Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Reference is made to Part I Item 1A. Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10–K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which sets forth information relating to important risks and uncertainties that could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results. Except as set forth below and the updates to liquidity provided herein, there have been no material changes to the risk factors contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and Part II Item 1A. in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023.
There has been significant recent dilution and there may continue to be additional future dilution of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units, which could adversely affect the market price of shares of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units. The risks of future dilution must also be weighed against the risks of an inability to raise equity share capital, each of which could adversely affect the market price of shares of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units.
From January 1, 2020 through August 4, 2023, the outstanding shares of our Common Stock have increased by 467,112,312 shares in a combination of at-the-market sales, conversion of Class B common stock, conversion of notes, exchanges of notes, transaction fee payments, and equity grant vesting. On August 19, 2022, the Company issued a dividend of one AMC Preferred Equity Unit for each share of Common Stock outstanding at the close of business on August 15, 2022, which resulted in the issuance of 516,820,595 AMC Preferred Equity Units. From August 19, 2022 through August 4, 2023, we issued 478,585,818 AMC Preferred Equity Units in combination of at-the-market sales, exchanges of debt, private placement transactions, and equity grant vesting. As of August 4, 2023, there were 519,192,389 shares of Common Stock and 995,406,413 AMC Preferred Equity Units issued and outstanding. Pursuant to our strategy to enhance our liquidity, we intend to issue preferred equity securities or securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, shares of Common Stock. We may continue to issue additional AMC Preferred Equity Units, or subject to effectiveness of the Charter Amendment Proposals, we may issue additional shares of Common Stock, in each case, to raise cash to bolster our liquidity, to refinance indebtedness, for working capital, to finance strategic initiatives and future acquisitions or for other purposes. We may also acquire interests in other companies, or other assets by using a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock or AMC Preferred Equity Units, or just shares of Common Stock. Additionally, vesting under our equity compensation programs results in the issuance of new shares of Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units and shares withheld to cover tax withholding obligations upon vesting remain available for future grants. Furthermore, the Settlement Payment (as defined below) may result in the issuance of 6,922,566 shares of Common Stock (on a post Reverse Stock Split basis) to settle the Shareholder Litigation. Any of these events may dilute the ownership interests of current stockholders, reduce our earnings per share or have an adverse effect on the price of our shares of Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units.
To provide for the authorization of a sufficient number of authorized and unissued and unreserved shares of the Common Stock into which the Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock (and, by virtue of such conversion, AMC Preferred Equity Units) can convert in full, the Company held a special meeting of the Company’s stockholders on March 14, 2023 (the “Special Meeting”) and obtained the requisite stockholder approval of the Charter Amendment Proposals. We are precluded from implementing the Charter Amendment Proposals until the resolution of the Shareholder Litigation. If the Charter Amendment Proposals are implemented, we will have additional authorized but unissued Common Stock that may be used in the future for at-the-market sales, exchanges of notes, private placement transactions, equity grant vesting and other dilutive issuances. These future issuances may be dilutive and result in a decline in the market price of our Common Stock.
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If we are unable to effectuate the Charter Amendment Proposals, this will create substantial risks, which could have an adverse effect on the price of our shares of Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units, including:
● we will be limited in our ability to issue equity to bolster our liquidity and respond to future challenges, including if operating revenues and attendance levels do not return to the levels assumed;
● for future financing, we may be required to issue additional debt, which may be unavailable on favorable terms or at all, which would exacerbate the challenges created by our high leverage;
● we may be unable to issue equity in deleveraging transactions, including exchanges, redemptions or buy-backs of debt, which will limit our flexibility to deleverage; and
● we may be unable to issue equity as currency in strategic transactions, including acquisitions, joint ventures or in connection with landlord negotiations, which may prevent us from entering into transactions that could increase shareholder value.
The Charter Amendment Proposals and the outcome of the Shareholder Litigation could cause extreme volatility in our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units and may adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock and/or AMC Preferred Equity Units.
At the Special Meeting, holders of our shares of Common Stock and holders of shares of Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock (which are represented by AMC Preferred Equity Units) on the books of Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as of the record date for the Special Meeting approved the Charter Amendment Proposals. However, as described below, the Company is currently precluded from implementing the Charter Amendment Proposals until the resolution of the Shareholder Litigation. Upon the effectiveness of the Charter Amendment Proposals, the AMC Preferred Equity Units will be automatically converted into shares of our Common Stock and the AMC Preferred Equity Units will cease trading and be delisted from the NYSE. The effect of the Charter Amendment Proposals, including the Reverse Split Proposal (as defined in Note 7—Stockholders’ Equity in the Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 1 of Part I of this Form 10-Q), upon the market price of our Common Stock cannot be predicted with certainty. Given the current disparity in the trading prices of the AMC Preferred Equity Units and the Common Stock, the conversion of AMC Preferred Equity Units into Common Stock could adversely affect the market price of the Common Stock. Conversely, if the Charter Amendment Proposals are precluded from being implemented due to the Shareholder Litigation or otherwise, the AMC Preferred Equity Units will not convert into shares of Common Stock, which could also adversely affect the market price of the AMC Preferred Equity Units, cause extreme volatility, make it difficult to raise additional equity without causing significant economic dilution to the Common Stock, which could also adversely affect the market price of the Common Stock. If the Company is precluded from effectuating the Charter Amendment Proposals, the Company may not make another proposal with respect to converting the AMC Preferred Equity Units into Common Stock, or it may be some time before any such proposal is made, although such determination will be made by the Company’s Board at its sole discretion.
In addition, the results of reverse stock splits by companies in the past have been varied. There can be no assurance that the total market capitalization of our Common Stock after the Reverse Split Proposal (if implemented) (the “Reverse Stock Split”) will be equal to or greater than the total market capitalization before the Reverse Stock Split or that the per share market price of our Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split will increase in proportion to the reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding before the Reverse Stock Split. Further, the market price and trading volume of our shares of Common Stock has been subject to extreme volatility and implementation of the Charter Amendment Proposals, including the Reverse Stock Split, may increase such volatility, with a decline in the market price of our Common Stock after the Reverse Stock Split resulting in a greater percentage decline than would occur in the absence of a Reverse Stock Split.
On February 20, 2023, two putative stockholder class actions were filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, captioned Allegheny County Employees’ Retirement System v. AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc., et al. , C.A. No. 2023-0215-MTZ (Del. Ch.), and Munoz v. Adam M. Aron, et al. , C.A. No. 2023-0216-MTZ (Del. Ch.) and which have been subsequently consolidated into In re AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. Stockholder Litigation C.A. No. 2023-0215-MTZ (Del. Ch.) (the “Shareholder Litigation”). See Note 11—Commitments and Contingencies for additional information about the Shareholder Litigation. On April 2, 2023, the parties entered into a binding settlement term sheet to settle the Shareholder Litigation, which, among other things, provided that the parties would jointly request that the status quo order (the “Status Quo Order”) in the Shareholder Litigation be lifted. Pursuant to the term sheet, the Company agreed to make a settlement payment to record holders of Common Stock as of the time (the “Settlement Class Time”) at which the Reverse Stock Split is effective (and after giving effect to the Reverse Stock Split) of one share of Class A common stock
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for every 7.5 shares of Common Stock owned by such record holders (the “Settlement Payment”). The Company’s obligation to make the Settlement Payment is contingent on the Status Quo Order being lifted and the Company effecting the Charter Amendment Proposals. The defendants agreed to the settlement and the payment of the Settlement Payment solely to eliminate the burden, expense, and uncertainty of further litigation, and continue to expressly deny any liability or wrongdoing with respect to the matters alleged in the Shareholder Litigation. On April 3, 2023, the plaintiffs filed an unopposed motion to lift the Status Quo Order. On April 5, 2023, the court denied the motion to lift the Status Quo Order. On April 27, 2023, the parties jointly filed the Settlement Stipulation which fully memorializes the settlement that the parties agreed to in the term sheet with the court. The court held a settlement hearing on June 29-30, 2023 to consider whether to approve the settlement as outlined in the Settlement Stipulation. On July 21, 2023, the court issued an opinion and declined to approve the settlement as presented. Only July 22, 2023 the parties filed an addendum to the Settlement Stipulation in an effort to address the issues raised by the court and requested the court to approve the proposed settlement with the revised release set forth in the addendum. On July 24, 2023, the court responded to the parties’ July 22, 2023 filings requesting additional submissions in relation to the proposed settlement. The Company provided the additional requested submissions to the court on July 26, 2023. The Status Quo Order remains in place. Unless and until the court lifts the Status Quo Order, the Company cannot proceed with filing the amendment to the Company’s certificate of incorporation to effect the Charter Amendment Proposals. Further, any settlement of the Shareholder Litigation is subject to court approval, which may substantially delay or prevent the conversion of AMC Preferred Equity Units into Common Stock. If the court does not approve a settlement of the Shareholder Litigation or if the plaintiffs are successful in obtaining relief restraining, delaying, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Charter Amendment Proposals from going into effect, this would likely adversely affect the market price of the AMC Preferred Equity Units, cause extreme volatility, make it difficult to raise additional equity without causing significant economic dilution to both the AMC Preferred Equity Units and the Common Stock, which could also adversely affect the market price of the Common Stock. Although the parties have agreed to a settlement of the Shareholder Litigation, any settlement of the Shareholder Litigation is subject to court approval, and accordingly the outcome of the Shareholder Litigation and any other similar future lawsuits, is uncertain.
The market prices and trading volumes of our shares of Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units have experienced, and may continue to experience, extreme volatility, which could cause purchasers of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units to incur substantial losses.
The market prices and trading volume of our shares of Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units have been and may continue to be subject to wide fluctuations in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control. Because each AMC Preferred Equity Unit initially represents the right to receive one (1) share of our Common Stock, and subject to effectiveness of the Reverse Split Proposal, the right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one share of our Common Stock, and is otherwise designed to bear equivalent economic and voting rights as described herein, the market price of the AMC Preferred Equity Units may be correlated with the market price of our Common Stock. The market prices and trading volume of our shares of Common Stock have experienced, and may continue to experience extreme volatility, which could cause purchasers of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units to incur substantial losses. For example, during 2022 and through August 4, 2023, the market price of our Common Stock has fluctuated from an intra-day low of $3.77 per share on January 6, 2023 to an intra-day high on the NYSE of $17.17 on March 29, 2022. The market price of our AMC Preferred Equity Units has fluctuated from an intra-day low of $0.65 on December 19, 2022 to an intra-day high of $10.50 on August 22, 2022. The reported sale price of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units on the NYSE on August 4, 2023, was $4.93 per share and $1.79 per share, respectively. During 2022 and through August 4, 2023, daily trading volume ranged from approximately 7,717,200 to 256,918,800 shares and the AMC Preferred Equity Units ranged from approximately 3,759,200 to 180,271,200.
We believe that the recent volatility and our current market prices reflect market and trading dynamics unrelated to our underlying business, or macro or industry fundamentals, and we do not know how long these dynamics will last. Under the circumstances, we caution you against investing in our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units, unless you are prepared to incur the risk of losing all or a substantial portion of your investment.
Extreme fluctuations in the market price of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units have been accompanied by reports of strong and atypical retail investor interest, including on social media and online forums. The market volatility and trading patterns we have experienced create several risks for investors, including the following:
● the market prices of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units have experienced and may continue to experience rapid and substantial increases or decreases unrelated to our operating performance or prospects, or macro or industry fundamentals, and substantial increases may be significantly inconsistent with the risks and uncertainties that we continue to face;
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● factors in the public trading market for our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units may include the sentiment of retail investors (including as may be expressed on financial trading and other social media sites and online forums), the direct access by retail investors to broadly available trading platforms, the amount and status of short interest in our securities, access to margin debt, trading in options and other derivatives on our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units and any related hedging and other trading factors;
● our market capitalization, as implied by various trading prices, currently reflects valuations that are significantly higher than our market capitalization immediately prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the extent, these valuations reflect trading dynamics unrelated to our financial performance or prospects, purchasers of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units could incur substantial losses if there are declines in market prices driven by a return to earlier valuations;
● to the extent volatility in our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units is caused, or may from time to time be caused, as has widely been reported, by a “short squeeze” in which coordinated trading activity causes a spike in the market price of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units as traders with a short position make market purchases to avoid or to mitigate potential losses, investors purchase at inflated prices unrelated to our financial performance or prospects, and may thereafter suffer substantial losses as prices decline once the level of short-covering purchases has abated;
● if the market price of our Common Stock and/or AMC Preferred Equity Units declines, you may be unable to resell your shares of Common Stock or AMC Preferred Equity Units at or above the price at which you acquired them. We cannot assure you that the equity issuance of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units will not fluctuate or decline significantly in the future, in which case you could incur substantial losses; and
● the Company paid approximately $14.2 million in cash to cover tax withholding liabilities upon vesting of awards under our Equity Incentive Plan during the six months ended June 30, 2023. The Company withheld shares based upon elections by participants under the terms of the plan. The shares withheld had an equivalent value to the cash tax requirements for national, federal, state and local withholdings. Withheld shares were returned to the Equity Incentive Plan reserve.
We may continue to incur rapid and substantial increases or decreases in the market prices of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units in the foreseeable future that may not coincide in timing with the disclosure of news or developments by or affecting us. Accordingly, the market price of our shares of Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units may fluctuate dramatically and may decline rapidly, regardless of any developments in our business. Overall, there are various factors, many of which are beyond our control, that could negatively affect the market price of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units or result in fluctuations in the price or trading volume of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units, including:
● the ongoing impacts relating to the COVID-19 pandemic on our industry;
● actual or anticipated variations in our annual or quarterly results of operations, including our earnings estimates and whether we meet market expectations with regard to our earnings;
● our current inability to pay dividends or other distributions;
● publication of research reports by analysts or others about us or the motion picture exhibition industry, which may be unfavorable, inaccurate, inconsistent or not disseminated on a regular basis;
● changes in market interest rates that may cause purchasers of our shares to demand a different yield;
● changes in market valuations of similar companies;
● market reaction to any additional equity, debt or other securities that we may issue in the future, and which may or may not dilute the holdings of our existing stockholders;
● additions or departures of key personnel;
● actions by institutional or significant stockholders;
● short interest in our securities and the market response to such short interest;
● dramatic increase or decrease in the number of individual holders of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units and their participation in social media platforms targeted at speculative investing;
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● speculation in the press or investment community about our company or industry;
● strategic actions by us or our competitors, such as acquisitions or other investments;
● legislative, administrative, regulatory or other actions affecting our business, our industry, including positions taken by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”);
● investigations, proceedings, or litigation that involve or affect us;
● the outcome of the Shareholder Litigation;
● strategic actions taken by motion picture studios, such as the shuffling of film release dates;
● the occurrence of any of the other risk factors included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K; and
● general market and economic conditions.
Anti-takeover protections in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws may discourage or prevent a takeover of our Company, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders.
Provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, as well as provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law delay or make it more difficult to remove incumbent directors or for a third-party to acquire us, even if a takeover would benefit our stockholders. These provisions include:
● a classified board of directors;
● the sole power of a majority of the board of directors to fix the number of directors;
● limitations on the removal of directors;
● the sole power of the board of directors to fill any vacancy on the board of directors, whether such vacancy occurs as a result of an increase in the number of directors or otherwise;
● the ability of our board of directors to designate one or more series of preferred stock and issue shares of preferred stock without stockholder approval; and
● the inability of stockholders to call special meetings.
Our issuance of shares of preferred stock could delay or prevent a change of control of our company. Our board of directors has the authority to cause us to issue, without any further vote or action by the stockholders, up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, in one or more series, to designate the number of shares constituting any series, and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof, including dividend rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption, redemption price or prices and liquidation preferences of such series. The issuance of shares of preferred stock may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company without further action by the stockholders, even where stockholders are offered a premium for their shares. As of June 30, 2023 there were 10,000,000 Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock shares authorized and 9,954,065 Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock shares issued and outstanding, 40,000,000 preferred stock shares remain available for issuance and 45,935 Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock shares remain available for issuance.
Our incorporation under Delaware law, the ability of our board of directors to create and issue a new series of preferred stock or a stockholder rights plan and certain other provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, could impede a merger, takeover or other business combination involving our company or the replacement of our management or discourage a potential investor from making a tender offer for our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units, which, under certain circumstances, could reduce the market value of our Common Stock and AMC Preferred Equity Units.
Our business depends on motion picture production and performance and is subject to intense competition, including increases in alternative film delivery methods or other forms of entertainment.
Our ability to operate successfully depends upon the availability, diversity and appeal of motion pictures, our ability to license motion pictures and the performance of such motion pictures in our markets. The most attended films
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are usually released during the summer and the calendar year-end holidays, making our business seasonal. We license first-run motion pictures, the success of which has increasingly depended on the marketing efforts of the major motion picture studios and the duration of the exclusive theatrical release windows. Poor performance of, or any disruption in the production of these motion pictures (including by reason of a strike or lack of adequate financing), a reduction in the marketing efforts of the major motion picture studios, the choice by distributors to release fewer feature-length movies theatrically, or the choice to release feature-length movies directly to video streaming or PVOD platforms, either in lieu of or on the same date as a theatrical release, could hurt our business and results of operations. Conversely, the successful performance of these motion pictures, particularly the sustained success of any one motion picture, or an increase in effective marketing efforts of the major motion picture studios and extension of the exclusive theatrical release windows, may generate positive results for our business and operations in a specific fiscal quarter or year that may not necessarily be indicative of, or comparable to, future results of operations. As movie studios rely on a smaller number of higher grossing “tent pole” films there may be increased pressure for higher film licensing fees. Our loyalty program and certain promotional pricing also may affect performance and increase the cost to license motion pictures relative to revenue for admission. In addition, a change in the type and breadth of movies offered by motion picture studios and the theatrical exclusive release window may adversely affect the demographic base of movie-goers.
Motion picture production is highly dependent on labor that is subject to various collective bargaining agreements. The Writers Guild of America strike that began on May 2, 2023, and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike that began on July 14, 2023, have halted production, and may delay or otherwise affect the supply, of certain motion pictures. The disruption in film production may also cause delays for currently scheduled film release dates. It is difficult to anticipate the scope and timing of such delays. Such ongoing labor disputes may also effect promotional and marketing activities of certain motion pictures, which may have an adverse impact on attendance. Given the ongoing negotiations and uncertainty as to the extent and the duration of the strikes, it is difficult to predict the full extent of the adverse impact of the strikes on the Company’s business and results of operations in future reporting periods, if any. Studios are party to collective bargaining agreements with a number of other labor unions, and failure to reach timely agreements or renewals of existing agreements may further affect the production and supply of theatrical motion picture content.
Our theatres are subject to varying degrees of competition in the geographic areas in which we operate. Competitors may be multi-national circuits, national circuits, regional circuits or smaller independent exhibitors. Competition among theatre exhibition companies is often intense with respect to attracting patrons, terms for licensing of motion pictures and availability and securing and maintaining desirable locations.
We also compete with other film delivery methods, including video streaming, network, syndicated cable and satellite television, as well as video-on-demand, pay-per-view services, and subscription streaming services. We also compete for the public’s leisure time and disposable income with other forms of entertainment, including sporting events, amusement parks, live music concerts, live theatre, and restaurants. An increase in the popularity of these alternative film delivery methods and other forms of entertainment could reduce attendance at our theatres, limit the prices we can charge for admission and materially adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
None.
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
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Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.