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, 2024, 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, 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, 2024.
There has been significant recent dilution and there may continue to be additional future dilution of our Common Stock, which could adversely affect the market price of shares of our Common Stock.
From January 1, 2020 through May 6, 2025, the outstanding shares of our Common Stock have increased by 427,935,553 shares (on a Reverse Stock Split adjusted basis) in a combination of at-the-market sales, forward sales, conversion of Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, shareholder litigation settlement, conversion of Class B common stock, conversion of notes, exchanges of notes, transaction fee payments, and equity grant vesting. On March 14, 2023, the Company held a special meeting of our stockholders and obtained the requisite stockholder approval for the Charter Amendments (as defined herein) and on August 14, 2023, we filed the amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation implementing the Charter Amendments effective as of August 24, 2023. In accordance with the Charter Amendments, we increased the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock from 524,173,073 to 550,000,000 shares of Common Stock and effectuated a reverse stock split at a ratio of one share of Common Stock for every ten shares of Common Stock outstanding (the “Reverse Stock Split”). In accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designations governing the Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, following the effectiveness of the Charter Amendments all outstanding shares of our Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock converted into 99,540,642 shares of Common Stock.
On July 22, 2024, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries consummated a series of refinancing transactions (the “Refinancing Transactions”) with certain lenders under the Company’s existing senior secured term loans maturing 2026 (the “Existing Term Loans”) and certain holders of its 10%/12% Cash/PIK Toggle Second Lien Subordinated Notes due 2026 (the “Second Lien Notes”). As a part of the Refinancing Transactions, and certain subsequent open-market purchases of Existing Term Loans, the Company repurchased and/or exchanged all of its Existing Term Loans for new terms loans maturing in 2029 (the “New Term Loans”) and repurchased $414.4 million of its Second Lien Notes. In connection with the Refinancing Transactions, Muvico, LLC, a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, issued $414.4 million aggregate principal amount of Exchangeable Notes that are exchangeable into shares of Common Stock.
If the outstanding Exchangeable Notes were converted fully into shares of our Common Stock as of the date hereof, they would be converted into an aggregate of 85,242,067 shares of Common Stock. If the outstanding Exchangeable Notes were converted fully into shares of our Common Stock at maturity, and we were to elect to issue additional Exchangeable Notes as interest paid-in-kind (“PIK Notes”) on such outstanding Exchangeable Notes and PIK Notes to the full extent permitted during the life of the Exchangeable Notes (without regard to any limitations on our authorized share capital or on the conversion therein and giving effect to the changes in the applicable make-whole fee over the period), such Exchangeable Notes (including PIK Notes) would be convertible at maturity into an aggregate of 115,158,375 shares of Common Stock. In addition, the indenture governing the Exchangeable Notes permits the issuance of up to an additional $50.0 million principal amount of Exchangeable Notes. If such Exchangeable Notes were issued (subject to any then limitations on authorized shares), these Exchangeable Notes and any PIK Notes relating thereto would also be convertible into additional shares of our Common Stock.
As of May 6, 2025 there were 433,143,561 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding.
We have approximately 2,053,153 authorized shares of Common Stock remaining that have not been issued or reserved for issuance in connection with our employee stock-based compensation plans or upon conversion of our outstanding Exchangeable Notes (including PIK Notes that were issued on the first interest payment date thereon and anticipated PIK Note issuances through December 15, 2025). As a result, we may in the future seek to obtain the requisite stockholder approval for the authorization of an additional number of authorized and unissued and unreserved shares of Common Stock, which may be used for at-the-market sales, exchanges of notes, private placement transactions, equity grant vesting and other dilutive issuances. Subject to any required stockholder authorization of additional Common Stock, we would expect to issue additional shares of Common Stock to raise cash to bolster our liquidity, to repay, refinance, redeem or exchange indebtedness (including expenses, accrued interest and premium, if any), for working capital, to
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finance strategic initiatives and future acquisitions, to settle conversion of the Exchangeable Notes, including any PIK Notes, or for other purposes. We may also issue preferred equity securities or securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, shares of Common Stock or acquire interests in other companies, or other assets by using a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, or just shares of Common Stock. Additionally, vesting of outstanding awards pursuant to our current and legacy equity compensation programs results in the issuance of new shares of Common Stock, net of any shares withheld to cover tax withholding obligations upon vesting. Any of these events may significantly 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.
If we were to seek but not obtain the requisite stockholder approval to increase our authorized shares, this could create substantial risks, which could have an adverse effect on the market price of our Common Stock, including that:
● we will be limited in our ability to issue equity to bolster our liquidity and respond to future challenges, including if revenues and attendance levels do not increase;
● for future financing, we may be required to issue additional debt, which may be unavailable on favorable terms or at all, and which would exacerbate the challenges created by our high leverage; and
● we may be unable to issue 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 market price 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 to incur substantial losses.
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 to incur substantial losses. For example, during 2024 and 2025 to date, the market price of our Common Stock has fluctuated from an intra-day low on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) of $2.38 per share on April 16, 2024 to an intra-day high on the NYSE of $11.88 on May 14, 2024. The last reported sale price of our Common Stock on the NYSE on May 6, 2025, was $2.68 per share. During 2024 and 2025 to date, daily trading volume ranged from approximately 3,755,000 to 634,246,600 shares.
We believe that the volatility and our market prices have reflected and may continue to 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.
Extreme fluctuations in the market price of our Common Stock 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 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;
• factors in the public trading market for our Common Stock 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 any related hedging and other trading factors;
• our market capitalization, as implied by various trading prices, currently reflects valuations that diverge from historical valuations, and to the extent these valuations reflect trading dynamics unrelated to our financial performance or prospects, purchasers of our Common Stock could incur substantial losses if there are declines in market prices;
• to the extent volatility in our Common Stock 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 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; and
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• if the market price of our Common Stock declines, investors may be unable to resell shares of our Common Stock at or above the price at which their investment was made. Our Common Stock may continue to fluctuate or decline significantly in the future, which may result in substantial losses.
The market price of our Common Stock could also be negatively affected by any unfavorable outcome in the Noteholder Action described in Note 11—Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 1 of Part I of this Form 10-Q or by any other action brought by note holders resulting from the Refinancing Transactions. If it is determined that the Company breached, as claimed, the Intercreditor Agreement, this would permit note holders to claim an event of default occurred under the indenture governing the Existing First Lien Notes and, subject to any conditions in the indenture, permit note holders to accelerate the Existing First Lien Notes, which could in turn result in the acceleration of the Company’s other outstanding debt. Such an event would thereby have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and on the market prices of our securities, including our Common Stock. Additional litigation brought by the note holders, any additional claimed defaults under the indenture or any publicity in connection therewith could also negatively affect the market price of our Common Stock.
Future increases or decreases in the market price of our Common Stock 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 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 or result in fluctuations in the price or trading volume of our Common Stock, including:
• 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;
• restrictions on our ability 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;
• the dramatic increase or decrease in the number of individual holders of our Common Stock and their participation in social media platforms targeted at speculative investing;
• 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 or our industry, including positions taken by the Internal Revenue Service;
• strategic actions taken by motion picture studios such as the shuffling of film release dates;
• investigations, proceedings, or litigation that involve or affect us;
• ongoing impacts upon the industry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic;
• the occurrence of any of the other risk factors included or incorporated by reference in our Annual Report; and
• general market and economic conditions.
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.
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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 are usually released during the summer and the calendar year-end holidays, making our business seasonal. We primarily 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, or suspension of, the marketing efforts of the major motion picture studios, the choice by distributors to release fewer feature-length movies theatrically, the choice of distributors to release fewer feature-length films as a result of the additional financial burden imposed by tariffs, 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. Studios are party to collective bargaining agreements with a number of 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. Use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) technology in the filmmaking process has been a significant issue in recent negotiations between the film studios that supply the movies we exhibit and the various labor unions involved in the filmmaking process, including the writers and screen actors guilds. If studios and labor unions are unable to agree on the parameters of AI technology utilization in the filmmaking process, it could negatively impact the supply of movies available for exhibition in our theatres. Additionally, audience acceptance of movies made utilizing AI technology is not known.
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 and content delivery methods, including video streaming, network, syndicated cable and satellite television, as well as video-on-demand, pay-per-view services, subscription streaming services, and social media platforms. We also compete for the public’s leisure time and disposable income with other forms of entertainment, including sporting events, video gaming, social media, amusement parks, live music concerts, live theatre, and restaurants. In addition, new technology, including generative AI, is evolving rapidly and our ability to compete could be adversely affected if our competitors gain an advantage by using such technologies. 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.
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Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
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.