Entertainment
Theater Chains Face Uncertainty With Few Must-See Films in 2020
(Bloomberg) –Movie-theater stocks are facing a rough outlook for the new year, as a weak slate of films looks to extend the tepid U.S. box office seen over 2019, analysts said on Monday.
MKM Partners wrote that it was “taking a cautious outlook for 2020,” anticipating that domestic box office revenue would fall 4% in 2020. That’s on top of a year-over-year drop in 2019.
Referring to 2020, MKM analyst Eric Handler wrote that “the biggest issue for the year is it is lacking the mega-hits seen last year,” when four titles — “Avengers: Endgame,” “The Lion King,” “Toy Story 4,” and “Frozen 2” — all made more than $400 million.
“Looking at the current slate for 2020 we are having a tough time assessing if any film” can breach that level, he added.
Among the films scheduled for release in 2020 are “No Time to Die,” the latest entry in the James Bond franchise, along with “Mulan,” “Black Widow,” and “Wonder Woman 1984.”
The ongoing growth of streaming video — notably with the recent success of Walt Disney Co.’s service — is seen as adding to the cautious environment for theater chains like AMC Entertainment Holdings and Cinemark Holdings.
Given the proliferation of streaming services and the improved quality of streaming content, “consumers are becoming increasingly selective as to what movies warrant a trip to the movie theater,” wrote Richard Greenfield, an analyst at Lightshed Partners. “As consumers grow more selective, it puts increased pressure on the top 10 films of the year” to support overall box-office revenue. Looking at the 2020 calendar for film releases, “we simply do not see the excitement.”
He added that “it does not appear hard” to envision domestic box office dropping by double digits in 2020, “falling back to levels last seen in the early 2010s.”
Shares of AMC fell 2.2% on Monday and touched record lows. Last month, BofA downgraded the stock on the 2020 film schedule, as well as “a cont. rise in perceived competition from small screen competitors” like Netflix. Cinemark shares rose 0.2% on Monday, as did Imax Corp.
-
Banking & Finance2 weeks agoOman Oil Marketing Company Concludes Its Annual Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality Week, Reaffirming People and Safety as a Top Priority
-
Economy2 months agoMaal Card: What Oman’s New National Payment Card Means for Everyday Users
-
News2 months agoSheikh Suhail Bahwan, Chairman of Suhail Bahwan Group, Passes Away
-
News1 month agoOIG Appoints New CEO to Lead Its Next Chapter of Excellence
-
Economy2 months agoOman Unveils Official Omani Rial Symbol in Landmark Move to Boost Global Currency Presence
-
News1 month agoReport: How India & The Middle East Are Exploiting Immense Economic Synergies
-
Uncategorized1 month agoOman’s ISWK Cambridge Learners Achieve ‘Top in the World’ and National Honours in June 2025 Cambridge Series
-
Trade1 month agoConsulate Office of the Republic of South Africa opens in Muscat, enhancing bilateral relations
