National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts

Shares of National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the seven analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have assigned a hold recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $5.80.

NCMI has been the subject of a number of research reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded National CineMedia from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, November 9th. Benchmark lowered their price objective on shares of National CineMedia from $7.00 to $6.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of National CineMedia from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Wedbush restated an “outperform” rating and set a $6.00 target price (down from $7.00) on shares of National CineMedia in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, Barrington Research dropped their price target on National CineMedia from $6.50 to $5.50 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 26th.

Insider Buying and Selling at National CineMedia

In related news, EVP Maria Vg Woods sold 9,043 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3.89, for a total transaction of $35,177.27. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 129,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $503,093.70. This represents a 6.54% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of National CineMedia by 59.8% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 488,025 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $2,850,000 after acquiring an additional 182,548 shares during the last quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd purchased a new stake in National CineMedia in the 1st quarter worth about $255,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in National CineMedia by 21.3% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 683,614 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $3,992,000 after purchasing an additional 120,079 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its position in shares of National CineMedia by 511.8% during the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 93,061 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $543,000 after buying an additional 77,849 shares during the period. Finally, Strs Ohio bought a new position in shares of National CineMedia during the first quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Institutional investors own 69.49% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about National CineMedia

Here are the key news stories impacting National CineMedia this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat expectations: NCMI reported $0.28 EPS, topping consensus (Zacks/Street estimates), which supports the upbeat market reaction to the print. National CineMedia (NCMI) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Revenue acceleration: management highlighted ~8% year‑over‑year revenue growth in Q4, signaling improving demand for its cinema-advertising platform. National CineMedia, Inc. Reports Results for Fiscal Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts maintain cautious stance: consensus analyst recommendation remains near “Hold,” which limits upside until guidance or margin trends improve. National CineMedia, Inc. Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Deeper analysis available: recent write‑ups examine key Q4 metrics versus estimates (useful for investors digging into revenue segments and ad demand). National CineMedia (NCMI) Reports Q4 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 revenue guidance below consensus: NCMI guided Q1 revenue to $32.5M–$36.5M versus a Street consensus around $40.1M, a clear near‑term headwind that can pressure the stock despite the quarterly beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst tone turning cautious: coverage notes trimmed price targets and an evolving narrative that could keep volatility high until sustained margin improvement or clearer guidance is delivered. How The National CineMedia (NCMI) Narrative Is Evolving As Analysts Trim Price Targets

National CineMedia Stock Up 3.2%

Shares of National CineMedia stock opened at $3.51 on Friday. National CineMedia has a twelve month low of $3.17 and a twelve month high of $6.76. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $3.67 and a 200-day moving average price of $4.10. The firm has a market cap of $329.34 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -23.40 and a beta of 1.38.

National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The business services provider reported $0.28 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.26 by $0.02. The company had revenue of ($149.53) million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $92.25 million. National CineMedia had a negative return on equity of 2.67% and a negative net margin of 6.39%. On average, equities analysts expect that National CineMedia will post -0.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

National CineMedia Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 9th will be issued a $0.03 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 9th. This represents a $0.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. National CineMedia’s payout ratio is -80.00%.

National CineMedia Company Profile

National CineMedia, Inc is a leading U.S. out-of-home media company specializing in cinema advertising. The firm operates a proprietary network that delivers high-impact advertising content to moviegoers across a broad footprint of theaters, offering brands a targeted and immersive way to engage audiences in a captive, distraction-free environment.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Centennial, Colorado, National CineMedia began as a joint venture among several major exhibition chains.