AMC Entertainment swung to a surprise adjusted profit in the second quarter and said 2026 is shaping up to be the strongest at the box office since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The movie-theater operator on Monday reported a widened loss of $11.4 million, or 2 cents a share, compared with a loss of $4.7 million, or 1 cent a share, a year earlier.

Stripping out certain one-time items, AMC notched earnings of 14 cents a share. Analysts polled by FactSet expected quarterly earnings to breakeven on an adjusted basis.

Total revenue climbed 14% to $1.6 billion, ahead of Wall Street models for $1.5 billion, boosted by higher admissions and food and beverage sales.

Overall attendance also rose roughly 14%, to 71.3 million, driven by gains across both U.S. and international markets.

Shares jumped 13%, to $2.20, in premarket trading on Monday.

Looking ahead, Chief Executive Adam Aron said AMC is benefiting from its market-leading position, increasing premium offerings, marketing programs and its ability to keep a tight lid on costs.

He added that 2026 is shaping up to be the strongest post-pandemic year for movie theaters yet at both the domestic and the global box office. He pointed to the reported $124 million domestic debut for Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" this past weekend as evidence, and said he expects similarly strong debuts for films including "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" later this month, as well as "Dune: Part Three" and "Avengers: Doomsday" later this year.

"AMC is on a determined march to let the good times roll," Aron said, adding the company will aim to expand its market lead by continuing to enhance its theaters and find new ways to offer discounts to budget-conscious moviegoers.

Write to Connor Hart at connor.hart@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 20, 2026 07:45 ET (11:45 GMT)

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