Regal CEO Downplays Suggestion That Moviegoers are Skittish Since Shooting

The CEO of the nation's top movie-theater company dismissed as premature a poll indicating that up to 25 percent of the moviegoing audience is hesitant to head to the cinema this weekend because of the tragedy at a showing of The Dark Knight Rises.

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"With respect to the study, I think it's a little premature for us to comment with respect to what impact we're seeing in the theaters," Regal Entertainment Group CEO Amy Miles said Thursday.

Research firm NRG released the findings of its poll to its movie-business clients on Thursday.

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"We have several of the pictures that are performing quite well as we speak," said Miles, speaking to Wall Street analysts after the company reported quarterly financials. "It's probably better to wait to see how the next couple of weekends shake out before you can form any kind of meaningful opinion."

Miles and other Regal executives also refused to discuss what, if any, security measures have changed since the July 20 theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., claimed a dozen lives.

Regal, which operates 6,552 screens at 519 locations, reported net income of $37.2 million in its second fiscal quarter, up 6.9 percent from a year ago. Revenue fell 4 percent to $723.3 million. Admissions revenue sank 5 percent to $494.7 million, concession revenue dipped 4 percent to $192.6 million and other revenue rose 7 percent to $36 million.

Regal said the average price each consumer paid for a traditional 2D ticket during the quarter was $8.41, while they paid $12.11 for a 3D ticket and $15.81 for an Imax ticket.

Email: Paul.Bond@thr.com