Cinemark - ★★ - Ranked #77 in our Q2 2024 Mid & Small Cap Equity Rankings
Cinemark (CNK), one of the largest movie theater chains in the United States, saw its stock rise 5% on Friday after Wells Fargo analyst upgraded his outlook on the company from "sell" to "buy". This represents a tremendous show of optimism for the embattled theater industry.
Just a few years ago, things were looking bleak for Cinemark. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the company was forced to lay off half its corporate workforce and furlough more than 17,000 theater employees as people felt safer staying home and streaming content rather than going to the movies.
However, as Hollywood and the broader film industry return to their pre-pandemic rhythms, movie theater chains like Cinemark are beginning to see brighter days ahead. In the research note accompanying the upgrade, Wells Fargo declared "Movies are back!"
This renewed optimism seems well-founded. Cinemark reported earnings in February that surpassed Wall Street's expectations, and the company said it was the only major theater chain to increase its market share in the U.S. since the pandemic began. Additionally, Cinemark has been investing in more premium seating options.
"What tends to happen is people may cut back on other types of entertainment, but when they come to the movies, it's their moment to splurge and make a moment out of it," Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble said at a recent investing conference.
The 5% jump in Cinemark's stock on Friday suggests that Wall Street is starting to share Wells Fargo renewed confidence in the company's future prospects. As the movie theater industry continues to recover, Cinemark appears poised to regain its footing and potentially deliver strong returns for investors.
Cinemark (CNK) is currently ranked #77 in our Q2 2024 Mid & Small Cap Equity Rankings.
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