a price target of $30, supported by a Strong Buy consensus and an average target of $31, suggesting significant upside potential.

Earnings Report Announcement: Netflix is set to release its fourth-quarter earnings on January 21, 2025, with analysts expecting earnings of $4.20 per share and revenue of $10.11 billion, an increase from the previous year.

IMAX Collaboration: IMAX has partnered with Netflix to exclusively showcase Greta Gerwig's film "Narnia" in IMAX theaters for a two-week run starting Thanksgiving 2026.

Box Office Performance: Keke Palmer's comedy "One of Them Days" debuted at the top of the North American box office, earning $11.6 million over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

Competition with Disney: The film narrowly surpassed Disney's "Mufasa: The Lion King," although "Mufasa" is expected to have a stronger total by the end of the holiday.