AMC Stock Falls on Plans for APE Preferred Shares

EvanHolt
2022-08-08
  • AMC(AMC) reported second-quarter revenue of $1.16 billion, falling short of the analyst estimated $1.18 billion.
  • AMC also announced a special dividend of preferred equity units called APE.
  • Shares of AMC stock are down more than 30% year-to-date (YTD).

AMC(NYSE:AMC) stock opened lower by about 9% today after the company reportedsecond-quarter earnings. For the period, revenue tallied in at $1.16 billion. That’s compared to theconsensus analyst estimateof $1.18 billion. Net loss improved during the quarter, however, coming in at $121.6 million compared to $344 million year-over-year (YOY). On top of that, AMC reported an adjusted earnings per share (EPS) loss of24 cents, beating an estimated loss of 27 cents. In the past four quarters, AMC has beaten EPS estimates three times.

However, available liquidity as of June 30 was only $1.17 billion. To improve this figure, the movie theater company announced aspecial dividendof AMC preferred equity units.

CEO Adam Aron had the following to say:

“This new AMC Preferred Equity gives AMC a currency that can be used in the future to strengthen our balance sheet, including by paying down debt or raising fresh equity […] As a result, this dramatically lessens any near-term survival risk for AMC, as we continue to work our way through this pandemic.”

These new preferred equity units will start trading on theNew York Stock Exchangewith the ticker APE on Aug. 22. Let’s get into the details.

AMC Stock Falls After Disclosing APE Preferred Shares Plan

The special dividend will be eligible to AMC holders on record as of Aug. 15. Shareholders will receive one share of APE for each share of AMC stock owned. In total, AMC plans on issuing 516.82 million APE shares. Next, the dividend will be paid out after the market close on Aug 19. APE shares will have the “same economic and voting rights as one share of Common Stock.”

Furthermore, the ex-dividend date will fall on Aug. 22. If an AMC shareholder sells their shares between Aug 16 and Aug 22, the person they sold the shares to is entitled to receive the APE dividend.

Citing a person “close to the matter,”The Wall Street Journalreports that the special dividend allows AMC to“work around constraints”in regards to selling common shares. After issuing an initial 516.82 million APE shares, AMC is eligible to issue an additional 4.5 billion APE shares. These shares will be convertible to AMC stock if shareholders vote to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock.

$AMC Entertainment(AMC)$

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