UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
(Mark One)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the Fiscal Year Ended
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM ______ TO ______
Commission File Number |
Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter, Principal Executive Office Address and Telephone Number |
State of Incorporation |
I.R.S. Employer Identification No. |
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered |
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. ("Holdings") |
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Cinemark USA, Inc. ("CUSA") |
None |
None |
None |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. None
Cinemark USA, Inc. None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc.
Cinemark USA, Inc.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. Yes ☐
Cinemark USA, Inc.
(Note: As a voluntary filer, Cinemark USA, Inc. is not subject to the filing requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc.
Cinemark USA, Inc.
(Note: As a voluntary filer, Cinemark USA, Inc. is not subject to the filing requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Cinemark USA, Inc. has filed all reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months as if it was subject to such filing requirements.)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
Cinemark Holdings, Inc.
Cinemark USA, Inc.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. |
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☒ |
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Accelerated filer |
☐ |
Non-accelerated filer |
☐ |
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Smaller reporting company |
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Emerging growth company |
Cinemark USA, Inc. |
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Large accelerated filer |
☐ |
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Accelerated filer |
☐ |
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☒ |
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Smaller reporting company |
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Emerging growth company |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. ☐
Cinemark USA, Inc. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc.
Cinemark USA, Inc.
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. ☐
Cinemark USA, Inc. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b).
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. ☐
Cinemark USA, Inc. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. Yes
Cinemark USA, Inc. Yes
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity owned by non-affiliates of Holdings on June 30, 2022, computed by reference to the closing price for Holdings’ common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on such date was approximately $
As of February 17, 2023,
As of February 17, 2023,
This combined Form 10-K is separately filed by Holdings. and CUSA. Information contained herein relating to any individual registrant is filed by such registrant on its own behalf. Each registrant makes no representation as to information relating to the other registrant. When this Form 10-K is incorporated by reference into any filings with the SEC made by Holdings or CUSA, as a registrant, the portions of the Form 10-K that relate to the other registrant are not incorporated by reference therein.
OMISSION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION
CUSA meets the conditions set forth in General Instruction I(1)(a) and (b) of Form 10-K and has therefore omitted the information otherwise called for by items 10-13 of Form 10-K as allowed under General Instruction I(2)(c).
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Certain portions of Holdings’ definitive proxy statement, in connection with its 2023 annual meeting of stockholders, to be filed within 120 days of December 31, 2022, are incorporated by reference into Part III, Items 10-14, of this annual report on Form 10-K.
Table of Contents
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1 |
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Item 1. |
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2 |
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Item 1A. |
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11 |
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Item 1B. |
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20 |
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Item 2. |
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20 |
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Item 3. |
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21 |
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Item 4. |
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21 |
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Item 5. |
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Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities |
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22 |
Item 6. |
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23 |
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Item 7. |
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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results |
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24 |
Item 7A. |
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42 |
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Item 8. |
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43 |
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Item 9. |
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Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and |
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43 |
Item 9A. |
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43 |
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Item 9B. |
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44 |
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Item 9C. |
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Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections |
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44 |
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Item 10. |
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46 |
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Item 11. |
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46 |
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Item 12. |
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Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters |
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46 |
Item 13. |
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Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence |
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46 |
Item 14. |
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46 |
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Item 15. |
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46 |
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57 |
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Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This combined annual report on Form 10-K includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Holdings is a holding company which conducts all of its operations through CUSA and its subsidiaries. The “forward-looking statements” include our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about the respective business and industry of Holdings and CUSA. They include statements relating to:
You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “plans,” “expects,” “future” and “intends” and similar expressions. These statements are neither historical facts nor guarantees of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions and are, therefore, subject to risks, inherent uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. In evaluating forward-looking statements, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section in Item 1A and elsewhere in this Form 10-K. All forward-looking statements attributable to either Holdings or CUSA or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements and risk factors contained in this Form 10-K. Forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K reflect the views of Holdings and CUSA only as of the date of this Form 10-K. Neither Holdings nor CUSA undertake any obligation, other than as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. is a Delaware corporation incorporated on August 2, 2006. Cinemark USA, Inc. is a Texas corporation incorporated in 1984 and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cinemark Holdings, Inc. Our principal executive offices are at 3900 Dallas Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093. Our telephone number is (972) 665-1000. General information about us can be found at www.cinemark.com. All annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are available on Holdings’ investor relations website at ir.cinemark.com free of charge under the heading "SEC Filings" as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. Additionally, all filings with the SEC can be accessed on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to “we,” “our,” “us,” “the Company” or “Cinemark” relate to Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. All references to CUSA relate to Cinemark USA, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.
1
PART I
Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to “we,” “our,” “us,” “the Company” or “Cinemark” relate to Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. All references to CUSA relate to Cinemark USA, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Where it is important to distinguish between the entities, the report either refers specifically to Holdings or CUSA. All references to Latin America are to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Bolivia, Curacao and Paraguay. Unless otherwise specified, all operating and other statistical data is as of or for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Item 1. Business
We are a leader and one of the most geographically diverse operators in the motion picture exhibition industry. As of December 31, 2022, we operated 518 theatres and 5,847 screens in the United States, or “U.S.”, and Latin America. Our U.S. circuit operated 318 theatres and 4,399 screens and our Latin America circuit operated 200 theatres and 1,448 screens across 15 countries. Our significant and diverse presence in the U.S. and Latin America has made us an important distribution channel for movie studios and other content providers. We believe our portfolio of modern, high-quality theatres with multiple platforms provides a preferred destination for moviegoers and has contributed to our consistent industry-leading results.
As of December 31, 2022, we managed our business under two reportable operating segments: U.S. markets and international markets. See Note 22 to the consolidated financial statements.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the global economy and created a strain on the movie exhibition industry along with widespread social and economic effects. We temporarily closed our theatres in the U.S. and Latin America during March of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, we implemented various cash preservation strategies, including, but not limited to, temporary personnel and salary reductions, halting non-essential operating and capital expenditures, negotiating modified timing and/or abatement of contractual payments with landlords and other major suppliers, and the suspension of our quarterly dividend.
Throughout 2020 and 2021 we reopened theatres as soon as local restrictions and the status of the COVID-19 pandemic would allow. All of our domestic and international theatres were reopened by the end of the fourth quarter of 2021. While we reopened our theatres and were able to operate, we faced ongoing challenges with the significant reduction in new film releases as our distributors considered the impact of COVID-19 on future box office potential, with many studio partners simultaneously launching streaming platforms.
The industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is still underway and is contingent upon the volume of new film content available, as well as the box office performance of new film content released. The industry continues to adapt to the evolution of the exclusive theatrical release window, competition from streaming platforms, supply chain constraints, inflationary impacts, and other economic factors. See further discussion in Item 1a. Risk Factors.
2
Motion Picture Exhibition Industry Overview
Domestic
Preliminary estimates indicate that North American box office revenues were approximately $7.5 billion for 2022, up more than 64% compared with 2021. Industry statistics continued to improve through 2022 as theatres were fully reopened and there was a steadier flow of new films released.
The following table represents the results of a survey by Motion Picture Association, or MPA, published in March 2021, outlining the historical trends in North American box office performance for the five-year period from 2017 through 2021. Box office performance has historically been primarily dependent on the quality, quantity and timing of film product.
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North America |
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Box Office Revenue |
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Attendance |
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Average Ticket |
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Year |
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($ in billions) |
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(in billions) |
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Price |
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2017 |
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$ |
11.1 |
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1.24 |
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$ |
8.97 |
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2018 |
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$ |
11.9 |
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1.30 |
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$ |
9.11 |
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2019 |
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$ |
11.4 |
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1.24 |
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$ |
9.16 |
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2020 |
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$ |
2.2 |
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0.24 |
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$ |
9.37 |
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2021 |
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$ |
4.5 |
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0.47 |
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$ |
9.57 |
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Films released during the year ended December 31, 2022 included Top Gun: Maverick, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Jurassic World: Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Batman, Thor: Love and Thunder, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Black Adam, Elvis, Uncharted, Nope, Lightyear, Smile, The Lost City, Bullet Train, and the highly anticipated sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, among other films.
Currently, films scheduled for release in 2023 include Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, John Wick 4, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, The Little Mermaid, Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse, Elemental, The Flash, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, The Marvels, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Dune Part Two, Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, among other films.
International
Preliminary estimates for Latin American box office revenues were approximately $1.8 billion for 2022, up 87% compared with 2021.
In addition to the quantity, quality and timing of Hollywood film product, performance in Latin American markets is also impacted by political and social conditions, growing populations, and continued retail development. In many Latin American countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Chile, the quantity and quality of local film product can also impact box office revenues.
Drivers of Continued Industry Success
Industry dynamics continue to evolve as we recover from the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we believe the following factors will continue to drive the strength of our industry:
Importance of Theatrical Success in Establishing Movie Brands. Theatrical exhibition has long been the primary distribution channel for new major motion picture releases. In addition to representing a significant share of a film’s overall revenue, we believe a successful theatrical release “brands” a film and is one of the major contributors to a film’s success in “downstream” markets, such as digital downloads, video on-demand, network television and streaming, as well as theme parks and branded retail merchandise. For theatrical releases, we expect most of the studios to observe an exclusive theatrical window, albeit shorter than pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.
Convenient and Affordable Form of Premium Out-Of-Home Entertainment. Movie-going remains one of the most convenient and affordable forms of out-of-home entertainment, and its appeal has proven resilient to competition for consumers’ leisure spending as well as recessionary periods. The average movie ticket price in the U.S. according to MPA was $9.57 for 2021, which is well below the average prices per ticket for other forms of out-of-home entertainment in the U.S., including sporting events and theme parks. Industry data for 2022 is not yet available.
3
Expansion of Concepts and Product Offerings that Enhance the Movie Viewing Experience. Over the last several years, the motion picture exhibition industry has invested in the development of new movie theatre amenities and concepts to respond to varying and changing consumer preferences as well as to differentiate the movie-going experience from other in-home and out-of-home entertainment options. Some examples include changing the overall style and amenities of theatres, such as expansion of concession product offerings that provide more variety to traditional popcorn, fountain drinks and candy. Enhanced digital projectors and sound equipment, luxury loungers and motion seats are offered in some locations to create an immersive movie-going experience. New alternative content is expanding the industry’s entertainment offerings to attract a broader customer base. We have also developed advanced mobile concessions ordering and delivery-to-seat options.
Our Strategy
Our primary objective is to efficiently attract and grow attendance and box office revenue and pursue other opportunities to capture ancillary revenue, in order to maximize revenue and profitability. To achieve this, we maintain a long-term focus on (i) creating an extraordinary entertainment experience for our guests, (ii) building audiences, (iii) expanding sources of revenue, (iv) streamlining processes, and (v) optimizing our theatre footprint. Furthermore, as we continue to emerge from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our near-term priorities include effectively navigating our industry’s continued recovery, expanding our content pipeline and audience base, and further strengthening the Company for long-term stability and growth.
Our long-term strategies include:
Create an Extraordinary Guest Experience. We aim to differentiate our theatres and provide a high perception of value by pursuing initiatives that deliver audiences a larger-than-life, cinematic entertainment experience that is frictionless and memorable. Doing so includes world-class guest service, state-of-the-art sight and sound technology, expansive food and beverage offerings, and premium amenities, such as enhanced large format screens, luxury loungers and motion seats. We believe our ongoing focus on providing an extraordinary guest experience is a primary factor of our consistent industry-leading results.
Build Audiences. We are actively focused on attracting a wider range of consumers to our theatres by expanding the variety of content and experiences we offer, while utilizing our sophisticated marketing capabilities to increase consumer interest and conversion. We continue to invest in strengthening and leveraging our omni-channel marketing platforms, showcasing a broader array of non-traditional content, and optimizing our showtime scheduling.
Expand Sources of Revenue. In addition to growing audiences, we seek to expand revenue generation by creating new and incremental revenue opportunities. Examples include the introduction of additional new food and beverage offerings, honing our recently implemented e-commerce initiatives, optimizing pricing, implementing new experiential entertainment concepts, enhancing Cinemark partnership and brand tie-ins, and expanding sales channels.
Streamline Processes. Through an ongoing pursuit of continuous improvement, we are actively focused on increasing productivity through process simplification, streamlining operations, and removing inefficiencies. Areas of emphasis include further progressing workforce management initiatives, automation opportunities, and utilizing advanced tools, practices, and platforms to remove time spent on administrative tasks and increasing time dedicated to our guests and employees.
Optimize our Footprint. To best deliver long-term returns, we continuously assess our global theatre circuit, including varied market trends domestically and internationally, to ascertain the most advantageous strategies for growth, recalibration, and strengthening of our circuit. We perform these assessments on a market-by-market and theatre-by-theatre basis, and based on the results we determine where we are best suited to invest, the types of investment to make and the appropriate degree of investment.
4
Competitive Strengths
We believe the following strengths have allowed us to compete effectively in the past, helped us navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last few years and will be guiding principles as we continue to evolve post-pandemic:
Disciplined Operating Philosophy. Our operating philosophy focuses on creating an extraordinary guest experience, maintaining favorable theatre-level economics, controlling operating costs and effectively reacting to economic and market changes.
Balanced Approach to Investment and Capital Allocation. Our balanced and disciplined investment approach centers on thoughtfully reinvesting in our existing theatres, building new theatres and acquiring theatres that will complement our circuit. We have long believed in the combination of a strong balance sheet and ensuring our capital investments earn a solid return. This philosophy has proven to be successful and helped us enter the COVID-19 pandemic in a healthy financial position as we navigated through the temporary closure of our theatres and their subsequent phased reopening. As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain disciplined with our cash management and capital resource allocation strategies and are focused on strengthening our balance sheet, while still investing in long-term growth opportunities.
Leading Position in Our U.S. and Latin American Markets. We have a leading market share in most of the U.S. markets we serve, which includes a presence in 42 states. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we ranked either first or second, based on box office revenues, in 20 of our top 25 U.S. markets, including Dallas, the San Francisco Bay Area, Houston, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Cleveland, Austin and Las Vegas. We were one of the first circuits to begin reopening theatres in the U.S. during 2021, gaining market share of the overall North American box office as a result. We retained a meaningful portion of that market share growth throughout 2022.
We have successfully established a significant presence in major cities in Latin America, with theatres in 15 of the 20 largest metropolitan areas in Latin America as of December 31, 2022. We are the largest exhibitor in Brazil and Argentina and have significant market presence in Colombia, Peru and Chile. Our geographic diversity makes us an important global distribution channel for the movie studios. While our performance during 2020 and 2021 was impacted by the temporary closure of our theatres, we gained overall market share in Latin America as we reopened all of our theatres during 2021. We have retained a meaningful portion of that market share growth throughout 2022.
State-of-the-Art Theatre Circuit. We build new theatres and consistently invest in our existing theatres to maintain a state-of-the-art movie-going experience, which we believe makes our theatres preferred destinations for moviegoers in our markets. We will continue to be opportunistic and make quality investments in our circuit, taking into consideration the extended box office recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and our liquidity.
We offer our guests a premium large format experience through our 292 XD auditoriums, which represent the largest exhibitor-branded premium large format footprint in the industry, and 16 IMAX auditoriums across our worldwide circuit. Our XD auditoriums offer a premium experience utilizing the latest in digital projection and enhanced custom sound, including Barco Auro-Max 11.1 sound systems in select locations. The XD experience includes wall-to-wall screens, wrap-around sound, plush seating, reclining seats in 75% of our XD auditoriums and a maximum comfort entertainment environment for an immersive experience. The benefits of our XD auditoriums include program flexibility, as we can show the content of our choice with no additional revenue share component outside of routine film rental.
We have started a multi-year project to strategically convert our auditoriums to more energy efficient Cinionic RGB laser projectors, which provide greater light output than the current technology, further enhancing the movie-going experience.
We have also incorporated Luxury Lounger recliner seats into all of our recent domestic new builds and have repositioned many of our existing domestic theatres to offer this premium seating feature. We currently feature luxury loungers in 67% of our total domestic circuit.
We also have auditoriums that offer seats with immersive cinematic motion, which we refer to as motion seats, in 279 auditoriums throughout our circuit. These motion seats are programmed in harmony with the audio and video content of the film and further immerse guests into the on-screen action.
We offer enhanced food and beverages such as gourmet pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches, and a selection of beers, wine and cocktails, all of which can be enjoyed in the comfort of the auditoriums, at a majority of our theatres.
5
We also offer full bars or dine-in areas in many of our locations and we plan to continue to expand these amenities to additional locations. In the U.S., we offer advanced mobile concession ordering called Snacks In A Tap at virtually all of our U.S. theatres allowing guests to pre-order for select concession products and pick them up at the concession stand upon arrival or have them delivered to their seat. We also offer mobile concession ordering in most of our Latin American theatres and plan to expand delivery to seat in our Latin American theatres in 2023.
Experienced Management. Led by President and Chief Executive Officer Sean Gamble, Chief Financial Officer Melissa Thomas, President International Valmir Fernandes, and Executive Vice President and General Counsel Michael Cavalier, our global operational management team has extensive industry experience. Additionally, our country general managers are local citizens familiar with political, social, cultural and economic factors impacting their country, which enables them to more effectively manage the local business. Our global management team has successfully navigated us through many industry and economic cycles over the years, and their leadership in steering the Company through the extended recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to their abilities and effectiveness as stewards of the Company.
Theatre Operations
As of December 31, 2022, we operated 518 theatres and 5,847 screens in 42 U.S. states and 15 Latin American countries. We opened our first theatre in the U.S. in 1984. Our domestic circuit has expanded through acquisitions and more recently through organic growth. We currently have theatres in 105 designated market areas. We first entered Latin America when we opened a theatre in Santiago, Chile in 1993. Since then, through a focused international growth strategy, we have developed one of the most geographically diverse theatre circuits in the region. We have balanced our risk through a diversified international portfolio, which included theatres in 15 of the 20 largest metropolitan areas in Latin America as of December 31, 2022. We have established significant presence in Brazil and Argentina, where we are the largest exhibitor. We also have significant market presence in Colombia, Peru and Chile.
The following table summarizes the geographic locations of our theatre circuit as of December 31, 2022.
Country |
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Total Theatres |
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Total Screens |
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United States |
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318 |
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4,399 |
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Brazil |
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84 |
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618 |
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Argentina |
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23 |
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199 |
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Colombia |
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30 |
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177 |
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Chile |
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20 |
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142 |
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Central America (1) |
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17 |
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114 |
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Peru |
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14 |
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113 |
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Ecuador |
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8 |
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51 |
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Bolivia |
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1 |
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13 |
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Paraguay |
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2 |
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15 |
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Curacao (2) |
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1 |
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6 |
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Total |
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518 |
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5,847 |
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Content
We offer a variety of content at our theatres. We monitor upcoming films and other content and work diligently with film distributors to license content that we believe will be most successful in our theatres. We play mainstream films from many different genres, such as animated films, family films, dramas, comedies, horror and action films. We offer content in both 2-D and 3-D formats in all of our theatres, and in many locations, we offer either our own premium large format, XD or IMAX. We also offer a format that features motion seats and added sensory features.
We regularly play art, independent and Bollywood films at many of our U.S. theatres and offer local film product in our Latin American markets, providing a variety of film choices to our guests. We exhibit a variety of multi-cultural foreign language films, e-sports gaming events and private gaming parties in our theatres. Additionally, we can stream live events via satellites to every one of our theatres in the U.S. and Latin America.
6
Our joint venture, AC JV, LLC, with Regal Entertainment Group, or Regal, and AMC Entertainment, Inc., or AMC, provides marketing and distribution of live and pre-recorded entertainment programming through Fathom Events to movie theatres to augment theatres’ feature film schedules, which includes the Metropolitan Opera, sports programs, concert events, and other special presentations, that may be live or pre-recorded.
We continue to explore new ways to utilize our theatre platform to provide new content to our guests, including electronic gaming events, traditional sports and other live and pre-recorded events.
Film Licensing
In the U.S., our corporate film department negotiates with film distributors to license films for each of our domestic theatres. Local film personnel in our international offices negotiate with local offices of major film distributors, local film distributors and independent content providers to license films for our international theatres. Film distributors determine film release dates and film marketing campaigns, while we are responsible for booking the films at each of our theatres at the optimal showtimes for our guests.
In both our domestic and international locations, film rental fees are based on a film’s box office receipts. The majority of film rental rates are negotiated on a sliding scale formula, under which the rate is based on a standard rate matrix that is established with each content provider prior to a film’s theatrical run. We negotiate other film rental rates on a firm terms formula, a percentage of box office receipts negotiated prior to a film’s theatrical run, or a rate that is negotiated after a film’s theatrical run.
Food and Beverage
Concession sales are our second largest revenue source. We have expanded concession sales by enhancing our offerings and adapting to our customers’ changing preferences, as discussed below.
Product Mix. Core concession products offered at all of our theatres include various sizes and types of popcorn, soft drinks, coffees, non-carbonated drinks, candy and quickly-prepared or pre-prepared food, such as hot dogs, pizza, pretzel bites, nachos and ice cream. Our food and beverage offerings may vary based on consumer preferences in a particular market. We offer adult beverage options for our guests including beer, wine and cocktails, freshly-made signature Pizza Hut pizzas, burgers and sandwiches, as well as some healthier snack options and diverse ethnic foods based on market demographics.
Our point-of-sale and inventory systems allow our category managers to monitor product sales and make adjustments to product mix on a theatre-by-theatre or market-by-market basis. This program flexibility also allows us to efficiently activate and manage both national or regional product launches and promotional initiatives to further grow food and beverage sales.
New products and promotions are introduced on a regular basis to increase concession purchase incidence by existing consumers as well as to attract new consumers. In certain international countries and in all of our domestic theatres, we offer a free loyalty program that routinely offers food and beverage promotions. Our paid subscription programs allow our guests to receive exclusive concessions discounts.
Staff Training. Employees are continually trained in proper sales techniques, food preparation and handling and maintaining concession product quality. Many employees are also certified in food safety protocols and in serving alcoholic beverages.
Theatre Design. Our theatres are designed to optimize the guest purchase experience at the concession stands, which includes multiple concession counters throughout a theatre to facilitate serving guests in an expedited manner. We strategically place large concession stands within theatres to heighten visibility, reduce the length of concession lines, and improve traffic flow around the concession stands. We incorporate self-serve candy cases and bottled drink coolers at our traditional crew-serve theatres to help provide convenience for our guests, drive impulse purchases and increase product visibility for these two core categories. We also have self-service cafeteria-style concession areas in many of our domestic theatres, which allow customers to select their own food and refreshments and proceed to the cash register when they are ready. This design allows for more efficient service, and superior visibility of concession items. We also have lobby bars and VIP lounges in many domestic and international theatres.
Our proprietary Snacks in a Tap online concessions ordering capability allows moviegoers to purchase their cinema snacks in advance and have them waiting to be picked up upon arrival or delivered directly to their seat. This functionality streamlines the guest experience as it transitions from digital to in-theatre and results in added
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convenience and enhanced guest service for our customers. As of December 31, 2022, Snacks in a Tap is available at virtually all of our U.S. theatres. Additionally, guests in our Latin American locations can pre-pay for select concession products online or at kiosks within the theatre and pick them up at the concession stand.
Cost Control. We negotiate prices, volume-based rebates and promotional-based rebates for concession supplies directly with concession vendors. Concession supplies are generally managed through a distribution network, with theatres placing and receiving orders directly. We monitor inventory levels at every theatre to ensure proper stock levels are maintained to appropriately serve our guests.
Recent supply chain interruptions and inflationary pressures have impacted costs and limited product availability. Our food and beverage costs have been especially susceptible to inflationary pressures as several core commodities such as corn, soybean and canola oil experienced elevated inflationary pressures. In an effort to mitigate these higher commodity prices, we have focused on identifying alternative products as well as implementing strategic pricing actions to help offset the impact of these pressures. We source products from a variety of partners around the world to minimize supply chain interruptions and price increases, wherever possible.
Screen Advertising
Our U.S. theatres are part of the in-theatre digital network operated by National CineMedia, LLC, or NCM. NCM provides advertising to our theatres through its branded “Noovie” pre-show entertainment program and also handles certain lobby promotions and displays for our theatres. We believe that the reach, scope and digital delivery capability of NCM’s network provides an effective platform for national, regional and local advertisers to reach our audience. We receive a monthly theatre access fee for participation in the NCM network and also earn screen rental revenue on a per patron basis or revenue share basis depending on the placement of the advertisement. As of December 31, 2022, we had an approximate 25.4% ownership interest in NCM. See Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our investment in NCM.
Throughout our international markets, we have established our Flix Media brand that handles screen advertising functions in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Central America, Colombia, Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador and Curacao. Our Flix Media marketing personnel work with local agencies and advertisers to coordinate screen advertising in our theatres as well as other theatres in our markets. In addition to screen advertising in our theatres, we continue to expand Flix Media’s services to include, among other things, alternative content, digital media and other synergistic advertising opportunities. In our other international markets, we outsource our screen advertising to local companies who have established relationships with local advertisers that provide similar programming benefits. The terms of our international screen advertising contracts vary by country; however, we generally earn screen advertising revenue on a revenue share basis.
Marketing and Promotions
Digital Marketing. Our investment in digital marketing and customer experience over the past several years has enabled us to expand our reach to our guests, communicate with them on a consistent basis, and streamline their digital customer journey. We continue to adapt our platforms to engage movie-goers more effectively and make it as compelling and simple as possible for them to purchase their next movie ticket and accompanying concessions from us. Through organic and paid marketing efforts, we keep our millions of guests informed through email, social media, website and mobile app updates, and advertising to promote upcoming content and keep Cinemark elevated in the moviegoer consideration set.
Transforming the digital customer journey enables us to more effectively reach movie-goers through targeted and refined search engine optimization, and gives the customer a better experience once they are directed to our website or app. We regularly conduct comprehensive analysis of the search and ticket purchase processes on our channels, making updates that reduce clicks and decrease the friction from search to ticket purchase. Regular enhancements result in driving higher traffic volume to our digital channels and drive increased ticket purchases.
In an effort to more deeply engage with our guests, the visual identity and physical flow of our theatres are regularly assessed. This includes keeping all signage, merchandise, food and beverage vessels and employee attire updated and reflective of the modern experience. We are currently rolling out such updates across our entire circuit with new theatre designs and remodels.
Campaigns and Promotions. We market our theatres and special events, including new theatre grand openings, remodel openings and VIP events, using email, digital advertising, and radio and television advertising spots. We
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exhibit previews of coming attractions and current films as part of our on-screen pre-feature program. We offer guests access to movie times, the ability to buy their tickets and reserve their seats in advance and purchase gift cards at our website www.cinemark.com and via our mobile applications. Guests can subscribe to our emails and push notifications to receive information about current and upcoming films and events at their preferred Cinemark theatre(s), including details about upcoming XD movies, advanced ticket sales, screenings, special events, concerts, live broadcasts, contests, promotions, and our latest concessions and merchandise offerings. We partner with film distributors on a regular basis to promote upcoming films through local, regional and national programs that are exclusive to our theatres.
Social Media. In the evolution of our external communication, we are meeting movie-goers where they are and ensuring we are present as they scroll throughout the day. We interact with moviegoers every day on social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok to provide advanced ticketing, promotions, and event information and to monitor and respond to guests’ questions and feedback.
Membership and Loyalty. Our domestic subscription membership program, Movie Club, offers guests a standard monthly ticket credit, member-pricing for a companion ticket and concession and other transaction discounts for their choice of a monthly or annual fixed price. Movie Club is a unique option to reward our loyal guests and allows us to stay informed of frequent moviegoers’ preferences. Movie Club includes a premium tier, Movie Club Platinum, allowing members with a high visit frequency and/or high volume of ticket purchases during the year to earn additional movie ticket credits, receive an increased concessions discount and the ability to purchase additional tickets at a discounted price.
We offer a free domestic loyalty program, named Movie Fan, to our guests in the U.S. Movie Fan allows our moviegoers to earn one point for every dollar they spend. Points can then be redeemed for tickets, concession items and discounts, as well as unique and limited-edition rewards that relate to films currently playing in our theatres. Our loyalty programs are closely monitored, and updates are consistently tested to incentivize consumers to prioritize visiting our theatres.
We also have membership and loyalty programs in some of our international markets that either allow customers to pay a nominal fee for an annual membership card that provides them with certain admissions and concession discounts or that allows guests to earn loyalty points for each purchase. Similar to the Movie Fan program, our points-based international programs offer discounts on movie tickets and concessions. Our global loyalty programs put us in direct contact with our moviegoers and provide additional opportunities for us to partner with the studios and our vendors through targeted promotions.
Competition
We are one of the leaders in the motion picture exhibition industry. We compete against local, regional, national and international exhibitors with respect to attracting guests, licensing films and developing new theatre sites. Our primary U.S. competitors include Regal and AMC and our primary international competitors, which vary by country, include Cinépolis, Cine Colombia, CinePlanet, Kinoplex (GSR), Village Cines, SuperCines and Araujo.
We are generally able to book films at many of our theatres without regard to the film bookings of other exhibitors. Our success in attracting guests can depend on customer service quality, location, theatre capacity, quality of projection and sound equipment, film showtime availability and ticket prices.
We compete for new theatre sites with other movie theatre exhibitors as well as other entertainment venues. Securing a potential site depends upon factors such as commercial terms, available investment resources, theatre design and capacity, revenue potential and financial stability of developers.
We face competition from other forms of out-of-home entertainment competing for the public’s leisure time and disposable income, including family entertainment centers, concerts, theme parks and sporting events. We also face competition for guests from a number of alternative film distribution channels, such as streaming services, digital downloads, video on-demand and network television.
Seasonality
Our revenues have historically been seasonal, coinciding with the timing of releases of motion pictures by the major distributors. The most successful motion pictures have historically been released during summer months in the U.S., extending from May to July, and during the holiday season, extending from November through year-end. The
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timing of releases, however, has become less pronounced as distributors have begun releasing content more evenly throughout the year. In our Latin American markets, while Hollywood content has similar release dates as in the U.S., the local holidays and seasons can vary. The unexpected emergence of a hit film during other periods can alter this seasonality trend. The timing, quantity and quality of such film releases can have a significant effect on our results of operations, and the results of one quarter are not necessarily indicative of results for the next quarter or for the same period in the following year.
Corporate Operations
Our worldwide headquarters, referred to as the Cinemark Service Center, or CSC, is located in Plano, Texas. Personnel at the CSC provide oversight and support for our domestic and international theatres and includes our executive team and department heads in charge of film licensing, food and beverage, theatre operations, theatre construction and maintenance, real estate, human resources, marketing, legal, finance, accounting, tax and information technology. Our U.S. operations are comprised of regions headed by a regional vice president. We have nine regional offices in Latin America responsible for the local management of theatres in 15 countries as of December 31, 2022 (Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala and Curacao are managed out of one Central American regional office). Each regional office is headed by a general manager or a member of our international management team with additional personnel responsible for film licensing, marketing, human resources, information technology, operations and finance. We have divisional chief financial officers in Brazil and Argentina and a regional chief financial officer located in Chile that oversees Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay.
Human Capital
Our business is seasonal and therefore, our headcount can vary throughout the year depending on the timing and success of movie releases. While we do not have unionized employees within our domestic employee base, some of our international locations are subject to union regulations.
We currently have approximately 18,100 employees in the U.S., approximately 20% of whom are full-time employees and 80% of whom are part-time employees. We have approximately 8,000 employees in our international markets, approximately 59% of whom are full-time employees and approximately 41% of whom are part-time employees.
In our Mission, Vision and Values Statement, our employees form the core of our Cinemark Values. We strive to (i) act with honesty and integrity, respect and care for each other, our guests, communities and partners, (ii) provide a safe environment for our employees and guests, (iii) be the best in what we do and (iv) empower our people to make decisions and take responsibility. Guided by our Cinemark Values, we are committed to creating a company where everyone is included and respected, and where we support each other in reaching our full potential. We take pride in the fact that many of our employees, including executive management, international general managers and field employees, have significant tenure with the Company.
To attract and retain the most qualified talent, we offer competitive benefits, including market-competitive compensation, healthcare, paid time off, parental leave, free movie passes and a 401(k) retirement savings and investment plan with generous Company matching. Additionally, many of our CSC employees are eligible to work on a hybrid schedule. We support the continuous development of professional, technical and leadership skills of our employees by offering tuition assistance, skills development courses and leadership development training in partnership with reputed institutions. Employees are encouraged to provide feedback about their experience through periodic employee engagement surveys.
To foster a corporate culture of transparency and collaboration, our senior management regularly conducts “town-hall” style meetings with employees to share, among other matters, the Company’s performance, business conditions and market challenges, and to respond to employee concerns through question-and-answer sessions. Employees are also encouraged to provide feedback about their experience through periodic employee engagement surveys. These voluntary surveys provide overall and department-specific reports and enable us to improve employee experience and culture. We aspire to provide a safe, open and accountable work environment for our employees. We provide a hotline for all employees to report workplace concerns and violations with the option to report on an anonymous basis. We address such concerns and take appropriate actions that uphold our Cinemark Values.
In recognition and gratitude for our moviegoing communities, we strongly encourage team members to give back to the community. For the past several years, we have held annual service days for team members. Through
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Cinemark Cares, we support local and national charitable organizations through monetary and product donations, or donations of employees’ time or expertise. We are a proud long-term corporate partner with several charities and host an annual golf tournament to raise funds for these and other selected charities.
Regulations
The distribution of motion pictures is largely regulated by antitrust laws and was the subject of numerous antitrust cases in the past. The manner in which we can license films from certain major film distributors has been influenced by consent decrees and other court orders resulting from these cases. Consent decrees that bound certain major film distributors expired during 2022. These consent decrees required distributors to offer and license films to exhibitors, including Cinemark, on a theatre-by-theatre and film-by-film basis. Consequently, exhibitors have not entered into long-term arrangements with major distributors but must negotiate for licenses on a theatre-by-theatre and film-by-film basis. While the consent decrees may no longer be in effect, we are still subject to the antitrust laws, and we do not anticipate a material shift in the way films are licensed.
We are subject to various general regulations applicable to our operations including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or the ADA, and regulations promulgated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and certain state laws that require nutrition labels for certain menu items. Our domestic and international theatre operations are also subject to federal, state and local laws governing such matters as data privacy, wages, working conditions, citizenship, health and sanitation requirements and various business licensing and permitting.
Financial Information About Geographic Areas
We currently have operations in the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Bolivia, Curacao, and Paraguay, which are reflected in the consolidated financial statements. See Note 22 to the consolidated financial statements for segment information and financial information by geographic area.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
An investment in Holdings’ common stock or Holdings’ or CUSA’s debt securities involves risks and uncertainties, and our actual results and future trends may differ materially from our past or projected future performance. We urge investors to consider carefully the risk factors described below in addition to the other information contained in this report, in evaluating our Company and our business.
Risks Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our industry and our business and could continue to affect our financial condition, liquidity, cash flows, results of operations and ability to service our existing and future indebtedness.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our industry and our business for an extended period of time. While all of our theatres have been reopened since December 31, 2021, our business, results of operations, liquidity, cash flows and financial condition continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the key factors that has affected our business is the consistent availability of new films for exhibition at our theatres. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production of films was temporarily halted or delayed and new film releases were postponed, resulting in a reduction in the volume of new films available for theatrical exhibition. Certain studios have reduced the window for video and digital releases or released films directly to alternative distribution channels such as streaming services simultaneous with a theatrical release. In addition, studios may determine that certain types of film content will not be released for theatrical exhibition in the future and will go straight to streaming platforms.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic federal, state and local governments implemented restrictions that limited in-person gathering and/or movement of guests. Even as restrictions have been lifted, consumers may not yet be comfortable gathering in a large group or within a closed space for a few hours at a time, which could have an adverse effect on our business by resulting in fewer guests and reduced revenue.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has also significantly increased economic and demand uncertainty, and it is possible that it could cause a global recession. For additional information on risks related to a slowdown or recession, and inflationary, supply chain and wage rate pressures, see “—Other General Risks—General political, social, health and economic conditions can adversely affect our business.”
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To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, including but not limited to those relating to our high level of indebtedness, our need to generate sufficient cash flows to service our indebtedness and our ability to comply with the covenants contained in the agreements that govern our indebtedness.
Risks Related to Our Business and Operations
Our business depends on film production and performance.
Our business depends on both the availability of films for exhibition in our theatres and the success of those films in our markets. Reduced volume of film releases, poor performance of films, the disruption in the production of films due to events such as a strike by directors, writers or actors, a reduction in financing options for the film distributors, or a reduction in the production and marketing efforts of the film distributors to make and promote their films could have an adverse effect on our business by resulting in fewer patrons and reduced revenue. During 2022, the quantity of new film releases available for theatrical exhibition improved as the industry began to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, however studios may continue to determine that certain types of films will not be released for theatrical exhibition and will go straight to streaming platforms, impacting the quantity of films available.
Our results of operations fluctuate on a seasonal basis.
Our results of operations vary from period to period based upon the quantity and quality of the motion pictures that we show in our theatres. The major film distributors generally release the films they anticipate will be most successful during the summer and holiday seasons. Consequently, we typically generate higher revenue during these periods. The timing of releases, however, has become less pronounced as distributors have begun releasing content at other times throughout the year. In our Latin American markets, while Hollywood content has similar release dates as in the U.S., the local holidays and seasons vary. The unexpected emergence of a successful film during other periods or the failure of an expected success at a key time could alter this seasonality trend. Due to the dependency on the success of films released from one period to the next, results of operations for one period may not be indicative of the results for future periods.
A deterioration in relationships with film distributors could adversely affect our ability to obtain commercially successful films.
We rely on the film distributors to supply the films shown in our theatres. The film distribution business is highly concentrated, with five major film distributors accounting for approximately 91.6% of U.S. box office revenues and 46 of the top 50 grossing films during 2022. Film distributors license films to exhibitors on a theatre-by-theatre and film-by-film basis. Consequently, we cannot guarantee a supply of films by entering into long-term arrangements with major distributors. A deterioration in our relationship with any of the major film distributors could adversely affect our ability to obtain commercially successful films and to negotiate favorable licensing terms for such films, both of which could adversely affect our business and operating results.
We face intense competition for patrons and films which may adversely affect our business.
The motion picture exhibition industry is highly competitive. We compete against local, regional, national and international exhibitors in many of our markets. We compete for both patrons and licensing of films. In markets where we do not face nearby competitive theatres, there is a risk of new theatres being built. The degree of competition for patrons is dependent upon such factors as location, theatre capacity, presentation quality, film showtime availability, customer service quality, products and amenities offered, and ticket prices. The principal competitive factors with respect to film licensing include the theatre’s location and its demographics, the condition, capacity and grossing potential of each theatre, and licensing terms. We also face competition from new concept theatres such as dine-in theatres, tavern style theatres and family entertainment centers, that open in close proximity to our conventional theatres. If we are unable to attract patrons or to license successful films, our business may be adversely affected.
An increase in competing forms of entertainment or the use of alternative film distribution channels may reduce movie theatre attendance and limit revenue growth.
We compete with other forms of out-of-home entertainment, such as family entertainment centers, concerts, theme parks, gaming and sporting events, for our patrons’ leisure time and disposable income. We also face competition for patrons from a number of alternative film distribution channels, such as streaming, digital downloads, video on-demand and network television. We have seen an expansion in these distribution channels in recent years. A
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significant increase in popularity of these alternative film distribution channels, competing forms of entertainment or improvements in technologies available at home could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our results of operations may be impacted by the shrinking, or elimination of, video and digital release windows.
The average video and digital release window, which represents the time that elapses from the date of a film’s theatrical release to the date a film is available for DVD, was approximately 90 days and digital purchase for ownership (also known as electronic sell-through) was approximately 74 days for several years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, certain studios adopted strategies that reduced, or in some cases eliminated, the release windows. Select studios released certain movie titles to their own streaming platforms either simultaneously with theatrical releases or bypassed theatrical releases altogether. If studios continue to reduce or eliminate the windows for certain films even after the industry recovers or, if our guests choose to wait for an in-home release rather than attend a theatre to view the film, it may continue to adversely impact our business and results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Our foreign operations are subject to adverse regulations, economic instability and currency exchange risk.
We have 200 theatres with 1,448 screens in fifteen countries in Latin America as of December 31, 2022. Brazil represented approximately 7% of our consolidated 2022 revenues. Governmental regulation of the motion picture industry in foreign markets differs from that in the U.S. Changes in regulations affecting prices and quota systems requiring the exhibition of locally-produced films may adversely affect our international operations. Our international operations are subject to certain political, economic and other uncertainties not encountered by our domestic operations, including risks of severe economic downturns and high inflation. We also face risks of currency fluctuations, hard currency shortages and controls of foreign currency exchange and cash payments to the U.S., all of which could have an adverse effect on the results of our operations.
Tight labor market and loss of key personnel may negatively impact our operations and operating results
Labor shortages may affect our ability to hire and retain employees. The success of our business depends on our ability to recruit and retain our theatre staff. Without proper staffing, wait times to buy tickets and concessions may be extended and operating hours may be reduced. These conditions could result in a poor guest experience, which could adversely affect future attendance. We could face similar challenges with respect to retaining corporate employees. Losing the services of one or more senior executives, or other key personnel, could adversely affect our ability to execute our business strategies and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations, especially if we were unable to timely employ a qualified replacement. Labor shortages could also result in rising wages, affecting our profits.
We are subject to impairment losses due to potential declines in the fair value of our assets.
We have a significant amount of long-lived assets. We evaluate long-lived assets for impairment at the theatre level. Therefore, if a theatre is directly and individually impacted by increased competition, adverse changes in market demographics, or adverse changes in the development or condition of the areas surrounding the theatre, we may record impairment charges to reflect the decline in estimated fair value of that theatre.
We also have a significant amount of goodwill and tradename intangible assets. Declines in our stock price or market capitalization, declines in our attendance due to increased competition, or economic factors that lead to a decline in attendance could result in impairments of goodwill and our intangible assets.
We are subject to uncertainties relating to future expansion plans, including our ability to identify suitable acquisition candidates or new theatre site locations, and to obtain financing for such activities on favorable terms or at all.
We have expanded our operations through targeted worldwide theatre development and acquisitions. We continue to pursue a strategy of expansion that involves the development of new theatres and may involve acquisitions of existing theatres and theatre circuits both in the U.S. and internationally. There is significant competition for new site locations and for existing theatre and theatre circuit acquisition opportunities. As a result of such competition, we may not be able to acquire attractive new site locations, existing theatres or theatre circuits on terms we consider acceptable. The pace of our growth may also be impacted by delays in site development caused by other parties. Acquisitions and expansion opportunities may divert a significant amount of management’s time away from the operation of our business. Growth by acquisition also involves risks relating to difficulties in integrating the operations and personnel of acquired companies and the potential loss of key employees of acquired companies. Our potential
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expansion strategy may not result in improvements to our business, financial condition, profitability or cash flows. Further, our expansion programs may require financing above our existing borrowing capacity and operating cash flows. We may not be able to obtain such financing or ensure that such financing will be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all.
Risks Related to Financing and Liquidity
We have substantial long-term lease and debt obligations, which may restrict our ability to fund current and future operations and that restrict our ability to enter into certain transactions.
We have significant long-term debt service obligations and long-term lease obligations. As of December 31, 2022, Holdings had $2,516.6 million in long-term debt obligations, which included $2,056.6 million of CUSA debt and excludes unamortized debt issuance costs. As of December 31, 2022, Holdings and CUSA had $102.4 million in finance lease obligations and $1,189.9 million in long-term operating lease obligations. The substantial lease and debt obligations pose risk by:
Holdings’ and CUSA’s ability to make scheduled payments of principal and interest on their respective indebtedness will depend on our ability to generate positive cash flows and on our future financial results. Our ability to generate positive cash flows is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control. As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we may not be able to generate cash flows at historical levels, or guarantee that future borrowings will be available under our senior secured credit facility, in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay our indebtedness. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our lease and debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets or operations, seek additional capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. We may not be able to take any of these actions, and these actions may not be successful or permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations and these actions may be restricted under the terms of our existing or future debt agreements, including our senior secured credit facility.
If we fail to make any required payment under the agreements governing our leases and indebtedness or fail to comply with the financial and operating covenants contained in them, we would be in default, and as a result, our debt holders would have the ability to require that we immediately repay our outstanding indebtedness and the lenders under our senior secured credit facility could terminate their commitments to lend us money and foreclose against the assets securing their borrowings. We could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation. The acceleration of our indebtedness under one agreement may permit acceleration of indebtedness under other agreements that contain cross-default and cross-acceleration provisions. If our indebtedness is accelerated, we may not be able to repay our indebtedness or borrow sufficient funds to refinance it. Even if we are able to obtain new financing, it may not be on commercially reasonable terms or on terms that are acceptable to us. If our debt holders require immediate payment, we may not have sufficient assets to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness.
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A lowering or withdrawal of the ratings assigned or a change in outlook to our outstanding debt securities by rating agencies may increase our future borrowing costs and reduce our access to capital.
We are rated by nationally recognized rating agencies. The rating scales and methodologies used to derive individual ratings may vary from agency to agency. Credit ratings are issued by credit rating agencies based on evaluations of our ability to pay back our outstanding debt and the likelihood that we would default on that debt prior to its maturity. The credit ratings issued by the rating agencies represent the rating agency's evaluation of both qualitative and quantitative information for our company. The credit ratings that are issued are based on the rating agency’s judgment and experience in determining what information should be considered in giving a rating to a particular company. Ratings are always subject to change and there can be no assurance that our current ratings will remain the same for any given period of time.
Our debt currently has a non-investment grade rating, and any rating assigned could be lowered (or outlook thereof could be changed) or withdrawn entirely by a rating agency if, in that rating agency’s judgment, future circumstances relating to the basis of the rating, such as adverse changes in our business or industry, so warrant. Any future lowering of our ratings likely would make it more difficult or more expensive for us to obtain additional debt financing. In particular, our access to the capital markets may be impacted, our other funding sources may decrease, the cost of debt may increase as a result of increased interest rates or fees, and we may be required to provide additional credit assurances, including collateral, under certain contracts or arrangements.
Holdings’ inability to raise funds necessary to settle conversions of, or to repurchase, the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes (as defined below), upon a fundamental change as described in the indenture governing the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes, may lead to defaults under such indenture and under agreements governing our existing or future indebtedness.
If Holdings settles the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes by cash, or by a combination of cash and shares of our common stock, upon a fundamental change as described in the indenture governing the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes, Holdings will be required to make cash payments with respect to the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes being converted. However, Holdings may not have enough available cash or be able to obtain financing at the time it is required to settle the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes being surrendered or converted. In addition, Holdings’ ability to settle the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes or to pay cash upon conversion of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes is limited by the agreements governing CUSA’s existing indebtedness and may also be limited by law, by regulatory authority or by agreements that will govern future indebtedness. Holdings’ failure to settle the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes at a time when the repurchase is required by the indenture governing the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes or to pay cash payable on future conversions of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes as required by such indenture would constitute a default under such indenture. A default under the indenture governing the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes or the fundamental change itself could also lead to a default under agreements governing CUSA’s existing or future indebtedness.
The conditional conversion feature of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes, if triggered, may adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.
In the event the conditional conversion feature of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes is triggered, holders of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes will be entitled to convert the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes at any time during specified periods at their option. If one or more holders elect to convert their 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes, Holdings may elect to satisfy its conversion obligations by payment and delivery of a combination of cash and shares of its common stock. Settlement of this conversion obligation through the payment of cash could adversely affect Holdings’ and CUSA’s liquidity. In addition, even if holders do not elect to convert their 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes, Holdings could be required under applicable accounting rules to reclassify all or a portion of the outstanding principal of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes as a current rather than long-term liability, which would result in a material reduction of its net working capital.
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Conversion of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes may dilute the ownership interest of existing stockholders, or may otherwise depress the price of Holdings’ common stock.
The conversion of some or all of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes will dilute the ownership interests of existing stockholders to the extent Holdings delivers shares of its common stock upon conversion of any of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes. The 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes may from time to time in the future be convertible at the option of their holders prior to their scheduled terms under certain circumstances. Any sales in the public market of the common stock issuable upon such conversion could adversely affect prevailing market prices of its common stock. In addition, the existence of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes may encourage short selling by market participants because the conversion of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes could be used to satisfy short positions, or anticipated conversion of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes into shares of Holdings’ common stock could depress the price of Holdings’ common stock.
The 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes Hedge Transactions and Warrant Transactions (each as defined below) may affect the value of Holdings’ common stock.
In connection with the pricing of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes, Holdings entered into Hedge Transactions with, and sold Warrants (as defined below) to, Option Counterparties (as defined below). The Hedge Transactions are expected generally to reduce the potential dilution to Holdings’ common stock upon any conversion of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes and/or offset any cash payments Holdings is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes, as the case may be. The Warrants would separately have a dilutive effect to the extent that the market price per share of Holdings’ common stock exceeds the strike price of any Warrants on the applicable expiration dates unless, subject to the terms of the Warrants, Holdings elects to cash settle the Warrants. In addition, the Option Counterparties or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to Holdings’ common stock and/or purchasing or selling Holdings’ common stock or other securities of Holdings’ in secondary market transactions prior to the maturity of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes (and are likely to do so during any observation period related to a conversion of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes or following any repurchase of the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes by us in connection with any fundamental change repurchase date or otherwise). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or decrease in the market price of Holdings’ common stock.
In addition, if any such Hedge Transactions and Warrants fail to become effective, the Option Counterparties or their respective affiliates may unwind their hedge positions with respect to Holdings’ common stock, which could adversely affect the market price of its common stock. The potential effect, if any, of these transactions and activities on the market price of Holdings’ common stock will depend in part on market conditions and cannot be ascertained at this time. Any of these activities could adversely affect the value of Holdings’ common stock.
Holdings is subject to counterparty risk with respect to the 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes Hedge Transactions.
The Option Counterparties are financial institutions or affiliates of financial institutions, and Holdings will be subject to the risk that one or more of such Option Counterparties may default under the Hedge Transactions. Holdings’ exposure to the credit risk of the Option Counterparties will not be secured by any collateral. If any Option Counterparty becomes subject to insolvency proceedings, Holdings will become an unsecured creditor in those proceedings with a claim equal to its exposure at that time under its transactions with that counterparty. Holdings’ exposure will depend on many factors but, generally, the increase in Holdings’ exposure will be correlated to the increase in Holdings’ common stock market price and in the volatility of the market price of Holdings’ common stock. In addition, upon a default by the Option Counterparty, Holdings may suffer adverse tax consequences and more dilution than it currently anticipates with respect to its common stock. Holdings can provide no assurance as to the financial stability or viability of any Option Counterparty.
A credit market crisis may adversely affect our ability to raise capital and may materially impact our operations.
Severe dislocations and liquidity disruptions in the credit markets could materially impact our ability to obtain debt financing on reasonable terms or at all. The inability to access debt financing on reasonable terms could materially impact our ability to make acquisitions, invest in technology innovations or significantly expand our business in the future.
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Holdings’ ability to pay dividends may be limited or otherwise restricted.
Holdings’ ability to pay dividends is limited by its status as a holding company and the terms of CUSA’s senior notes indentures and CUSA’s senior secured credit facility, which restrict Holdings’ ability to pay dividends and the ability of certain of its subsidiaries to pay dividends, directly or indirectly, to Holdings. Under CUSA’s debt instruments, we may pay a cash dividend up to a specified amount, provided we have satisfied certain financial covenants in, and are not in default under, CUSA’s debt instruments. The declaration of future dividends on Holdings’ common stock, par value $0.001 per share, or Common Stock, will be at the discretion of Holdings’ board of directors and will depend upon many factors, including our results of operations, cash flows, financial condition, earnings, capital requirements, limitations in CUSA’s debt agreements and legal requirements. Holdings suspended its dividend in March 2020 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is uncertain when Holdings will resume paying dividends.
Future sales of Holdings’ common stock may adversely affect the prevailing market price.
Future sales of substantial amounts of Holdings’ common stock in the open market and the issuance of the shares reserved for future issuance under Holdings’ incentive plan, in exchange for outstanding warrants, conversion of outstanding 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes, or in connection with acquisitions or other corporate events, will be dilutive to Holdings’ existing stockholders and could result in a decrease in Holdings’ stock price. Holdings cannot predict whether substantial amounts of its common stock will be sold in the open market in anticipation of, or following, any divestiture by any of its large stockholders, its directors or executive officers of their shares of common stock. Holdings can also issue shares of its common stock which are authorized but unissued and not reserved for any specific purpose without any action or approval by its stockholders.
We may not be able to generate additional revenue or continue to realize value from our investment in NCM.
As of December 31, 2022, we owned 43.7 common units of NCM, which represented an ownership interest in NCM of approximately 25.4%. CUSA receives monthly theatre access and advertising fees under an Exhibitor Services Agreement with NCM, and CUSA has received quarterly distributions of excess cash from NCM pursuant to NCM’s operating agreement. During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, Holdings and CUSA each recorded approximately $36.0 million, $44.1 million and $52.2 million in other revenue related to NCM, respectively, $14.1 million, $0.2 million and $0 million in cash distributions recorded as a reduction of the investment in NCM, respectively, and $7.0 million, $0.1 million and $0 in cash distributions in excess of the investment in NCM, respectively. On February 23, 2022, we redeemed substantially all of our common units of NCM for an equal number of common shares in National Cinemedia, Inc. (“NCMI”). Distributions of excess cash from NCM to its members, including NCMI, are currently restricted through December 2023 in accordance with the credit agreement amendment NCM entered into with its lenders, and NCMI has suspended its dividend. Cinema advertising is a small component of the U.S. advertising market and therefore, NCM competes with larger, more established and well-known media platforms such as broadcast radio and television, cable and satellite television, outdoor advertising and Internet portals. In-theatre advertising may not continue to attract advertisers or NCM’s in-theatre advertising format may not continue to be received favorably by theatre patrons. If NCM is unable to continue to generate consistent advertising revenue, its results of operations may be adversely affected and our investment in NCM may be adversely impacted. NCM has a substantial amount of indebtedness and has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. If a bankruptcy case were commenced by or against NCM, it is possible that our Exhibitor Services Agreement would be rejected or renegotiated and it is possible that we may lose all of our equity in NCM. Additionally, Cineworld Group plc (“Cineworld”) (the parent company of Regal Entertainment, Inc. (“Regal”)), filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in September 2022. As part of the bankruptcy proceedings, Cineworld has filed motions to reject Regal’s Exhibitor Services Agreement. If the rejection of the Exhibitor Services Agreement is approved or if Regal closes or disposes of a significant number of theatres, NCM’s advertising revenue will be adversely impacted.
NCMI’s stock price was $0.22 per share at December 31, 2022, which was significantly below the Company’s carrying value of NCM per common unit. As a result of the decrease in stock price and the prolonged recovery of NCM’s business, during the year ended December 31, 2022 we wrote-down CUSA’s investment in NCM by $113.2 million to its estimated fair value. Since NCM's revenues are primarily dependent on theatre attendance, future NCM revenues and future dividends from NCMI will depend on the continued recovery of the motion picture exhibition industry.
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Regulatory Risks
We are subject to various government regulations which could result in substantial costs.
We are subject to various federal, state and local laws, regulations and administrative practices in the U.S. and internationally. We must comply with laws regulating, among other things, antitrust activities, employment environment, sale of concession goods, alcoholic beverages, data protection and privacy and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA") and similar state disability rights laws. Compliance with the ADA and similar disability rights laws requires us as a public accommodation to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This applies to the construction of new theatres, certain renovations, existing theatres, websites and mobile applications and presentations for the blind, deaf and hard of hearing. Changes in existing laws, regulations or administrative practices or new laws, regulations or administrative practices could have a significant impact on our business.
We may face data protection, data security, and privacy risks in connection with privacy regulation.
Strict data privacy laws regulating the collection, transmission, storage and use of employee data and consumers’ personally identifying information are evolving in the U.S. and other jurisdictions in which we operate. These laws impose compliance obligations for the collection, use, retention, security, processing, transfer and deletion of personally identifiable information of individuals and creates enhanced rights for individuals. These changes in the legal and regulatory environments in the areas of customer and employee privacy, data security, and cross-border data flows could have a material adverse effect on our business, primarily through the impairment of our marketing and transaction processing activities, the limitation on the types of information that we may collect, process and retain, the resulting costs of complying with such legal and regulatory requirements and potential monetary forfeitures and penalties for noncompliance.
We may be subject to increased labor and benefits costs.
In the U.S., we are subject to United States federal and state laws governing such matters as minimum wages, working conditions and overtime. We are also subject to union regulations in certain of our international markets, which can specify wage rates as well as minimum hours to be paid to certain employees. As federal and state minimum wage rates increase, we may need to increase not only the wages of our minimum wage employees, but also the wages paid to employees at wage rates that are above minimum wage. Labor market conditions have also recently driven increases in wages across our labor base and similar increases may continue in the future. Labor shortages, increased employee turnover and health care mandates could also increase our labor costs. This in turn could lead us to increase prices, which could impact our sales. Conversely, if competitive pressures or other factors prevent us from offsetting increased labor costs by increases in prices, our results of operations may be adversely impacted.
Provisions in Holdings’ corporate documents and certain of CUSA’s agreements, as well as Delaware law, may hinder a change of control.
Provisions in the Holdings amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, could discourage unsolicited proposals to acquire us. These provisions include:
Certain provisions of CUSA’s 8.75% secured notes indenture, 5.25% senior notes indenture, CUSA’s 5.875% senior notes indenture and CUSA’s senior secured credit facility may have the effect of delaying or preventing future transactions involving a “change of control.” A “change of control” would require us to make an offer to the holders of each of its 8.75% Secured Notes, 5.25% Senior Notes and 5.875% Senior Notes to repurchase all of the outstanding notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest
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to the date of purchase. A “change of control” would also be an event of default under CUSA’s senior secured credit facility.
Risks Related to Information Security and Business Disruptions
An information security incident, including a cyber security breach, and our failure to protect our electronically stored data could adversely affect our business or reputation.
We collect, use, store and maintain electronic information and data necessary to conduct our business, including confidential and proprietary information of the company, our customers, and our employees. We also rely on the availability of information technology systems to operate our business, including for communications, receiving and displaying movies, ticketing, guest services, payments, and other general operations. We rely on some of our vendors to store and process certain data and to manage, host, and/or provide some of our information technology systems. Because of the scope and complexity of our information technology systems, our reliance on vendors to provide, support and protect our systems and data, and the constantly evolving cyber-threat landscape, our information technology systems are subject to the risk of disruption, failure, unauthorized access, cyber-terrorism, human error, misuse, tampering, theft, and other cyber-attacks. These or similar events, whether accidental or intentional, could result in theft, unauthorized access or disclosure, loss, fraudulent or unlawful use of customer, employee or company data, which could harm our reputation or result in a loss of business, as well as remedial and other costs, fines, investigations, enforcement actions or lawsuits. These or similar events could also lead to an interruption in the operation of our systems resulting in business impact, including loss of business. Those same scope, complexity, reliance, and changing cyber-threat landscape factors could also affect our ability to adapt to and comply with changing regulations and contractual obligations applicable to data security and privacy, which are increasingly demanding, both in the United States and in other jurisdictions where we operate. In order to address these risks, we have adopted security measures and technology, operate a security program, and work continuously to evaluate and improve our security posture. However, the development and maintenance of these systems and programs are costly and require ongoing monitoring and updating as technologies change and efforts to overcome security measures become more sophisticated. As such, there can be no assurance that these or similar events will not occur in the future or will not have an adverse effect on our business and results of operation.
In addition to Company-specific cyber threats or events, our business and results of operations could also be impacted by cyber-related events affecting our peers and partners within the entertainment industry, as well as other retail companies. We maintain insurance designed to provide coverage for cyber risks related to what we believe to be adequate and collectible insurance in the event of the theft, loss, fraudulent or unlawful use of customer, employee or company data, but the foregoing events or future events could result in costs and business impacts which may not be covered or may be in excess of any available insurance that we may have procured. As a result, future events could have a material impact on our business and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Other General Risks
General political, social, health and economic conditions can adversely affect our business.
Our results of operations are dependent on general political, social, health and economic conditions, and the impact of such conditions on our theatre operating costs and on the willingness of consumers to spend money at movie theatres. If consumers’ discretionary income declines during a period of an economic downturn or political uncertainty, our operations could be adversely affected. If theatre operating costs, such as utility costs, increase due to political or economic changes, our results of operations could be adversely affected. Supply chain interruptions may increase costs and limit product availability, as reduced supply of certain commodities and labor shortages in the transportation industry have led to limitations in product availability and continued increases in product pricing. Political events, such as terrorist attacks, and health-related pandemics or epidemics, such as flu or other virus outbreaks, could cause people to avoid our theatres or other public places where large crowds are in attendance, which could adversely affect our results of operations. In addition, a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or an earthquake, could impact our ability to operate certain of our theatres, which could adversely affect our results of operations.
A failure to adapt to future technological innovations could impact our ability to compete effectively and could adversely affect our results of operations.
While we continue to invest in technological innovations, such as laser projectors and motion seats, new technological innovations continue to impact our industry. If we are unable to respond to or invest in changes in
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technology and the technological preferences of our customers, we may not be able to compete with other exhibitors or other entertainment venues, which could adversely affect our results of operations.
Legislative or regulatory initiatives related to global warming/climate change concerns may negatively impact our business.
Recently, there has been an increasing focus and continuous debate on global climate change including increased attention from regulatory agencies and legislative bodies. This increased focus may lead to new initiatives directed at regulating an as-yet unspecified array of environmental matters. Legislative, regulatory or other efforts in the U.S. to combat climate change could result in future increases in the cost of raw materials, taxes, transportation and utilities for our vendors and for us which would result in higher operating costs for the Company. Also, compliance of our theatres and accompanying real estate with new and revised environmental, zoning, land-use or building codes, laws, rules or regulations, could have a material and adverse effect on our business. However, we are unable to predict at this time, the potential effects, if any, that any future environmental initiatives may have on our business.
We may be subject to liability under environmental laws and regulations.
We own and operate a large number of theatres and other properties within the U.S. and internationally, which may be subject to various foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment or human health. Such environmental laws and regulations include those that impose liability for the investigation and remediation of spills or releases of hazardous materials. We may incur such liability, including for any currently or formerly owned, leased or operated property, or for any site, to which we may have disposed, or arranged for the disposal of, hazardous materials or wastes. Certain of these laws and regulations may impose liability, including joint and several liability, which can result in a liable party being obliged to pay for greater than its share, regardless of fault or the legality of the original disposal. Environmental conditions relating to our properties or operations could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations and cash flows.
Product recalls and associated costs could adversely affect our reputation and financial condition.
We may be found liable if the consumption of any of the products we sell causes illness or injury. We are also subject to recall by product manufacturers or if the food products become contaminated. Recalls could result in losses due to the cost of the recall, the destruction of the product and lost sales due to the unavailability of the product for a period of time.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2. Properties
The following table sets forth a summary of our theatres in U.S. and international markets as of December 31, 2022:
|
|
Leased |
|
|
Owned |
|
||
Segment |
|
Theatres |
|
|
Theatres |
|
||
U.S. |
|
|
277 |
|
|
|
41 |
|
International |
|
|
200 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Total |
|
|
477 |
|
|
|
41 |
|
See also Item 1, Business – Theatre Operations, for a summary of the geographic locations for our U.S. and international theatre circuit as of December 31, 2022.
The Company conducts a significant part of its theatre operations in leased properties under noncancelable operating and finance leases with base terms generally ranging from 10 to 25 years. In addition to fixed lease payments, some of the leases provide for variable lease payments and some require the payment of taxes, insurance, common area maintenance and other costs applicable to the property. Variable lease payments include payments based on a percentage of sales over defined thresholds or payments adjusted periodically for inflation or changes in pricing or attendance. The Company can renew, at its option, a substantial portion of the leases at defined or then market rental rates for various periods. Some leases also provide for escalating rent payments throughout the lease term. See Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our leases.
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In addition to our theatre properties, we currently own an office building in Plano, Texas, which is our worldwide headquarters. We lease office space in Frisco, Texas and a warehouse in McKinney, Texas. We also lease office space in seven regions in Latin America for our local office teams.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
For a discussion of contingencies related to legal proceedings, see Note 21 to the consolidated financial statements, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
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PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market Information and Holders of Common Stock
Holdings’ common equity consists of common stock, which has traded on the New York Stock Exchange since April 24, 2007 under the symbol “CNK.”
As of December 31, 2022, there were 500 holders of record of Holdings’ common stock and there were no other classes of stock issued and outstanding.
Dividend Policy
Holdings, at the discretion of its board of directors and subject to applicable law, may pay regular quarterly dividends on its common stock. The amount, if any, of the dividends to be paid in the future will depend upon our then available cash, anticipated cash needs, overall financial condition, debt agreement restrictions, forecasted earnings and cash flows, as well as other relevant factors. In March 2020, the Holdings board of directors suspended its dividend in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. See Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation – Liquidity and Capital Resources – Financing Activities for a discussion of dividend restrictions under CUSA’s debt agreements. See Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements for a detail of dividends paid by Holdings during the year ended December 31, 2020.
During the year ended December 31, 2020, CUSA paid cash dividends of approximately $42.0 million to Holdings. No such dividends were paid during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022. CUSA’s ability to pay dividends is limited by the terms of its senior notes indentures and its senior secured credit facility, which restrict its ability to pay dividends and the ability of certain of its subsidiaries to pay dividends. See Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our debt agreements. The declaration of future dividends will depend upon many factors, including CUSA’s results of operations, financial condition, earnings, capital requirements, limitations in our debt agreements and legal requirements.
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Performance Graph
We benchmark our financial performance against AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (AMC) and IMAX Corporation (IMAX), the two other publicly-held companies in our industry with whom we compete for investor capital. The performance graph below sets forth the cumulative total shareholder return (assuming reinvestment of dividends) to Holdings’ stockholders during the five-year period ended December 31, 2022, as well as the corresponding returns on the S&P 500 Index and in each of AMC and IMAX. Holdings’ stock price performance shown in the graph below may not be indicative of future stock performance.
Item 6. [Reserved]
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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. is a holding company and its wholly-owned subsidiary is Cinemark USA, Inc. Holdings consolidates CUSA and its subsidiaries for financial statement purposes, and CUSA comprises approximately the entire balance of Holdings’ assets, liabilities and operating cash flows. In addition, CUSA’s operating revenue and operating expenses comprise nearly 100% of Holdings’ revenue and operating expenses. As such, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) that follows is for Holdings and CUSA in all material respects, unless otherwise noted. Differences between the operations and results of Holdings and CUSA are separately disclosed and explained. Where it is important to distinguish between the entities, we either refer specifically to Holdings or CUSA. Otherwise, all references to “we,” “our,” “us,” “the Company” or “Cinemark” relate to Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries and all references to CUSA relate to CUSA and its consolidated subsidiaries.
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and accompanying notes included in this report. This discussion may contain forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” for a discussion of the uncertainties and risks associated with these statements. Discussion regarding our financial condition and results of operations for 2021 compared with 2020 is included in Item 7 of Holdings’ 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 25, 2022 and CUSA’s 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 9, 2022.
Overview
We are a leader in the motion picture exhibition industry, with theatres in the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Bolivia, Curacao and Paraguay. As of December 31, 2022, we managed our business under two reportable operating segments – U.S. markets and international markets. See Note 22 to the consolidated financial statements.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the global economy and created a strain on the movie exhibition industry along with widespread social and economic effects. We temporarily closed our theatres in the U.S. and Latin America during March of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, we implemented various cash preservation strategies, including, but not limited to, temporary personnel and salary reductions, halting non-essential operating and capital expenditures, negotiating modified timing and/or abatement of contractual payments with landlords and other major suppliers, and the suspension of our quarterly dividend.
Throughout 2020 and 2021 we reopened theatres as soon as local restrictions and the status of the COVID-19 pandemic would allow. All of our domestic and international theatres were reopened by the end of the fourth quarter of 2021. While we reopened our theatres and were able to operate, we faced ongoing challenges with the significant reduction in new film releases as our distributors considered the impact of COVID-19 on future box office potential, with many studio partners simultaneously launching streaming platforms.
The industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is still underway and is contingent upon the volume of new film content available, as well as the box office performance of new film content released. The industry continues to adapt to the evolution of the exclusive theatrical release window, competition from streaming platforms, supply chain constraints, inflationary impacts, and other economic factors.
Revenue and Expenses
We generate revenue primarily from filmed entertainment box office receipts and concession sales, with additional revenue from screen advertising, screen rental and other revenue streams, such as transactional fees, vendor marketing promotions, studio trailer placements, meeting rentals and electronic video games located in some of our theatres. We also offer alternative entertainment, such as the Metropolitan Opera, concert events, in-theatre gaming, live and pre-recorded sports programs and other special events in our theatres. NCM provides our domestic theatres with various forms of in-theatre advertising. Our Flix Media subsidiaries provide screen advertising and alternative content for our international circuit and to other international exhibitors.
Films released during the year ended December 31, 2022 included Top Gun: Maverick, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Jurassic World: Dominion, Minions: The Rise of
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Gru, The Batman, Thor: Love and Thunder, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Black Adam, Elvis, Uncharted, Nope, Lightyear, Smile, The Lost City, Bullet Train, and the highly anticipated sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, among other films.
Currently, films scheduled for release in 2023 include Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, John Wick 4, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, The Little Mermaid, Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse; Elemental; The Flash; Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny; Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, The Marvels, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Dune Part Two, Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, among other films.
There are several key factors impacting the industry box office's continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the availability and quality of new films released, the duration of the exclusive theatrical release windows and evolving consumer behavior with competition from streaming platforms and other forms of entertainment.
Film rental costs are variable in nature and fluctuate with our admissions revenue. Film rental costs as a percentage of revenue are generally higher for periods in which more blockbuster films are released. The Company previously received virtual print fees (VPFs) from studios for certain of its international locations, which were included as a contra-expense in film rental and advertising costs on the consolidated statements of income. However, these costs were fully recovered during 2021, and as a result, were not received during 2022 and will not be received in future periods. Advertising costs, which are expensed as incurred, are primarily related to expanding our customer base, increasing the frequency of visits and growing loyalty. These expenses vary depending on the timing and length of such campaigns.
Concession supplies expense is variable in nature and fluctuates with our concession revenue and also product mix. Supply chain interruptions and inflationary pressures have impacted, and may continue to impact, product costs and product availability in the near term. We source products from a variety of partners around the world to minimize supply chain interruptions and price increases, wherever possible.
Although salaries and wages include a fixed cost component (i.e., the minimum staffing costs to operate a theatre facility during non-peak periods), salaries and wages tend to move in relation to revenue as theatre staffing is adjusted to respond to changes in attendance. Staffing levels may vary based on the amenities offered at each location, such as full-service restaurants, bars or expanded food and beverage options. In certain international locations, staffing levels are also subject to local regulations, including minimum hour requirements. Labor market conditions and inflationary pressures have driven increases in wages across our labor base and similar increases may continue in the future.
Facility lease expense is primarily a fixed cost at the theatre level as most of our facility leases require a fixed monthly minimum rent payment. Certain leases are subject to percentage rent only, while others are subject to percentage rent in addition to their fixed monthly rent if a target annual performance level is achieved. Facility lease expense as a percentage of revenue is also affected by the number of theatres under operating leases, the number of theatres under finance leases and the number of owned theatres.
Utilities and other costs include both fixed and variable costs and primarily consist of utilities, property taxes, janitorial costs, credit card fees, third party ticket sales commissions, repairs and maintenance expenses, security services and projection and sound equipment maintenance expenses.
General and administrative expenses to support the overall management of the Company are primarily fixed in nature with certain variable components. Fixed expenses include salaries, wages and benefits costs for our corporate office personnel, facility expenses for our corporate and other offices, software license and maintenance costs and audit fees. Some variable expenses may include incentive compensation, consulting and legal fees, supplies and other costs that are not specifically associated with the operations of our theatres.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Holdings and CUSA each prepare their consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S., or U.S. GAAP. As such, Holdings and CUSA are each required to make certain estimates and assumptions that it believes are reasonable based upon the information available. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. The significant accounting policies and estimates, which we believe are the most critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating Holdings’ and CUSA’s reported consolidated financial results, include the following:
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Revenue and Expense Recognition
Our patrons have the option to purchase movie tickets well in advance of a movie showtime or right before the movie showtime, or at any point in between those two timeframes depending on seat availability. We recognize such admissions revenue when the showtime for a purchased movie ticket has passed. Concession revenue is recognized when products are sold to the consumer, or if purchased in advance, based on the showtime associated with the customer’s movie ticket. Other revenue primarily consists of screen advertising, screen rental revenue, promotional income, studio trailer placements and transactional fees. Except for NCM screen advertising advances (see Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements), these revenues are generally recognized when we have performed the related services. We sell gift cards and discount ticket vouchers, the proceeds from which are recorded as deferred revenue. Deferred revenue for gift cards and discount ticket vouchers is recognized when they are redeemed for concession items or, if redeemed for movie tickets, when the showtime has passed. We generally record breakage revenue on gift cards and discount ticket vouchers based on redemption activity and historical experience with unused balances. We offer a subscription program in the U.S. whereby patrons can pay a monthly or annual fee to receive a monthly credit for use towards a future movie ticket purchase. We record the subscription program fees as deferred revenue and record admissions revenue when the showtime for a movie ticket purchased with a credit has passed. We have loyalty programs in the U.S. and many of our international locations that either have a prepaid annual fee or award points to customers as purchases are made. For those loyalty programs that have a prepaid annual fee, we recognize the fee collected as other revenue on a straight-line basis over the term of the program. For those loyalty programs that award points to customers based on their purchases, we record a portion of the original transaction proceeds as deferred revenue based on the number of reward points issued to customers and recognize the deferred revenue when the customer redeems such points. The value of loyalty points issued is based on the estimated fair value of the rewards offered. We record breakage revenue on deferred loyalty and subscription revenue generally upon the expiration of points and subscription credits, respectively. Advances collected on concession and other contracts are deferred and recognized during the period in which the Company satisfies the related performance obligations, which may differ from the period in which the advances are collected.
Film rental costs are based on the film licensing arrangements and accrued based on the applicable box office receipts and either; 1) a sliding scale formula, which is generally established prior to the opening of the film, 2) a firm terms formula as negotiated prior to a film’s theatrical run or 3) estimates of the final settlement rate, which occurs at the conclusion of the film’s run. Under a sliding scale formula, we pay a percentage of box office revenues using a pre-determined scale that is based upon box office performance of the film for its full theatrical run. Under a firm terms formula, we pay the distributor a percentage of box office receipts, that can either be an aggregate rate for the full theatrical run or rates that decline over the term of the theatrical run. The settlement process allows for negotiation of film rental fees upon the conclusion of the film's theatrical run based upon how the film performs. Estimates are based on the expected success of a film. The success of a film can generally be determined a few weeks after a film is released when the initial box office performance of the film is known. If actual settlements are different than those estimates, film rental costs are adjusted at that time.
Facility lease expense is primarily a fixed cost at the theatre level as most of our facility leases require a fixed monthly minimum rent payment. Certain of our leases are subject to monthly percentage rent only, which is accrued each month based on actual revenues. Certain of our other theatres require payment of percentage rent in addition to fixed monthly rent if an annual target revenue level is achieved. Percentage rent expense is estimated and recorded for these theatres on a monthly basis if the theatre’s historical performance or forecasted performance indicates that the annual target revenue level will be reached. Once annual revenues are known, the timing of which is based on the respective lease agreement, percentage rent expense is adjusted at that time.
Theatre properties and equipment are depreciated using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. In estimating the useful lives of our theatre properties and equipment, we have relied upon our experience with such assets and our historical replacement period. We periodically evaluate these estimates and assumptions and adjust them as necessary. Leasehold improvements for which we pay, and to which we have title, are amortized over the lesser of their useful life or the remaining initial lease term.
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Long-Lived Assets Impairment Evaluaitons
We review long-lived assets for impairment indicators on a quarterly basis or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. We also perform a full quantitative impairment evaluation on an annual basis. We assess many factors including the following to determine whether to impair individual theatre assets:
Long-lived assets are evaluated for impairment on a theatre level, which we believe is the lowest applicable level for which there are identifiable cash flows. The impairment evaluation is based on the estimated undiscounted cash flows from continuing use through the remainder of the theatre’s useful life. The remainder of the theatre’s useful life correlates with the remaining lease period, which includes the probability of the exercise of available renewal periods for leased properties, and the lesser of twenty years or the building’s remaining useful life for owned properties. If the estimated undiscounted cash flows are not sufficient to recover a long-lived asset’s carrying value, we then compare the carrying value of the asset group (theatre) with its estimated fair value. When estimated fair value is determined to be lower than the carrying value of the asset group (theatre), the asset group (theatre) is written down to its estimated fair value. Significant judgment is involved in estimating cash flows and fair value. Fair value is determined based on a multiple of cash flows. Management’s estimates, which fall under Level 3 of the U.S. GAAP fair value hierarchy as defined by FASB ASC Topic 820-10-35, are based on historical and projected operating performance, recent market transactions and current industry trading multiples.
See further discussion of our impairment evaluation policy in Note 1 of the consolidated financial statements. See a summary of the impairment evaluations performed and impairments recorded during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022 in Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Impairment Evaluations
We evaluate goodwill for impairment annually during the fourth quarter or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of the goodwill may not be fully recoverable. We evaluate goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level and we have allocated goodwill to the reporting unit based on an estimate of its relative fair value. Management considers its reporting units to be the U.S. and each of its international countries that has been allocated goodwill (the Company does not have goodwill recorded for all of its international locations). Management evaluates goodwill at the U.S. market level as its U.S. regions have similar economic characteristics. Under a quantitative goodwill impairment analysis, the Company estimates the fair value of each reporting unit and compares it with its carrying value. Fair value is estimated using the market and income approaches, which consider a multiple of cash flows for each reporting unit as the basis for fair value. Significant judgment including management’s estimate of future theatre level cash flows for each theatre is involved in estimating fair value of a reporting unit. The Company’s estimates, which fall under Level 3 of the U.S. GAAP fair value hierarchy as defined by FASB ASC Topic 820-10-35, are based on projected operating performance of each reporting unit, relevant market transactions and industry trading multiples. Under ASC Topic 350, Goodwill, Intangibles and Other, we may perform a qualitative impairment assessment or a quantitative impairment assessment of our goodwill.
Tradename intangible assets are tested for impairment at least annually during the fourth quarter or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be fully recoverable. Under ASC Topic 350, we can elect to perform a qualitative or quantitative impairment assessment for our tradename intangible assets. A quantitative tradename impairment assessment includes comparing the carrying values of tradename assets to their estimated fair value. Fair values are estimated by applying an estimated market royalty rate that could be charged for
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the use of our tradenames to forecasted future revenues, with an adjustment for the present value of such royalties. If the estimated fair value is less than the carrying value, the tradename intangible asset is written down to its estimated fair value. Significant judgment is involved in estimating market royalty rates and long-term revenue forecasts. Management’s estimates, which fall under Level 3 of the U.S. GAAP fair value hierarchy as defined by FASB ASC Topic 820-10-35, are based on historical and projected revenue performance and industry trends. The Company’s qualitative assessment considers industry and market conditions and recent developments that may impact the revenue forecasts and other estimates as compared to its most recent quantitative assessment.
See further discussion of our impairment evaluation policy in Note 1 of the consolidated financial statements. See a summary of the impairment evaluations performed and impairments recorded during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022 in Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements.
Income Taxes
CUSA participates in the consolidated return of Holdings; however, CUSA’s provisions for income taxes are computed on a stand-alone basis. We use an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income taxes are provided when tax laws and financial accounting standards differ with respect to the amount of income for a year and the basis of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the carrying amount of deferred tax assets unless it is more likely than not that such assets will be realized. Income taxes are provided on unremitted earnings from foreign subsidiaries unless such earnings are expected to be indefinitely reinvested. Income taxes have also been provided for potential tax assessments. The evaluation of an uncertain tax position is a two-step process. The first step is recognition: We determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. In evaluating whether a tax position has met the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we presume that the position would be examined by the appropriate taxing authority that would have full knowledge of all relevant information. The second step is measurement: A tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The tax position is measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Differences between tax positions taken in a tax return and amounts recognized in the financial statements result in (1) a change in a liability for income taxes payable or (2) a change in an income tax refund receivable, a deferred tax asset or a deferred tax liability or both (1) and (2). We accrue interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions. See Note 20 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of income taxes.
Accounting for Investment in National CineMedia, LLC and Related Agreements
We have an investment in NCM. NCM operates a digital in-theatre network in the U.S. providing cinema advertising. The Company entered into an Exhibitor Services Agreement, or ESA, with NCM pursuant to which NCM primarily provides advertising to its domestic theatres. On February 13, 2007, National CineMedia, Inc., or NCMI, an entity that serves as the sole manager of NCM, completed an initial public offering (“IPO”) of its common stock. In connection with the NCMI initial public offering, the Company amended its operating agreement and the ESA. At the time of the NCM IPO and as a result of amending the ESA, the Company received approximately $174 million in cash consideration from NCM. The proceeds were recorded as deferred revenue, or NCM screen advertising advances, and are being amortized over the term of the amended and restated ESA, which expires in February 2041. Following the NCMI IPO, the Company will not recognize undistributed equity in the earnings on its original NCM membership units (referred to herein as the Company’s Tranche 1 Investment) until NCM's future net earnings, less distributions received, surpass the amount of the excess distribution. The Company recognizes equity in earnings on its Tranche 1 Investment only to the extent it receives cash distributions from NCM. The Company recognizes the cash distributions it receives from NCM on its Tranche 1 Investment as a component of earnings reflected as Distributions from NCM. The Company believes that the accounting model provided by ASC 323-10-35-22 for recognition of equity investee losses in excess of an investor's basis is analogous to the accounting for equity income subsequent to recognizing an excess distribution.
In addition to the consideration received upon the NCMI IPO and ESA modification in 2007, the Company also periodically receives consideration in the form of common unit adjustments from NCM. Pursuant to a Common Unit Adjustment Agreement dated as of February 13, 2007 between NCMI and the Company, AMC and Regal, collectively referred to as the Founding Members, annual adjustments to the common membership units are made primarily based on increases or decreases in the number of theatre screens operated and theatre attendance generated by each Founding
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Member. The common units received (collectively referred to as the Company’s “Tranche 2 Investment”) are recorded at fair value as an increase in the Company’s investment in NCM with an offset to deferred revenue or NCM screen advertising advances. The Company’s Tranche 2 Investment is accounted for following the equity method, with undistributed equity earnings related to its Tranche 2 Investment included as a component of equity in income of affiliates and distributions received related to its Tranche 2 Investment recorded as a reduction of its investment basis. The fair value of the common units received is estimated based on the market price of NCMI common stock (Level 1 input as defined in FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement) at the time the common units are determined, adjusted for volatility associated with the estimated time period it would take to convert the common units and register the respective shares.
The Company evaluates its investment in NCM for impairment that is other than temporary on a quarterly basis or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the current value of the investment may be less than its carrying value. Under ASC Topic 323, Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures, a loss in value of an investment that is other than a temporary decline should be recognized. Factors that are considered in evaluating whether a decline in the value of an investment is other than temporary include a severe and sustained decline in the quoted market price of an investment below the carrying value of the investment, or specific events that may adversely influence the operations of the investee in a permanent or irreversible manner.
See Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our investment in NCM and our assessment of its fair market value and other than temporary impairments.
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Results of Operations
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the amounts for certain items reflected in operating loss of Holdings along with each of those items as a percentage of revenue.
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|
Year Ended December 31, |
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2020 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
2022 |
|
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Operating data (in millions): |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Revenue |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Admissions |
|
$ |
356.5 |
|
|
$ |
780.0 |
|
|
$ |
1,246.9 |
|
Concession |
|
|
231.1 |
|
|
|
561.7 |
|
|
|
938.3 |
|
Other |
|
|
98.7 |
|
|
|
168.8 |
|
|
|
269.5 |
|
Total revenue |
|
$ |
686.3 |
|
|
$ |
1,510.5 |
|
|
$ |
2,454.7 |
|
Cost of operations (1) |
|
|