NCMI National CineMedia, Inc.

Nasdaq Services-Advertising DE CIK: 0001377630
AI RATING
SELL
72% Confidence

Investment Thesis

NCMI exhibits severe operational distress with -84.1% net margins and -79.1% operating margins despite 1% revenue growth, signaling fundamental business dysfunction. While the balance sheet remains stable with low leverage (0.03x debt/equity) and positive free cash flow of 17.8M indicates working capital flexibility, the company's inability to generate profits at scale presents substantial deterioration risk.

Strengths

  • + Strong free cash flow generation of 17.8M (52.4% FCF margin) despite net losses
  • + Solid liquidity position with 1.82x current ratio and 48.6M cash reserves
  • + Conservative balance sheet with only 12M long-term debt and 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio

Risks

  • ! Profitability crisis with -84.1% net margin and -26.9M operating income on 34M revenue base
  • ! Negligible revenue growth of 1% YoY indicates stagnant business with limited expansion
  • ! Negative returns on equity (-8.3%) and assets (-6.1%) demonstrate severe capital inefficiency
  • ! Negative interest coverage ratio signals vulnerability if debt levels increase

Key Metrics to Watch

Financial Metrics

Revenue
34.0M
Net Income
-28.6M
EPS (Diluted)
$-0.31
Free Cash Flow
17.8M
Total Assets
468.7M
Cash
48.6M

Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin N/A
Operating Margin -79.1%
Net Margin -84.1%
ROE -8.3%
ROA -6.1%
FCF Margin 52.4%

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
1.82x
Quick Ratio
1.82x
Debt/Equity
0.03x
Debt/Assets
26.4%
Interest Coverage
-134.50x
Long-term Debt
12.0M
Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: 2026-05-13T06:59:30.654067 | Data as of: 2026-04-02 | Powered by Claude AI