Topic: How To Invest

What is your opinion on Cineplex?

Article Excerpt

Cineplex Inc., $33.90, symbol CGX on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 62.8 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion, www.cineplex.com), is the dominant movie theatre operator in Canada. Its well-known brands include Cineplex Odeon, Galaxy, Scotiabank Theatres, Famous Players, Coliseum and SilverCity. The company owns, or has a joint venture interest, in 1,455 screens in 136 theatres. Cineplex takes in approximately 70% of total annual Canadian box office revenue. The company is also the fifth-largest theatre chain in North America. In the three months ended March 31, 2013, Cineplex’s revenue fell 0.4%, to $248.1 million from $249.0 million a year earlier. Earnings per share declined 46.2%, to $0.14 from $0.26. Despite the setback, the company has just raised its annual dividend by 6.7%, to $1.44 from $1.35. The shares now yield an above-average 4.2%. They also trade at 24.3 times this year’s forecast earnings of $1.73 a share. That high per-share price-to-earnings ratio may reflect high investor expectations for profit growth, coupled with the…