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Imax Corp.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 25 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year revenue rose 16%: Full-year 2025 revenue was $410.2 million, up 16%. Net income was $45.5 million, and diluted EPS was $0.63, up 31% from $0.48. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin reached 45%: Total Adjusted EBITDA was $184.9 million for 2025, a 45.1% margin, up from 39.4%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.45, up 53%. Source
  • Operating cash flow hit a record: Cash from operating activities was $127 million for 2025, up 79%, reflecting higher operating profits and working capital improvements. Source
  • Content Solutions margin rose to 66%: Content Solutions full-year revenue was $151.3 million, up 21%. Gross margin was $99.7 million, up 50%, and margin rose from 53% to 66%. Source
  • Installations rose 10% to 160: The company installed 160 systems in 2025, up 10%. Of these, 82 were under sales arrangements, against 63, and 98 went to new locations, against 77. Source
  • Global box office hit a record: IMAX gross box office for 2025 rose 40% to $1.28 billion, a full-year record, driven by a diverse mix of global content across Hollywood and local-language titles. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $85.2 million: Free cash flow was $85.2 million for 2025, against $29.6 million, after $28.4 million of investment in equipment for joint revenue sharing arrangements. Source

“2025 was a transformational year for IMAX, in which we took our performance to the next level”

Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
IMAX box office Source2026$1.4 billionNew
System installations Source2026160 to 175New
Adjusted EBITDA margin Source2026mid-40’s (above 45%)New
Filmed For IMAX releases Source2026at least 12New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The release gives 2026 guidance that the Q3 release did not contain: $1.4 billion box office, 160 to 175 installations and an Adjusted EBITDA margin in the mid-40s. Source
  • New: The company issued $250 million of 0.750% convertible notes due 2030 in 2025, with capped calls at an initial cap price of $57.10 per share. Source
  • Ended: Convertible notes were repurchased and settled in 2025 for $275.4 million cash. The release does not name which notes these were. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Full-year revenue rose 16%: Full-year 2025 revenue was $410.2 million, up 16%. Net income was $45.5 million, and diluted EPS was $0.63, up 31% from $0.48. Source
  • Fourth-quarter net income fell: Fourth-quarter net income was $2.5 million, against $6.9 million. The quarter includes induced conversion expense on the settlement of convertible notes. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin reached 45%: Total Adjusted EBITDA was $184.9 million for 2025, a 45.1% margin, up from 39.4%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.45, up 53%. Source
  • Operating cash flow hit a record: Cash from operating activities was $127 million for 2025, up 79%, reflecting higher operating profits and working capital improvements. Source
  • Fourth-quarter adjusted EPS rose: Fourth-quarter adjusted diluted EPS was $0.58, up 115% from $0.27. Adjusted net income was $32.6 million. Source

Segments and content share

  • Content Solutions margin rose to 66%: Content Solutions full-year revenue was $151.3 million, up 21%. Gross margin was $99.7 million, up 50%, and margin rose from 53% to 66%. Source
  • Technology margin rose on rentals: Technology Products and Services full-year revenue was $251.3 million, up 16%. Gross margin reached 57%, from 53%, with higher rental box office cited as the main driver. Source
  • Fourth-quarter Content revenue up 50%: Fourth-quarter Content Solutions revenue was $38.2 million, up 50%. Gross margin was $21.8 million, up 84%, on a 57% margin. Source
  • Fourth-quarter Technology revenue up 32%: Fourth-quarter Technology Products and Services revenue was $84.6 million, up 32%. Gross margin was $49.1 million, up 44%. Source
  • All Other revenue declined: All Other, covering Streaming and Consumer Technology and ancillary activities, had full-year revenue of $7.7 million, against $11.4 million. Source

“IMAX has become increasingly integral in launching blockbusters around the world”

Imax Corp., press release

Installations, signings and network

  • Installations rose 10% to 160: The company installed 160 systems in 2025, up 10%. Of these, 82 were under sales arrangements, against 63, and 98 went to new locations, against 77. Source
  • Signings up 28% for the year: Full-year signings reached 166, up 28% from 130. Fourth-quarter signings were 24, against 19 a year earlier. Source
  • Year-end backlog at 434 systems: The company ended 2025 with 434 systems in backlog, against 440 a year earlier. Sales-arrangement backlog fell to 139 from 164, and traditional JRSA backlog rose to 203. Source
  • Network reached 1,864 systems: The system network had 1,864 systems in 91 countries and territories at year-end, including 1,796 commercial multiplexes, up from 1,735 a year earlier. Source
  • Fourth-quarter installations were 65: Fourth-quarter installations were 65, against 58. New system installations were 43, against 32 a year earlier. Source

Box office and content demand

  • Global box office hit a record: IMAX gross box office for 2025 rose 40% to $1.28 billion, a full-year record, driven by a diverse mix of global content across Hollywood and local-language titles. Source
  • Global share rose to 3.8%: IMAX took 3.8% of global box office in 2025, a record and up 700 basis points. 67 local-language titles from 14 countries contributed. Source
  • Local-language box office set record: Local-language box office reached $405 million, beating the previous full-year record by 66%. Two of the top five titles of the year were Ne Zha 2 and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. Source
  • Avatar: Fire and Ash led Hollywood: Avatar: Fire and Ash contributed $112 million in calendar-year box office, making it IMAX’s top-grossing Hollywood title of 2025. Source
  • Fourth-quarter box office up 62%: Fourth-quarter IMAX gross box office was $336.2 million, up 62%, setting a fourth-quarter record. Source
  • Hollywood Filmed for IMAX titles: Ten Hollywood Filmed for IMAX releases were in the year. Four titles, including Sinners and F1: The Movie, each delivered 20% or more of opening weekend domestic box office. Source

Costs and margins

  • Gross margin rose to 60%: Full-year gross margin was 60.0%, up from 54.0%. Fourth-quarter gross margin was 57.6%, up from 52.2%. Source
  • Selling and admin costs rose: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $138.5 million for 2025, against $132.7 million, and $35.5 million in the fourth quarter, against $32.4 million. Source
  • Income tax expense climbed: Income tax expense was $17.8 million for 2025, against $5.0 million. Fourth-quarter tax expense was $4.1 million, against $1.5 million. Source
  • Non-controlling interests took $10.7 million: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests was $10.7 million for 2025, against $6.6 million. Net income attributable to common shareholders was $34.9 million. Source

Cash, liquidity and capital returns

  • Free cash flow reached $85.2 million: Free cash flow was $85.2 million for 2025, against $29.6 million, after $28.4 million of investment in equipment for joint revenue sharing arrangements. Source
  • Available liquidity was $545 million: Liquidity at December 31, 2025 included $151 million of cash, $338 million of credit facility capacity and $56 million of IMAX China revolving capacity. Source
  • Total debt was $289 million: Total debt, excluding deferred financing costs, was $289 million at year-end, up from $261 million at September 30. The revolving facility was expanded to $375 million in 2025. Source
  • Repurchase authority about $250.7 million: Total share repurchase authority is $500.0 million, with about $250.7 million available, and the program runs through June 30, 2027. The cash flow statement shows no IMAX common share repurchases in 2025. Source
  • Diluted share count rose 3%: Weighted average diluted shares were 55.5 million for 2025, against 53.9 million, and 56.3 million in the fourth quarter, against 54.7 million. Source

Strategy and market expansion

  • Addressable zones raised to 4,500: Management increased its total addressable market to nearly 4,500 zones worldwide, which it describes as double the current combined number of systems in operation and backlog. Source
  • Blockbuster content gaining importance: Management said blockbuster content continues to grow in importance across the ecosystem, with studios, filmmakers and streamers leaning into theatrical releases. Source
  • IMAX-centric 2026 tentpoles: The 2026 slate is highlighted by IMAX-centric tentpoles, including Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the first theatrical feature shot entirely with IMAX film cameras. Source

Coming up, as management said on 25 February 2026

  • Monthly box office updates: The company expects to post quarter-to-date box office within five business days of month-end, and may change that timing without notice. Source
  • Expansion in named markets: Management plans to expand the network particularly in underpenetrated, high-PSA markets including Japan, Australia, Germany and France. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
System installations, 2025 Source160
System signings, 2025 Source166
System backlog, year-end 2025 Source434 systems
Total system network, year-end 2025 Source1,864 systems
Global IMAX box office, 2025 Source$1.28 billion

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: The release says the company exceeded virtually every 2025 box office and financial target. The Q3 release had said IMAX remained on track for $1.2 billion of 2025 global box office. Source
  • Met: The release reports 160 installations at the very high end of a full-year range it cites as 145 to 160. The Q3 release had cited 150 to 160 and said installations were pacing to the high end. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.