Cineworld Group plc was founded in 1995 and is now one of the leading cinema groups in Europe. Originally a private company, it re-registered as a public company in May 2006 and listed on the London Stock Exchange in May 2007. Currently, Cineworld Group plc is the only quoted UK cinema business.
In December 2012, the Group acquired the Picturehouse chain of cinemas consisting of 21 cinemas, and in February 2014, the combination with Cinema City completed, creating the second largest cinema business in Europe (by number of screens). The enlarged Group now has 217 sites and a total of 2,000 fully digital screens. Our portfolio includes four out of the ten highest grossing cinemas in the UK and Ireland. We pride ourselves on outstanding picture quality and atmospheric surround sound; the soft, deep-down comfort of our modern seating; the crunch of our popcorn; and, most importantly, the friendliest customer service around. All our sites are digital, and we are one of the market leaders in 3D, a format which will become increasingly important.
In 2014, Cineworld accounted for 82.9 million admissions, had revenues of £619.4 million and an Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) before exceptional items of £126.6 million.

Britain’s second biggest cinema operator Cineworld (LON:CINE) found an audience as the market weighed up the impact of the sale of the Vue chain.

It has been sold to a private equity firm for £935mln, sparking suggestions of more M&A activity in the sector.

Canaccord Genuity thinks the Vue sale is significant for a number of reasons, not least because it raises the question of whether Cineworld, which recently unveiled the proposed acquisition of indie operator Picturehouse, has ambitions to expand into Europe.

10 Jun Canaccord... 360.00 Buy

11 Jun Canaccord... 360.00 Buy
11 Jun Investec 347.00 Buy

Questor share tip: Hold Cineworld after the sale of Vue
TelegraphBy Garry White | Telegraph – Wed, Jun 12, 2013 17:52 BST...


Vue purchase shows Cineworld shares are fairly valued. Questor says hold.

Cineworld 322p+2 Questor says HOLD

The Vuw cinema chain has been sold by private equity group Doughty Hanson to Canadian investors for £935m. This provides an opportunity to look at the valuation of rival Cineworld and see if it is rooted in the real world.

Vue has been sold to Canadian groups OMERS Private Equity and Alberta Investment Management. The sale was at between 9 and 9.5 times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda). This figure is used in M&A transactions as it gives an indication of the current operating profitability of a business.

The valuation of Cineworld is currently around eight times ebitda, so the takeover is at a premium of between 12.5pc and 18.75pc to the valuation of the UK cinema group.

However, there is also speculation that Guy Hands’ Terra Firma, which owns the Odeon cinema chain, may be looking for an exit or a flotation of the business. Recent press reports noted that Odeon’s owners were looking for an even higher valuation, with an ebitda multiple of up to 12.5 times. Based on the Vue sale, this looks fairly ambitious. However, if a sale is achieved at this multiple it would be a positive read-across for Cineworld.

Once a takeover premium is taken out, the valuation of Vue therefore implies that Cineworld’s market valuation looks pretty fair.

Doughty paid £450m for Vue in 2010, but has since doubled the number of screens it has across Europe through acquisitions. At the moment, Cineworld is a UK chain, with almost 80 multiplexes nationally.

It is also in the process of buying “art house” cinema group Picturehouse, owners of Brixton Ritzy. However, the purchase has been referred to the Competition Commission. This is relatively unconcerning as the regulator is only interested in competition in five locations.

Cineworld plans to open about 25 new complexes by 2017, which could boost earnings by up to 50pc. Even though the share have risen sharply, the prospective yield is 4pc rising to 4.3pc.

Questor last said buy when the shares were below 300p in May. They are now trading on a 2013 earning multiple of 14 falling to 12.7, so Questor considers the shares a hold.

Consumer confidence on the up as shoppers are spending more - mainly on cinemas and restaurants
However, the biggest rises in spending were in cinemas and theatres, up 21 per cent,



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/markets/article-2342267/Consumer-confidence-shoppers-spending--mainly-cinemas-restaurants.html

Expansion of Cineworld / IMAX existing agreement

RNS


RNS Number : 7043H

Cineworld Group plc

24 June 2013




IMAX CORPORATION

2525 Speakman Drive

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5K 1B1

Tel: (905) 403-6500 Fax: (905) 403-6450

www.imax.com


IMAX® AND CINEWORLD GROUP EXPAND EXISTING AGREEMENT

TO ADD THREE NEW THEATRES ACROSS THE UK

NEW YORK - June 24, 2013 - IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Cineworld Group PLC, the UK's number one cinema chain, today announced an expansion of the companies' revenue sharing agreement with the addition of three IMAX® theatre systems to be located in new construction projects including Telford and Broughton (near Chester). The deal will bring Cineworld's total IMAX footprint to 11 theatres.



"IMAX continues to be a key competitive offering in our portfolio, providing a blockbuster film slate in the most immersive format - something that our customers love and for which they are willing to pay a premium," said Crispin Lilly, Vice President of Business Affairs, Cineworld Group PLC. "As a result, IMAX will continue to play an important role in our UK expansion strategy and serve as an anchor attraction in many of our new locations. We are delighted to build on our successful partnership and look forward to adding more IMAX theatres to our circuit."



"Cineworld is a valued partner and a true champion of the IMAX brand in the UK. Not only have they opened eight IMAX theatres in the span of 12 months, we've seen strong performances across these sites - including the Cineworld Sheffield IMAX theatre, which was ranked as the highest-grossing new IMAX site globally in 2012," said Andrew Cripps, President, IMAX EMEA. "We are pleased with the expansion of such a key strategic partnership, which underscores the increasing demand we continue to see for IMAX in Europe."



About Cineworld Group

Cineworld Group was founded in 1995 by Steve Wiener, the current Chief Executive, and is now the #1 UK cinema chain by both box office and admissions. The Group operates 80 cinemas across the UK & Ireland of which 77 are multiplex sites with five screens or more. In 2007 Cineworld successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange.



More information can be found at www.cineworld.co.uk

Cineworld and IMAX to add three new theatres across UK
Mon 24 Jun 2013

CINE - Cineworld Group


Cineworld and IMAX to add three new theatres across UK LONDON (SHARECAST) - IMAX and UK cinema chain Cineworld Group have announced the expansion of their revenue sharing agreement with the addition of three IMAX theatre systems to be located in new construction projects including Telford and Broughton, near Chester.

The deal will bring Cineworld's total IMAX footprint to 11 theatres.

Crispin Lilly, Vice President of Business Affairs at Cineworld Group, commented; "IMAX continues to be a key competitive offering in our portfolio, providing a blockbuster film slate in the most immersive format - something that our customers love and for which they are willing to pay a premium."

He added: "As a result, IMAX will continue to play an important role in our UK expansion strategy and serve as an anchor attraction in many of our new locations. We are delighted to build on our successful partnership and look forward to adding more IMAX theatres to our circuit."

Andrew Cripps, President, IMAX EMEA, said: "Cineworld is a valued partner and a true champion of the IMAX brand in the UK. Not only have they opened eight IMAX theatres in the span of 12 months, we've seen strong performances across these sites - including the Cineworld Sheffield IMAX theatre, which was ranked as the highest-grossing new IMAX site globally in 2012."

Cineworld’s share price was up 0.31% to 324.50p at 13:40 on Monday.

27 Jun Numis 350.00 Add

Cineworld Group PLC (CINE:LSE) set a new 52-week high during today's trading session when it reached 341.00. Over this period, the share price is up 67.24%.

Trading update

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=4625579

JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight 340.00 340.00 346.00 - Reiterates

Cineworld first half revenue jumps 10.5 per cent

Wed, 03 July 2013



Cinema chain Cineworld said it expects momentum to continues into the third quarter as it posts a 10.5 per cent increase in first half revenue.

The group reported a 10.4% rise in box office revenue during the half year, helped by a 4.6% increase in the average ticket price and a 5.5% rise in admission levels.

Cineworld said it expects the positive start to the year to continue into the third quarter and it remains confident of delivering growth for the year as a whole in line with current market expectations.

"We expect the positive start to the year to continue into Q3 where there are weaker comparatives due to the impact of the London Olympics on scheduling last year. By contrast there is a tougher Q4 comparative due to the phenomenal success of Skyfall," the group said in a company statement.

The film line up during the second half of the year has include Despicable Me 2, Monsters University, The Wolverine and the second instalment of the The Hobbit trilogy: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Cineworld: Investec ups target price from 347p to 360p and keeps a buy recommendation. N+1 Singer moves target price from 340p to 357p retaining a hold recommendation.

Fast and Furious” was Investec’s verdict on Cineworld’s (LON:CINE) first half.

The cinema operator, which recently snapped up indie operator Picturehouse, wowed analyst Steve Liechti with a 22% rise in total revenues, including 10.4% growth from the box office at its own-branded cinemas.

It reckons the third quarter should be easy going given that the Olympics kept people away from movie theatres last year, making it easier to beat those box office numbers.

And with a strong 3D line-up that includes Despicable Me 2, Monsters University and the second part of the Hobbit, as well as Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2D, Cineworld is just as bullish about the second half of the year.

Investec’s Liechti agrees but warns that the fourth quarter could be much harder to match after the success of the critically-acclaimed James Bond instalment Skyfall at the end of 2012. “We need good momentum to offset this,” he thinks.

The analyst lifts his target price by 13p to 360p, making it a stock to buy, though this only leaves 5p of ground to gain in the wake of this morning’s share price surge.

Nor could N+1 Singer find any fault with the update.

“Clearly market growth has helped but this should not detract from the self-help initiatives being successfully implemented to drive footfall and spend,” said analyst Sahill Shan.

He is upbeat about the prospects but thinks the shares are likely to stick at their current levels, making them a ‘hold’.

Panmure Gordon meanwhile thinks the valuation is too pricey and says the shares could fall to 238p next year.

“We think this valuation is too rich for a company with an uncertain short-term trading backdrop and is expanding too quickly in a market with no volume growth,” said the broker, which has a ‘sell’ rating.

Cineworld: JP Morgan ups target price from 346p to 368p reiterating an overweight rating.



Cineworld group passes its screen test



Films like Superman: Man of Steel have brought thousands of people to the cinema

http://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/412290/Cineworld-group-passes-its-screen-test

A buy in this weeks IC - prospects are looking good for the third quarter, too, given a strong release schedule. But the end of 2013 will be tougher unless a movie comes along to challenge the last Bond film, which helped boost industry sales by 22% in the last three months of 2012.

Cineworld: Investec ups target price from 360p to 380p and maintains a buy recommendation

Notification of Major Interest in Shares

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=4628925

11 July 2013 Last updated at 18:04

Skyfall director Sam Mendes is to direct the 24th James Bond film, due for release in 2015, it has been announced.

Daniel Craig will reprise his role as the British spy, with the script penned by Oscar winner, John Logan.

Producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said: "We're really excited to be working once again with Daniel Craig, Sam Mendes and John Logan."

Bond 24 is due for release in the UK on 23 October 2015.

It will have its US release two weeks later, on 6 November.

Mendes, who directed the recently-opened West End musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, said he was "very much looking forward to taking up the reins again, and to working with Daniel Craig, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for a second time".

Daniel Craig as James Bond in a still from Skyfall Daniel Craig will once again take on the legendary role of James Bond
He added: "I am very pleased that by giving me the time I need to honour all my theatre commitments, the producers have made it possible for me to direct Bond 24."

Skyfall made $1.1bn (£700m) at the worldwide box office. It was also the highest-grossing film of all time in the UK, earning more than £94m from ticket sales in 40 days to beat the previous record holder Avatar, which made £94m in 11 months.

Skyfall won two Oscars - singer Adele's theme song of the same name won best original song and there was an award for sound editing.

It was also named the outstanding British film by Bafta.

It was reported in May that Mendes had resumed talks with producers about directing the next Bond film, having previously ruled himself out due to other commitments.

Mendes is due to follow Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by directing Shakespeare's King Lear at the National Theatre in January 2014.

The last film-maker to lead consecutive Bond movies was former editor John Glen, who directed five films in a row between 1981 to 1989.

Skyfall breaks another record

Figures released by the British Film Institute confirm director Sam Mendes' Bond film earned almost £103 million at the British box office