National CineMedia, Inc. Reports Results for Fiscal Third Quarter 2024

Business Wire 5-Nov-2024 4:01 PM

Exceeds guidance with revenue of $62.4 million

Scatter revenue up 35% year-over-year

National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) ("the Company" or "NCM"), the managing member and owner of approximately 100% of National CineMedia, LLC (NCM LLC), the operator of the largest cinema advertising network reaching movie audiences in the U.S., today announced its consolidated results for the fiscal third quarter ended September 26, 2024.

"NCM delivered its fourth consecutive quarter of consistent results, achieving $62.4 million in revenue, and demonstrating our strength as the box office continues to accelerate," said Tom Lesinski, CEO of NCM. "We continue to drive meaningful growth in our premium Platinum offering, which has more than doubled since last year, while attracting new, category-leading advertisers across our platform as brands increasingly turn to NCM for incremental reach of highly valuable audiences at scale. We are confident in NCM's ability to capitalize on this momentum as we continue to focus on improving monetization and productivity. Looking ahead to 2025, there is a lot to be excited about with a highly anticipated film slate appealing to a diverse demographic of moviegoers."

Q3 2024 NCM LLC Results¹

Total revenue for the third quarter ended September 26, 2024 decreased 10.3% to $62.4 million as compared to $69.6 million for the third quarter of 2023. Operating loss decreased to $7.5 million for the third quarter of 2024 from $150.7 million for the third quarter of 2023. Adjusted OIBDA, a non-GAAP measure, decreased to $8.8 million for the third quarter of 2024 from $11.3 million for the third quarter of 2023, as adjusted to exclude depreciation, amortization, share-based compensation costs, impairment of long-lived assets, workforce reorganization costs, loss on termination of Regal ESA, satellite transition costs, system optimization costs and fees and expenses related to involvement in the Cineworld proceeding and Chapter 11 case, each as previously reported and described in the Company's public filings made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").

Total revenue for the nine months ended September 26, 2024 decreased 8.5% to $154.5 million as compared to $168.9 million for the nine months ended September 28, 2023. Operating loss decreased to $39.4 million for the nine months ended September 26, 2024 from $202.2 million for the nine months ended September 28, 2023. Adjusted OIBDA decreased to $10.7 million for the nine months ended September 26, 2024 from $12.9 million for the nine months ended September 28, 2023, as adjusted to exclude depreciation, amortization, share-based compensation costs, impairment of long-lived assets, workforce reorganization costs, loss on termination of Regal ESA, satellite transition costs, system optimization costs and fees and expenses related to involvement in the Cineworld proceeding and Chapter 11 case, each as previously reported and described in the Company's public filings made with the SEC.

Q3 2024 Consolidated Results

Total revenue for the third quarter ended September 26, 2024 increased 152.6% to $62.4 million as compared to $24.7 million for the third quarter of 2023. Operating loss decreased to $7.5 million for the third quarter of 2024 from $12.3 million for the third quarter of 2023. Net loss for the third quarter of 2024 was $3.6 million, or negative $0.04 per diluted share, compared to net income of $181.8 million, or $2.89 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2023.

Total revenue for the nine months ended September 26, 2024 increased 107.7% to $154.5 million as compared to $74.4 million for the nine months ended September 28, 2023. Operating loss decreased to $39.4 million for the nine months ended September 26, 2024 from $47.7 million for the nine months ended September 28, 2023. Net loss for the nine months ended September 26, 2024 was $47.0 million, or negative $0.49 per diluted share, compared to net income of $681.5 million, or $20.72 per diluted share, for the nine months ended September 28, 2023.

Q4 2024 Outlook

For the fourth quarter of 2024, NCM LLC expects to earn total revenue of $82.0 million to $86.0 million, and Adjusted OIBDA in the range of $28.0 million to $30.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2024.

Supplemental Information

Integration and other encumbered theater payments due primarily from AMC associated with Carmike Theaters for NCM LLC for the quarter ended September 26, 2024 and September 28, 2023, and the nine months ended September 26, 2024 and September 28, 2023, were $1.2 million, $0.9 million, $2.2 million and $2.1 million, respectively. These payments were recorded as a reduction of an intangible asset on the Balance Sheet and are not included in operating results or Adjusted OIBDA.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call and audio webcast with investors, analysts, and other interested parties, November 5, 2024, at 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time. The live call can be accessed by dialing 1-844-481-2522 or, for international participants, 1-412-317-0550. Participants should register at least 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the call. Additionally, a live audio webcast will be available to interested parties at www.ncm.com under the Investor Relations section. Participants should allow at least 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the call to register, download and install necessary audio software.

The replay of the conference call will be available until midnight Eastern Time, November 19, 2024, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 or, for international participants, 1-412-317-6671 and entering conference ID 10194114.

About National CineMedia, Inc.

National CineMedia, Inc. ((NCM, NASDAQ:NCMI) is the largest cinema advertising platform in the US. With unparalleled reach and scale, NCM connects brands to sought-after young, diverse audiences through the power of movies and pop culture. A premium video, full-funnel marketing solution for advertisers, NCM enhances marketers' ability to measure and drive results. NCM's Noovie® Show is presented exclusively in 41 leading national and regional theater circuits including the only three national chains, AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (a subsidiary of Cineworld Group PLC). NCM's cinema advertising platform consists of more than 18,100 screens in over 1,400 theaters in 195 Designated Market Areas® (all of the top 50). NCM is the managing member and owner of approximately 100% of National CineMedia, LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com and www.noovie.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains various forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations or beliefs regarding future events, including statements regarding the Company's anticipated future financial performance. Investors are cautioned that reliance on these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the assumptions used in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of these assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and, as a result, actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements are, among others, 1) level of theater attendance or viewership of the Noovie® show; 2) the availability and predictability of major motion pictures displayed in theaters, including as a result of strikes or other production delays in the entertainment industry; 3) increased competition for advertising expenditures; 4) changes to the ESAs or network affiliate agreements and the relationships with NCM LLC's ESA Parties and network affiliates; 5)inability to implement or achieve new revenue opportunities; 6) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the post-showtime inventory in our network; 7) technological changes and innovations; 8) economic conditions, including the level of expenditures on and perception of cinema advertising; 9) our ability to renew or replace expiring advertising and content contracts; 10) the ongoing effects of NCM LLC's emergence from bankruptcy; 11) reinvestment in our network and product offerings may require significant funding and resulting reallocation of resources; and 12) fluctuations in and timing of operating costs. In addition, the outlook provided does not include the impact of any future unusual or infrequent transactions; sales and acquisitions of operating assets and investments; any future non-cash impairments of intangible and fixed assets; amounts related to litigation or the related impact of taxes that may occur from time to time due to management decisions and changing business circumstances. The Company is currently unable to forecast precisely the timing and/or magnitude of any such amounts or events. Please refer to the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the "Risk Factor" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2023, for further information about these and other risks. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result, of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

This press release contains references to Non-GAAP financial measures including Adjusted OIBDA (Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization expense, adjusted to exclude non-cash share-based compensation costs, impairment of long-lived assets, workforce reorganization costs, loss on termination of Regal ESA, satellite transition costs, system optimization costs and fees and expenses related to involvement in the Cineworld proceeding and Chapter 11 case). A reconciliation of these measures is available in this press release and on the investor page of the Company's website at www.ncm.com.

NATIONAL CINEMEDIA, LLC Non-GAAP Reconciliations Unaudited

Adjusted OIBDA and Adjusted OIBDA Margin

Adjusted Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization ("Adjusted OIBDA") and Adjusted OIBDA margin are not financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP in the United States.

Adjusted OIBDA represents operating income before depreciation and amortization expense adjusted to also exclude non-cash share-based compensation costs, impairment of long-lived assets, workforce reorganization costs, loss on termination of Regal ESA, satellite transition costs, system optimization costs and fees and expenses related to involvement in the Cineworld proceeding and Chapter 11 case. Our management use this non-GAAP financial measure to evaluate operating performance, to forecast future results and as a basis for compensation. The Company believes this is an important supplemental measure of operating performance because it eliminates items that have less bearing on its operating performance and highlight trends in its core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on GAAP financial measures. The Company believes the presentation of this measure is relevant and useful for investors because it enables them to view performance in a manner similar to the method used by the Company's management, helps improve their ability to understand the Company's operating performance and makes it easier to compare the Company's results with other companies that may have different depreciation and amortization policies, non-cash share-based compensation programs, impairment of long-lived assets, workforce reorganization costs, loss on termination of Regal ESA, satellite transition costs, system optimization costs and fees and expenses related to involvement in the Cineworld proceeding and Chapter 11 case, interest rates, debt levels or income tax rates.

Adjusted OIBDA margin is calculated by dividing Adjusted OIBDA by total revenue. Our management use this non-GAAP financial measure to evaluate operating performance, to forecast future results and as a basis for compensation. The Company believes this is an important supplemental measure of operating performance because it eliminates items that have less bearing on its operating performance and highlight trends in its core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on GAAP financial measures. The Company believes the presentation of this measure is relevant and useful for investors because it enables them to view performance in a manner similar to the method used by the Company's management, helps improve their ability to understand the Company's operating performance and makes it easier to compare the Company's results with other companies that may have different depreciation and amortization policies, non-cash share-based compensation programs, impairment of long-lived assets, workforce reorganization costs, loss on termination of Regal ESA, satellite transition costs, system optimization costs and fees and expenses related to involvement in the Cineworld proceeding and Chapter 11 case, interest rates, debt levels or income tax rates.

A limitation of both of these measures, however, is that they exclude depreciation and amortization, which represent a proxy for the periodic costs of certain capitalized tangible and intangible assets used in generating revenues in NCM LLC's business. In addition, Adjusted OIBDA and Adjusted OIBDA margin have the limitation of not reflecting the effect of the Company's depreciation, amortization, non-cash share-based compensation costs, impairment of long-lived intangibles, workforce reorganization costs, loss on termination of Regal ESA, satellite transition costs, system optimization costs and fees and expenses related to involvement in the Cineworld proceeding and Chapter 11 case. Adjusted OIBDA should not be regarded as an alternative to operating income, net income or as indicators of operating performance, nor should it be considered in isolation of, or as substitutes for financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that operating income is the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to Adjusted OIBDA, and operating margin is the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to Adjusted OIBDA margin. Because not all companies use identical calculations, these non-GAAP presentations may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies, or calculations in NCM LLC's debt agreement.

The Company has not provided a reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP Adjusted OIBDA measure to forward-looking GAAP operating income due to the inability to predict the amount and timing of impacts outside of the Company's control on certain items, including the timing of revenue and charges reflected in our reconciliation of historic numbers, the amount of which, based on historical experience, could be significant and are difficult to reasonably predict. Accordingly, a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable effort.

The following table reconciles NCM LLC's operating loss to Adjusted OIBDA for the periods presented (dollars in millions):

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