National CineMedia

NCMI · Nasdaq · Communication Services · Financials, fiscal 2016 to 2025

NCMI · Last close · November 6, 2026

$1.58

National CineMedia's revenue rose 1.0% to $243 million in fiscal 2025. Its operating margin was −5.7%, up from −8.1% a year earlier. Free cash flow was $3 million, down 94.9%. It paid out $33 million in dividends and buybacks, 1193% of free cash flow. The diluted share count fell 1.8%.

NATIONAL CINEMEDIA, INC. Latest fiscal year ended January 1, 2026 10-K filed February 26, 2026 · 0001193125-26-076788 Updated November 9, 2026

Revenue

$243M

1.0%

Operating margin

−5.7%

2.4 pts

Net income

−$11M

Free cash flow

$3M

94.9%

Return on capital

−3.1%

0.9 pts

Market cap

$148M

Nov 6 close

P/E

—

Loss: no P/E

Operating margin is operating income as a share of revenue. Free cash flow is cash from operations minus capital spending. Return on capital is after-tax operating income as a share of the money invested in the business: debt plus equity, minus cash. Market cap is the last closing share price times the latest diluted share count, so it is approximate. P/E is the last close divided by diluted earnings per share over the last four quarters, or the latest fiscal year where the quarters aren't available; there is none when the company made a loss.

About these figures. Share counts and per-share figures for earlier years are restated for a stock split (1-for-10), so every year is on today's share basis.

Charts show fiscal years, from the 10-K filings.

Income statement

Revenue and net income

US$ billions, fiscal years; net losses in red. Revenue on the left axis, net income on the right; zero is the same line on both.

Revenue (left axis)Net income (right axis)

Gross profit, R&D and operating income

US$ billions, fiscal years. Gross profit is revenue minus the cost of what was sold; research and development is one of the costs paid from it; what remains after all operating costs is operating income. Losses in red.

Gross profitResearch and developmentOperating income

Margins

Percent of revenue

GrossOperatingNetFree cash flow

From fiscal 2016 to 2023, earnings per share grew 15.0% a year and net income 54.9% a year, as new shares raised the share count by 697% and diluted each share's earnings. National CineMedia then lost money in fiscal 2024 and 2025.

Diluted earnings per share

US$ per share, fiscal years, restated for any stock splits; loss years in red.

Returns on capital

Return on capital and on equity

Percent. Return on capital is after-tax operating income over the money invested in the business (debt plus equity, minus cash); return on equity is net income over shareholders' equity. Both use the average of opening and closing balances.

Return on capitalReturn on equity

Balance sheet

Cash and debt

US$ billions, at each fiscal year end. Debt includes finance leases.

Cash and short-term investmentsDebt

Assets, liabilities and equity

US$ billions, at each fiscal year end. Assets equal liabilities plus equity; negative equity in red.

Total assetsTotal liabilitiesShareholders' equity

Debt and liquidity ratios

Times. Debt to equity, current assets over current liabilities, and net debt over EBITDA (a full year's).

Debt to equityCurrent ratioNet debt to EBITDA

Five years at a glance

Fiscal year end	FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Cash and short-term investments	101	62	35	75	35
Debt incl. finance leases	1,101	2,242	10	10	12
Net debt (negative means net cash)	1,000	2,180	−25	−65	−23
Net debt to EBITDA	—	162.7x	—	−2.9x	−0.9x
Debt to equity	—	—	0.0x	0.0x	0.0x
Interest coverage	−1.1x	0.1x	−1.0x	−11.5x	−23.2x
Current ratio	2.3x	0.1x	2.5x	2.4x	2.2x
Quick ratio	2.3x	0.1x	2.5x	2.4x	2.2x

US$ millions unless stated, at each fiscal year end. Net debt to EBITDA is debt minus cash, divided by operating income before depreciation and amortization: roughly how many years of those earnings the net debt equals. Debt to equity is debt as a multiple of shareholders' equity. Interest coverage is operating income divided by interest expense. The current ratio is current assets over current liabilities; the quick ratio leaves out inventory.

Cash flow

Cash from operations, capital spending and free cash flow

US$ billions, fiscal years. Free cash flow is cash from operations minus capital spending; negative years in red.

Cash from operationsCapital spendingFree cash flow

Stock-based compensation and buybacks

US$ billions, fiscal years. Shares paid to employees (stock-based compensation, a cost that uses no cash) against cash spent buying shares back. Buybacks that only match it leave the share count roughly where it was.

Stock-based compensationShare buybacks

Dividends and buybacks

US$ billions, cash paid in each fiscal year

DividendsShare buybacks

Diluted share count

Weighted-average diluted shares, millions

Projections

Project National CineMedia's revenue, net income and earnings per share five years ahead in a bull, a base and a bear case with your own figures, and see the share prices your P/E estimates give them, or value it with a discounted cash flow model. Every projected figure is yours: it is not a forecast of ours.

Open National CineMedia's projections

Insider trades

No officer, director or 10% owner of National CineMedia reported buying or selling its shares on the open market between November 7, 2025 and November 6, 2026.

From Form 4 filings with the SEC. Grants, option exercises and shares withheld for tax aren't counted. Insider trades at all companies

Indicators

Four widely used measures, worked out from the company's filings. The cutoffs are the ones their authors or users go by, not a verdict of ours.

Indicator	FY23	FY24	FY25
Piotroski F-score	4 of 8	4 of 9	6 of 9
Rule of 40	−39.8%	68.4%	2.1%
Altman Z''	5.91	5.33	5.82
Accruals ratio	104.7%	−14.5%	−3.6%

Piotroski F-score: how many of nine simple tests of profitability, funding and efficiency the company passed in the year (Piotroski, 2000); 8 or 9 is strong, 0 to 2 weak. Rule of 40: revenue growth plus free cash flow margin; software investors treat 40% or more as the bar. Altman Z'': working capital, retained earnings, operating income and equity weighed against assets and liabilities (Altman, 1995); Altman puts above 2.6 in the safe zone and below 1.1 in the distress zone. Accruals ratio: net income minus cash from operations, over average total assets; lower means profit is backed by cash.

The nine F-score tests

Test	FY23	FY24	FY25
Net income is positive	Pass	Fail	Fail
Cash from operations is positive	Fail	Pass	Pass
Return on assets rose	Pass	Fail	Pass
Cash from operations exceeds net income	Fail	Pass	Pass
Debt fell relative to assets	Pass	Fail	Fail
Current ratio rose	Pass	Fail	Fail
Share count didn't rise	Fail	Fail	Pass
Gross margin rose	—	Pass	Pass
Revenue rose relative to assets	Fail	Pass	Pass
F-score	4 of 8	4 of 9	6 of 9

Companies that report no gross profit are scored on the other eight.

Compare

Put National CineMedia side by side with any other company we cover: revenue, growth, margins, cash flow and returns, with ten years of charts.

Similar companies

Company	Year	Revenue growth	Operating margin	Free cash flow margin	Return on capital	Net debt to EBITDA	F-score	Compare
National CineMedia	FY25	1.0%	−5.7%	1.1%	−3.1%	−0.9x	6
PubMatic	FY25	−2.9%	−6.1%	23.6%	—	—	—	Compare
MNTN	FY25	28.6%	8.3%	15.2%	—	—	—	Compare
Ibotta	FY25	−6.8%	−0.2%	21.9%	−0.4%	−24.9x	3	Compare
Entravision	FY25	22.6%	−18.6%	0.8%	−33.5%	—	4	Compare

Each company's latest fiscal year. Fiscal years end in different months, so the periods don't line up exactly. Free cash flow margin is free cash flow as a share of revenue. Net debt to EBITDA is explained under the balance sheet, and the F-score under Indicators.

10 years of figures

Fiscal year	FY16	FY17	FY18	FY19	FY20	FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Income statement
Revenue	448	426	441	445	90	115	249	165	241	243
Revenue growth	0.2%	−4.8%	3.6%	0.8%	−79.7%	26.8%	117.5%	−33.7%	45.8%	1.0%
Gross profit	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	155	227	230
Research and development	3	4	2	4	2	2	5	3	3	3
Operating income	173	154	154	161	−61	−69	7	−27	−20	−14
Net income	33	58	30	36	−65	−49	−29	705	−22	−11
Diluted EPS (US$)	5.40	4.80	3.70	4.60	−8.40	−6.10	−3.50	14.34	−0.23	−0.11
Diluted shares (millions)	6	15	16	8	8	8	8	49	96	94
Cash flow
Cash from operations	134	139	150	144	55	−95	−47	−7	60	8
Capital expenditure	13	12	14	14	8	6	3	3	6	6
Free cash flow	121	127	136	130	47	−101	−50	−10	54	3
Dividends paid	55	59	54	54	32	17	10	0	0	11
Share buybacks	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	22
Acquisitions	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Stock-based compensation	18	11	8	6	2	8	7	4	12	9
Balance sheet at fiscal year end
Cash and short-term investments	23	30	41	56	180	101	62	35	75	35
Debt incl. finance leases	924	923	926	929	1,055	1,101	2,242	10	10	12
Total assets	1,142	1,173	1,142	1,130	886	817	792	568	569	491
Total liabilities	1,259	1,248	1,231	1,251	1,155	1,201	1,256	133	157	115
Shareholders' equity	−358	−362	−368	−380	−473	−527	−515	434	411	375
Margins and ratios
Gross margin	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	93.6%	94.3%	94.7%
Operating margin	38.6%	36.1%	35.0%	36.3%	−67.5%	−59.9%	2.8%	−16.5%	−8.1%	−5.7%
Net margin	7.3%	13.7%	6.8%	8.1%	−72.3%	−42.5%	−11.5%	426.9%	−9.3%	−4.4%
Free cash flow margin	26.9%	29.9%	30.8%	29.1%	52.3%	−88.0%	−20.1%	−6.0%	22.6%	1.1%
Rule of 40 (growth + FCF margin)	27.2%	25.1%	34.4%	29.9%	−27.4%	−61.3%	97.3%	−39.8%	68.4%	2.1%
Return on capital	22.4%	10.3%	14.8%	18.2%	−4.5%	−8.9%	0.5%	−2.6%	−4.1%	−3.1%
Return on equity	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	−5.3%	−2.7%
Return on assets	3.0%	5.0%	2.6%	3.2%	−6.5%	−5.7%	−3.6%	103.7%	−3.9%	−2.0%
Net debt to EBITDA	4.3x	5.4x	5.3x	5.0x	—	—	162.7x	—	−2.9x	−0.9x

US$ millions unless stated. Where a later 10-K restated a year, the latest filed figure is shown. Download all figures (CSV, US$ millions)

Source: National CineMedia's Form 10-K filings, from SEC EDGAR. For information only, not investment advice. The Filing Desk is not affiliated with National CineMedia.