CINEMARK THEATERS REPORTS HUGE RISE IN SUMMER TICKET SALES

A third-quarter earnings report by exhibitor Cinemark Holdings today (Thursday) may leave some analysts scratching their heads. The company reported a boost in attendance to 81 million patrons in its worldwide operations — more than 16 percent ahead of 2012 and an all-time high for the company. Its U.S. theaters, it said, posted a 23-percent jump to 50.6 million. Third-quarter profits rose 69 percent to $80 million on revenue of $757.6 million. Those figures far exceed reports of overall theater revenue and attendance in the U.S. for the year, which is down slightly from 2012.