National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.03 EPS

National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The business services provider reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $0.03, FiscalAI reports. National CineMedia had a negative net margin of 6.39% and a negative return on equity of 2.67%. The business had revenue of ($149.53) million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $92.25 million.

Here are the key takeaways from National CineMedia’s conference call:

• NCM reported a strong fourth quarter with $93.2 million in total revenue (up ~8% YoY) and $37.2 million of Adjusted OIBDA (up 6% YoY), driven by healthy advertiser demand and improved inventory monetization.
• Programmatic and self-serve offerings gained traction—programmatic revenue grew 100% year-over-year and self-serve was up 64%—expanding access to inventory and attracting more advertisers.
• Reported attendance benefited from a fiscal 53rd week (Q4 attendance 107M; normalized estimate ~92M, down ~9% YoY), and unlevered free cash flow fell to $6.1 million from $28.3M due to receivables timing and prior-year prepayments.
• Strategic moves—an extended AMC agreement that standardized show structure and the acquisition of Spotlight (adding luxury screens)—are improving campaign planning, premium inventory monetization, and appeal to high-end advertisers.
• Q1 2026 guidance reflects headwinds: revenue of $32.5M–$36.5M and Adjusted OIBDA of −$13M to −$10M, driven by the loss of the holiday week, reduced beverage revenue, and Olympic-related advertiser shifts.

National CineMedia Stock Performance

Shares of NCMI opened at $3.51 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $329.34 million, a P/E ratio of -23.40 and a beta of 1.38. National CineMedia has a twelve month low of $3.17 and a twelve month high of $6.76. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $3.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $4.10.

National CineMedia Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.03 per share. This represents a $0.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 9th. National CineMedia’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -80.00%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on NCMI shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded National CineMedia from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, November 9th. Wedbush reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $6.00 target price (down from $7.00) on shares of National CineMedia in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Benchmark reduced their target price on National CineMedia from $7.00 to $6.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Barrington Research lowered their price target on National CineMedia from $6.50 to $5.50 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of National CineMedia in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, National CineMedia presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $5.80.

National CineMedia News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting National CineMedia this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat expectations: NCMI reported $0.28 EPS, topping consensus (Zacks/Street estimates), which supports the upbeat market reaction to the print. National CineMedia (NCMI) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Revenue acceleration: management highlighted ~8% year‑over‑year revenue growth in Q4, signaling improving demand for its cinema-advertising platform. National CineMedia, Inc. Reports Results for Fiscal Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts maintain cautious stance: consensus analyst recommendation remains near “Hold,” which limits upside until guidance or margin trends improve. National CineMedia, Inc. Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Deeper analysis available: recent write‑ups examine key Q4 metrics versus estimates (useful for investors digging into revenue segments and ad demand). National CineMedia (NCMI) Reports Q4 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 revenue guidance below consensus: NCMI guided Q1 revenue to $32.5M–$36.5M versus a Street consensus around $40.1M, a clear near‑term headwind that can pressure the stock despite the quarterly beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst tone turning cautious: coverage notes trimmed price targets and an evolving narrative that could keep volatility high until sustained margin improvement or clearer guidance is delivered. How The National CineMedia (NCMI) Narrative Is Evolving As Analysts Trim Price Targets

Insider Activity at National CineMedia

In related news, EVP Maria Vg Woods sold 9,043 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.89, for a total value of $35,177.27. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 129,330 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $503,093.70. The trade was a 6.54% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.25% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd grew its holdings in shares of National CineMedia by 79.5% during the fourth quarter. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd now owns 9,523,889 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $37,048,000 after buying an additional 4,218,288 shares in the last quarter. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC boosted its position in National CineMedia by 34.2% during the 3rd quarter. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC now owns 6,151,313 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $27,742,000 after acquiring an additional 1,568,376 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of National CineMedia by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,519,377 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $20,382,000 after acquiring an additional 12,172 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC raised its holdings in shares of National CineMedia by 30.1% in the fourth quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 2,003,352 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $7,793,000 after purchasing an additional 463,112 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of National CineMedia by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,958,541 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $7,621,000 after purchasing an additional 25,589 shares in the last quarter. 69.49% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About National CineMedia

National CineMedia, Inc is a leading U.S. out-of-home media company specializing in cinema advertising. The firm operates a proprietary network that delivers high-impact advertising content to moviegoers across a broad footprint of theaters, offering brands a targeted and immersive way to engage audiences in a captive, distraction-free environment.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Centennial, Colorado, National CineMedia began as a joint venture among several major exhibition chains.