On Friday, Cinemark unveiled mixed fourth-quarter earnings reflecting the economic realities of a declining box office compared to the blockbuster summer of 2023. Quarterly revenue came in at $638.9 million, an increase of 6.5% compared to last year. Losses were reduced to $18 million, compared with $99.3 million in Q4 2022. Traders were unmoved by the results, leaving the exhibitor’s share price flat throughout the day.
Cinemark’s average ticket price rose to its highest level ever, largely driven by the significant premium to watch Taylor Swift’s ERAS concert film, selling tickets at an average of $19.89 each.
According to Cinemark’s calculations, ERAS alone raised the average ticket during the quarter by 50 cents, and after adding concession sales the “per cap” (average spend for each moviegoer) rose by 14 cents. This is further evidence of the saving grace that ERAS brought to theatres during a challenging stretch for exhibitors.
Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble acknowledged that he was forecasting fewer theatrical releases in 2024 due to the Hollywood labor strikes, estimating that there would be only 75% of the number of wide releases in 2024 compared to the number in 2019. However, looking further out Gamble sees a backlog of new titles landing in 2025, which he feels will create a “glide path” towards continued box office recovery. He forecasts that full recovery of the domestic box office to pre-pandemic numbers “may be a 2026 phenomenon.”
See also: Taylor Swift Concert Film Helped Boost Average Ticket Prices By 50 Cents At Cinemark Theaters In Q4 (Deadline)