NEW YORK, June 19, 2026, 09:05 EDT
- AMC finished up 6.4% at $2.83 on Thursday, the last session before U.S. markets closed for Juneteenth on Friday.
- Shares climbed roughly 21% from last Friday’s close, as volume jumped in the last two sessions of the holiday-shortened week.
- Up next is the weekend box office. “Toy Story 5” is expected to pull in $160 million to $175 million in U.S. ticket sales when it opens, according to Boxoffice Pro.
c shares are set to reopen Monday after a fast holiday-shortened rally. Investors are turning to Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” for the next sign on the theater recovery trade. The New York Stock Exchange is closed Friday for Juneteenth National Independence Day. New York Stock Exchange
AMC closed at $2.83 on Thursday, gaining 6.4% with volume at roughly 81.4 million shares, market data showed. The stock had risen 6.8% Wednesday and 9.2% Tuesday, climbing from $2.34 at last Friday’s close.
Why now? AMC runs with slim margins and a lot of debt, but the studio lineup is getting better. The stock is tied to box office bets. So far in 2026, U.S. box office sales hit about $4.16 billion through June 19, an 11.1% jump over the same stretch in 2025, according to Box Office Mojo data.
“Toy Story 5” is the main driver here. Boxoffice Pro put its domestic opening forecast for the June 19-21 weekend at $160 million to $175 million, saying its panel is looking for a franchise-best finish. That result is key for AMC, which relies on family tentpoles for both ticket sales and concessions. Boxoffice Pro
Box Office Theory’s Shawn Robbins said this week that “two holidays, generational nostalgia” played into the Pixar sequel’s setup. That also fits with the AMC trade: traders are mostly looking at a fatter movie calendar, not just a single film. boxofficetheory.com
AMC said May was its strongest May since 2019 for both domestic and global attendance, bringing in 25.5 million guests to AMC Theatres and ODEON Cinemas. CEO Adam Aron said moviegoers have been “pouring out in droves” when Hollywood puts out “well-made and well-marketed movies.” He said the company has “great confidence” in the upcoming film slate for the rest of 2026. AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
AMC’s finances have improved but there are still issues. First-quarter revenue hit $1.05 billion, up from $862.5 million a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA came in at $38.3 million, after reporting a loss of $57.7 million in the same period last year. Net loss was cut to $117.1 million from $202.1 million.
AMC is still struggling with its balance sheet. The company said June 11 it finished a $150 million at-the-market equity offering, selling roughly 105.3 million shares before fees. That brings in new cash, but it dilutes current shareholders.
Cinemark said June 1 its May domestic box office hit a record, with shares closing up 1.9% Thursday. IMAX, also seeing gains from premium screens, ended flat at $44.33. Both have the same box-office boost but different balance sheets and investor profiles.
Still, a strong weekend doesn’t fix AMC’s capital structure. The company reported $4.02 billion in principal corporate borrowings as of March 31, and said it can’t keep burning cash at current rates unless revenue moves back toward pre-COVID levels. If “Toy Story 5” or July releases disappoint, shares could lose ground after this week’s move. AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
