AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC), is the world’s largest movie theater chain with over 11,000 screens. The company was founded in 1920 by the Dubinsky Family and is headquartered in Leawood, Kansas. The company has been in business for over 90 years but went public in 2013 after getting bought out by an investment group seeking to boost the company’s global presence. That investment group, Beijing-based Wanda Group, is still the company's largest shareholder.
1962 is marks a major milestone for the company because it is taken over by Stanley Durwood who embarks on a mission of rapid expansion. The company now commands more than 30% of the global market share with only 5% of the total screens and it has been a ground-breaking business in many respects.
The addition of snacks and drinks to the offering was a major boost to revenue. As of mid-2022, F&B is the second largest source of income for the company after box-office sales and accounts for roughly 28% of the revenue. Among the many innovations are the world’s first multiplex (a location with more than one screen), the addition of cup holders to the chairs in 1981, and a website with showtimes and listings nationally. The company made headlines again in 2011 with the launch of its STUBS rewards program, a premier program that offers discounts and other deals to its members.
Today, the chain is home to all of the top movies and offers attractions like IMA, Dolby Surround Sound, PRIME, 3-D features, Plush Power Recliners, and Dreamscape as well as full restaurants in many locations. In addition to entertainment, AMC Entertainment has a number of options for businesses and organizations that include big-screen supported meetings and events.
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc owns, operates, or has an interest in cinema theatres in the United States and Europe but has also expanded into digital and streaming media. In 2000, the company partnered to offer the first online ticket sales and expands it to all theaters, even Empire 25 in New York, the world’s busiest movie theater. In regard to market dominance, AMC Entertainment operates 22 of the US 50 busiest movie theaters and 4 of the top 5. Later, the company announced the launch of streaming services in 2019 and listed thousands of titles across a wide spectrum of genres and categories by mid-2022.
