Wicked for Good making a splash at the box office this weekend. Our Julia Borston has more on the numbers. Morning, Julia.>> Well, Carl, Universal's Wicked for Good hit the highest end of forecast and soared far beyond the opening of last year's Wicked, bringing in 100 million $150 million domestically and $226 million at the worldwide box office. Now, this gives Universal's Wicked sequel the year's second biggest opening. Now, along with the Minecraft movie and Lilo and Stitch, the top three openings of th ...

Core Insights - Retail traders have significantly driven the share prices of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which have increased over 500% since Donald Trump's election, but are now experiencing volatility as investors flee amid broader market instability [1][5]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - Recent selloffs in equity markets and losses in cryptocurrency have impacted the share prices of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with a notable drop of over 10% attributed to forced liquidations in the crypto market [2][3]. - Bill Ackman highlighted that the exposure of Fannie and Freddie to crypto is not on their balance sheets but rather through their shareholder bases, suggesting that leveraged crypto investors are selling other assets to cover margin calls [3][4]. Group 2: Investment Sentiment - The shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have surged six-fold since before Trump's election, driven by expectations that the privatization process will be overseen by Bill Pulte, although specific details and timing remain unclear [5]. - The volatility of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shares is reminiscent of the meme-stock phenomenon, with significant price swings occurring due to limited liquidity and trading restrictions since their delisting from the New York Stock Exchange in 2010 [6][7]. Group 3: Future Outlook - Ackman has been a long-time advocate for investing in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, asserting that their stocks are undervalued and will rise once the government reduces its stakes, although he cautioned that the process will take considerable time [8].

Earnings & Valuation - AMC Entertainment reported gross revenue of $4.87 billion, with a net income of -$352.60 million and an earnings per share (EPS) of -$1.41, resulting in a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of -1.56 [2][3] - Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality generated gross revenue of $441.14 million, with a net income of $368.54 million and an EPS of $12.50, leading to a P/E ratio of 2.68 [2][3] Profitability - AMC Entertainment has a net margin of -7.39%, a return on equity (ROE) of N/A, and a return on assets (ROA) of -4.07% [4] - Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality boasts a net margin of 51.67%, an ROE of 21.30%, and an ROA of 11.41% [4] Analyst Ratings - AMC Entertainment has 2 sell ratings, 0 hold ratings, 6 buy ratings, and 1 strong buy rating, with a consensus target price of $3.26, indicating a potential upside of 48.11% [6] - Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality has 0 sell ratings, 0 hold ratings, 1 buy rating, and 3 strong buy ratings, with a consensus target price of $33.67, indicating a potential upside of 0.55% [6] Risk and Volatility - AMC Entertainment has a beta of 1.05, indicating it is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500 [7] - Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality has a beta of 1.76, indicating it is 76% more volatile than the S&P 500 [7] Institutional & Insider Ownership - 28.8% of AMC Entertainment shares are held by institutional investors, while 89.9% of Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality shares are held by institutional investors [8] - 0.4% of AMC Entertainment shares are held by company insiders, compared to 0.7% for Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality [8] Summary - Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality outperforms AMC Entertainment in 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks [9]

Core Insights - AMC Entertainment reported a modest decline in total revenue and a significant increase in net loss for Q3 2025, raising concerns about its financial health [4][5] - The company is experiencing a dilution spiral, which is exacerbating its financial difficulties, despite management's optimism for the current quarter [2][8] - AMC's cash position has decreased significantly, and even with potential improvements in Q4, the company may struggle to cover its substantial debt obligations [6][7] Financial Performance - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was $1.3 billion, down 3.7% from $1.35 billion in Q3 2024 [5] - Adjusted EBITDA fell to $122.2 million, a decrease of 24.4% year-over-year [5] - The net loss for the quarter was $298.2 million, a staggering increase of 1,341% compared to a net loss of $20.7 million in the same quarter last year [5][6] Cash Flow and Debt - AMC reported negative free cash flow of $81.1 million, indicating ongoing cash burn [6] - The company's cash position has dropped from approximately $632.3 million at the start of the year to $365.8 million [7] - Even with a strong Q4 performance, the adjusted EBITDA may only cover interest expenses and capital expenditures, leaving little for debt repayment [7] Dilution Concerns - AMC has relied on selling new equity to offset operating losses, leading to a dilution spiral that has seen shares fall over 99% from their peak [9] - A proposal to double the share count from 550 million to 1.1 billion is set for a vote at the upcoming shareholder meeting [9]

Core Viewpoint - The optimism surrounding AMC Entertainment and the movie theater industry does not align with the current reality, as the industry faces significant challenges and has not shown signs of a full recovery since the pandemic [1][2]. Industry Summary - The CEO of AMC, Adam Aron, expressed a bullish outlook, predicting that the fourth quarter box office will be the highest in six years and that the 2026 box office will be significantly larger than in 2025 [2]. - Despite this optimism, the theater business has been permanently damaged, with AMC not turning a net profit since before the COVID-19 pandemic [3][11]. - The pandemic accelerated the shift towards streaming, leading to a decline in consumer interest in theater experiences [4][7]. Company Summary - AMC's financial performance remains weak, with the company struggling to return to profitability, as evidenced by its inability to achieve a net profit in any quarter since the pandemic began [3][11]. - The average ticket sales for some films, like the latest Fantastic Four movie, indicate that while there is still demand for in-person experiences, overall attendance is significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels [5][6]. - The market capitalization of AMC is currently $1 billion, with a current stock price of $2.20, reflecting ongoing investor skepticism about the company's recovery prospects [9][10].

Group 1 - The author has been involved in the markets since elementary school and has a strong educational background in Finance and Accounting, with a focus on Investments and Financial Analysis [1] - The author has experience managing investment portfolios, including a long/short equity portfolio and two long-only portfolios as part of a student investment management group [1] - The author has completed internships at a large bank and in managing a university endowment, indicating practical experience in investment management [1] Group 2 - The article emphasizes the importance of conducting due diligence before making any investment decisions and suggests consulting with financial advisers [3] - It is noted that past performance does not guarantee future results, highlighting the inherent uncertainties in investment [4] - The article clarifies that the views expressed may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole, indicating a diversity of opinions among contributors [4]

Core Viewpoint - AMC Entertainment, once a leading meme stock, has seen its shares decline over 99% from their peak, indicating that despite a low stock price, it is not a bargain due to inflated valuations and ongoing financial struggles [3][4][6]. Company Performance - AMC's stock price has dropped over 35% in the current year and is currently trading at approximately $2.40, down from highs of over $500 in 2021 [3][5][8]. - The company has not returned to profitability under GAAP, although it is profitable based on EBITDA [8]. Valuation Metrics - AMC's EV/EBITDA ratio stands at 21, significantly higher than competitor Cinemark Holdings, which has an EV/EBITDA ratio of 8, suggesting that AMC is overvalued [9]. Market Outlook - Forecasts indicate that U.S. movie theater revenue may not recover to pre-COVID levels until at least 2029, which poses a risk to AMC's future performance [10]. - There is potential for a temporary surge in stock price following earnings reports, but this bullish sentiment may not be sustainable [10][11].

Core Insights - Proactive provides fast, accessible, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2] - The company focuses on medium and small-cap markets while also covering blue-chip companies and broader investment stories [3] - Proactive's news team delivers insights across various sectors including biotech, mining, oil and gas, and emerging technologies [3] Technology Adoption - Proactive is committed to adopting technology to enhance workflows and content production [4] - The company utilizes automation and software tools, including generative AI, while ensuring all content is edited and authored by humans [5]

Core Insights - AMC Entertainment Holdings reported third-quarter results that exceeded revenue expectations, indicating a positive trend in revenue generation [1] - The results also revealed a conflict between operational improvements and increasing losses, suggesting challenges in achieving profitability despite revenue growth [1] Financial Performance - The company achieved revenue that surpassed market expectations, reflecting a strong performance in the third quarter [1] - Despite the revenue beat, the mounting losses indicate that operational efficiencies have not yet translated into net profitability [1]

Market Performance - The Australian Stock Exchange closed positively with the S&P/ASX 200 gaining 26.30 points or 0.30% to 8,828.30, despite setting a new 20-day low [10] - The S&P/ASX 20 rose 0.3% to close at 4,900.00, while the S&P/ASX 50 also advanced 0.3% to finish at 8,507.10 [10] - The broader S&P/ASX 300 edged up 0.3% to 8,775.20, reflecting steady upward momentum across all major indices [10] Top Gainers - Light & Wonder Inc. (LNW) led the top gainers, rising 8.207% to close at $124.850, an increase of $9.470 [6][10] - Emerald Resources NL (EMR) followed with a 6.666% gain, finishing at $5.120, up $0.320 [6][10] - Other notable gainers included Ramelius Resources Limited (RMS) up 5.625% to $3.380, Westgold Resources Limited (WGX) climbing 5.313% to $5.550, and Amcor PLC (AMC) gaining 5.012% to close at $12.780 [6][10] Top Losers - James Hardie Industries PLC (JHX) led the decliners, falling 12.653% to $25.750, a drop of $3.730 [7][10] - DroneShield Limited (DRO) slipped 11.689% to $3.400, down $0.450, while Neuren Pharmaceuticals Limited (NEU) declined 10.431% to $18.120, losing $2.110 [7][10] - Additional decliners included IPH Limited (IPH) down 5.406% to $3.500 and Mesoblast Limited (MSB) with a 4.980% fall to $2.290 [7][10] Market Dynamics - The Australian share market experienced notable swings, with resource stocks showing strength while select industrial and biotech names faced pressure [8][11]