DUK

Duke Energy

Fundamental data last updated:April 13, 2026

company profile

SECTOR

Utilities

industry

Utilities - Regulated Electric

Exchange

NYSE

County of HQ

United States

Next Earnings Date

05/05/26

Business Summary

Cinemark operates a theatrical exhibition model, generating cash primarily from box office ticket sales and high-margin concessions. The real economics sit in concession revenue and operating leverage: once fixed theater costs are covered, incremental attendance flows disproportionately to operating profit, supporting its 33.70% margin. Scale within local markets allows for film booking leverage and cost efficiencies across locations. Its moat is not technological but experiential and scale-driven—physical footprint, studio relationships, and recurring consumer habits create barriers that are difficult, though not impossible, to replicate.

VALUATION

P/E

20.9

Market Cap ($M USD)

$102,561

Forward P/E

18.4

PEG

2.2

PRICE TO SALES

3.2

PRICE TO BOOK

2

EV / EBITDA

11.4

5-Year Average P/E

DIVIDEND

Yield

3.20%

Annual Payout

$4.26

Payout Ratio

66.90%

Consecutive Years of Dividend Growth

10+

5-Year Dividend Growth Rate

2.00%

Financial Health & Profitability

Earnings Per Share

$6.31

Next Year EPS Growth Estimate

$7.16

Next Year Revenue Growth Estimate

4.40%

Return on Equity (ROE)

9.50%

Operating Margin

26.60%

Debt-to-Equity

1.8

Piotroski F-Score

5

Altman Z-Score

0.7

Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)

5.90%%

Current Ratio

0.6

Quick Ratio

Gainseekers Quantitative Analysis

Summary

Cinemark is trading at a bizarre valuation disconnect: a trailing P/E of 29.2 collapsing to a Forward P/E of 13 suggests a sharp earnings inflection, yet the balance sheet screams fragility with an Altman Z-Score of 1.4 and a Current Ratio of 0.7. The market is pricing in meaningful forward earnings recovery, but the financial risk profile remains elevated. A PEG Forward of 1.6 implies growth is not outrageously expensive, yet it is far from deep value territory given leverage. This is a leveraged reopening/recovery equity masquerading as a growth play, and the safety margin is thin.

AI Exposure / Tech Reliance

The company operates in the Entertainment industry, where AI’s impact is indirect but meaningful through data analytics, dynamic pricing, and operational automation. Theaters that leverage advanced customer data, targeted marketing, and optimized scheduling can widen margins beyond the current 33.70% operating margin. However, the core business remains dependent on physical attendance, making it structurally less AI-disruptable but also less AI-scalable.

The Bull Case

A GARP-oriented investor could justify ownership based on operational efficiency and earnings acceleration. A 33.70% operating margin in a capital-intensive industry is substantial, and a 6.80% ROIC exceeding its 4.30% ROE signals improving capital deployment efficiency. The Piotroski F-Score of 5 suggests financial conditions are stable, not deteriorating, while the compression from a 29.2 P/E to a 13 Forward P/E indicates strong forward earnings momentum. At 1.3x sales, the stock is not demanding relative to its margin structure, and the 7.4 TTM yield combined with a 1.10% dividend per share adds tangible shareholder return support despite a modest payout ratio of 0.36.

The Bear Case

The capital structure is the core problem. A Debt/Equity ratio of 11.00% paired with an Altman Z-Score of 1.4 and a Current Ratio of 0.7 signals balance sheet vulnerability in any cyclical downturn. The PEG Forward of 1.6 means investors are paying a premium relative to growth durability, and a Price/Book of 8.8 leaves no asset-based downside protection. ROE at 4.30% is uninspiring given the leverage profile, and institutional ownership at 32.15% is not strong enough to suggest high-conviction smart money sponsorship. This is a cyclical equity with leverage risk and limited margin for operational missteps.

Market Sentiment & Smart Money

Short Interest %

2.30%

Analyst Consensus

2.13

Average Analyst Price Target

$138.31

Institutional Ownership %

70.20%

1-Year Beta

-0.16

Insider Buying % (6 Mo)

0.10%%

Distance to 52-Week High

98.00%%

Distance to 52-Week Low

118.50%%