Cinemark, box office drives results: quarterly revenue reaches $1.06 billion

The big screen is gaining momentum again, and Cinemark's financial results provide further confirmation. The US company, one of the world's leading cinema exhibition operators, reported revenue of $1.06 billion for the third quarter of 2026, up 23.5% from the $857.5 million recorded in the same period last year. The result marks the company's highest-ever third-quarter revenue and its second-highest quarterly revenue on record.

The box office growth translated directly into stronger profitability. Net income attributable to Cinemark shareholders rose to $122.8 million, compared with $49.5 million in the third quarter of 2025, while diluted earnings per share reached $1.04, up from $0.40 a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA, a measure of operating performance before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, climbed to $267.6 million, compared with $177.6 million in the prior-year period. The EBITDA margin reached 25.3%, expanding by 4.6 percentage points year over year.

Higher Attendance and Increased Spending per Visit

The main driver of the performance was the return of audiences to cinemas. During the three months ended September 30, Cinemark recorded 63.7 million admissions worldwide, compared with 54.2 million in the same period of 2025. Growth was particularly significant in the United States, where attendance increased by 12.7% to 37.4 million. International markets also delivered strong results, with admissions rising 25.2% to 26.3 million.

Demand was primarily supported by a stronger summer release schedule, which brought audiences back to theatres and helped consolidate the industry's recovery. The company also highlighted its ability to maintain market share gains achieved since the pandemic, exceeding 150 basis points in both the United States and Latin America.

Growth was not limited to ticket sales. Worldwide admission revenue reached $530.8 million, while food and beverage revenue amounted to $413.9 million, both representing third-quarter records. The average ticket price worldwide increased to $8.33, while average concession revenue per attendee reached $6.50.

The Role of Premium Formats in the Company's Strategy

Premium cinema formats and technology also made a significant contribution. Revenue from premium offerings, including Cinemark XD, IMAX and ScreenX, increased by 50% year over year, reaching a record quarterly high. Even stronger growth came from motion-seat experiences, whose revenue rose 62%, accounting for 7% of global box office revenue.

The strategy is increasingly focused on enhancing the in-theatre experience and differentiating it from home entertainment through larger screens, immersive technologies and additional services. This approach allows the company to increase average spending per customer and improve profitability without relying exclusively on higher attendance.

Liquidity and Investment to Sustain Growth

On the financial front, Cinemark generated $136 million in cash from operating activities and $66 million in free cash flow during the quarter. As of September 30, cash and cash equivalents stood at $556 million. Capital expenditures reached $70 million during the period, bringing total investment for the first nine months of the year to $170 million. The company expects full-year capital expenditures to reach approximately $250 million, allocated to venue renovations, new openings, laser projection systems and improvements to premium offerings.

The results confirm Cinemark's ability to turn a particularly strong movie season into significant margin growth. For the Big Screen industry, the quarterly results offer an important indication: the recovery of cinemas cannot be measured solely by the number of moviegoers, but also by exhibitors' ability to generate greater value from each visit and turn audiences' return into higher profitability.