The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS) Rallies On Momentum Signals While Margins Lag

Near-term technical momentum points toward further upside, yet negative operating margins and cash-flow pressure constrain valuation and raise the probability of a retracement before durable recovery.

Recent News

Mar 19, 2026 — Management scheduled company participation at the 38th Annual ROTH Conference. Apr 16, 2026 — The company announced the first-quarter fiscal 2026 release date and conference call to occur April 30, 2026. Apr 23, 2026 — UNITE HERE Local 1 released research alleging potential related-party concerns tied to the company. May 21, 2026 — Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per share, payable June 15, 2026 to shareholders of record June 1, 2026; the company also scheduled a virtual Annual Meeting of Shareholders for May 21, 2026.

Technical Analysis

Directional Indicators (ADX/DI+/DI-): ADX at 34.34 signals a strong underlying trend; DI+ at 29.72 increasing while DI- at 10.81 decreasing denotes a bullish directional setup that supports near-term upside versus the current valuation premium.

MACD: MACD at 0.64 with the signal at 0.42 and an increasing MACD trend indicates bullish momentum; the MACD sits above its signal line, which constitutes a bullish signal for price momentum and aligns with recent outperformance versus moving averages.

MRO (Momentum/Regression Oscillator): MRO at 26.99 and rising places price above the model target and implies downside risk pressure from an overshoot relative to target levels; that suggests any rally may encounter profit-taking or mean-reversion pressure unless momentum accelerates further.

RSI: RSI at 62.52 and increasing shows sustained buying pressure while approaching overbought range, supporting continued short-term strength but signaling reduced incremental upside without new momentum drivers.

Price vs Moving Averages and Bands: Last close $21.11 trades above the 20-day average $19.53 and the 200-day average $16.10, reflecting a bullish multi-horizon price position; price sits above the 1x upper Bollinger band ($20.61), which favors mean-reversion risk toward the mid-band if momentum falters. SuperTrend lower support sits near $19.23, offering a technical reference for near-term support.

 


Fundamental Analysis

Profitability: EBIT of -$20,362,000 and an EBIT margin of -13.19% contrast sharply with the industry peer mean EBIT margin of 11.95% and industry peer median of 15.26%; QoQ EBIT margin deteriorated by -17.71% while YoY EBIT margin declined by -8.12%, indicating continued margin pressure from operating cost and depreciation increases.

Revenue and Growth: Total revenue $154,404,000 with revenue growth YoY at -20.20% and revenue growth QoQ at +154.97% (as provided) shows a mixed picture: annual revenue contraction but a sequential rebound that may reflect calendar effects or timing of operating days.

Cash Flow and Liquidity: Operating cash flow stood at -$15,221,000 and free cash flow at -$21,869,000, with cash balance $11,229,000 and cash-and-short-term investments $11,229,000. Current ratio equals 0.35, below the industry peer mean current ratio of 0.80 and median of 0.68 but above the peer low of 0.29, signaling constrained short-term liquidity relative to typical peers.

Capital Structure: Total debt $349,902,000 with debt-to-assets 0.3527 and debt-to-equity 0.7931. Interest expense $2,630,000 and an interest-coverage ratio of -7.74 reflect operating losses that suppress coverage metrics despite a low cost of debt (~0.676%).

Earnings Per Share: Reported EPS actual -$0.51 versus estimate -$0.54 produced an EPS surprise ratio of +5.56% and a $0.03 positive difference to estimates, a modest beat that slightly improves near-term sentiment but does not alter negative operating results.

Valuation Indicators: Price-to-book 1.21 sits below the industry peer mean of 2.12 and median of 1.64; price-to-sales 3.46 sits well below the peer mean of 12.45. Forward PE appears stretched at 118.94 given low forward EPS expectations, while trailing PE is negative at -34.11 due to losses. The current valuation as determined by WMDST: over-valued.

MOST-RECENT QUARTERLY REPORT
REPORT PERIOD ENDING: 2026-03-31
REPORT DATE: 2026-04-30
NEXT REPORT DATE: 2026-07-30
CASH FLOW  Begin Period Cash Flow 26.6 M
 Operating Cash Flow -15.22 M
 Capital Expenditures -6.65 M
 Change In Working Capital -18.23 M
 Dividends Paid -2.41 M
 Cash Flow Delta -12.23 M
 End Period Cash Flow 14.4 M
 
INCOME STATEMENT REVENUE
 Total Revenue 154.4 M
 Forward Revenue -10.42 M
COSTS
 Cost Of Revenue 103.7 M
 Depreciation 17.8 M
 Depreciation and Amortization 17.8 M
 Research and Development
 Total Operating Expenses 173.6 M
PROFITABILITY
 Gross Profit 50.7 M
 EBITDA -2.53 M
 EBIT -20.36 M
 Operating Income -19.18 M
 Interest Income
 Interest Expense 2.6 M
 Net Interest Income -2.63 M
 Income Before Tax -22.99 M
 Tax Provision -7.64 M
 Tax Rate 33.2 %
 Net Income -15.35 M
 Net Income From Continuing Operations -15.35 M
EARNINGS
 EPS Estimate -0.54
 EPS Actual -0.51
 EPS Difference 0.03
 EPS Surprise 5.556 %
 Forward EPS 0.14
 
BALANCE SHEET ASSETS
 Total Assets 992.1 M
 Intangible Assets 75.0 M
 Net Tangible Assets 366.2 M
 Total Current Assets 50.4 M
 Cash and Short-Term Investments 11.2 M
 Cash 11.2 M
 Net Receivables 16.6 M
 Inventory
 Long-Term Investments 24.0 M
LIABILITIES
 Accounts Payable 31.7 M
 Short-Term Debt
 Total Current Liabilities 145.2 M
 Net Debt 162.8 M
 Total Debt 349.9 M
 Total Liabilities 550.9 M
EQUITY
 Total Equity 441.2 M
 Retained Earnings 250.8 M
VALUATION & PER-SHARE METRICS EQUITY & PER-SHARE METRICS
 Book Value Per-Share 14.36
 Shares Outstanding 30.714 M
 Revenue Per-Share 5.03
VALUATION
 Market Capitalization 534.3 M
 Enterprise Value 873.0 M
 Enterprise Multiple -345.449
Enterprise Multiple QoQ -951.589 %
Enterprise Multiple YoY 31.796 %
Enterprise Multiple IPRWA high: 108.592
median: 42.001
mean: 9.81
MCS: -345.449
low: -1159.536
 EV/R 5.654
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Asset To Equity 2.249
 Asset To Liability 1.801
 Debt To Capital 0.442
 Debt To Assets 0.353
Debt To Assets QoQ 6.659 %
Debt To Assets YoY -7.569 %
Debt To Assets IPRWA high: 0.84
MCS: 0.353
mean: 0.28
median: 0.231
low: 0.055
 Debt To Equity 0.793
Debt To Equity QoQ 8.131 %
Debt To Equity YoY -9.792 %
Debt To Equity IPRWA high: 7.846
MCS: 0.793
mean: 0.467
median: 0.436
low: -3.953
PRICE-BASED VALUATION
 Price To Book (P/B) 1.211
Price To Book QoQ 16.212 %
Price To Book YoY -1.736 %
Price To Book IPRWA high: 8.538
mean: 2.117
median: 1.643
MCS: 1.211
low: -9.866
 Price To Earnings (P/E) -34.109
Price To Earnings QoQ -141.66 %
Price To Earnings YoY 5.873 %
Price To Earnings IPRWA high: 2929.77
mean: 531.651
median: 65.442
MCS: -34.109
low: -464.304
 PE/G Ratio 0.093
 Price To Sales (P/S) 3.46
Price To Sales QoQ 40.475 %
Price To Sales YoY -5.458 %
Price To Sales IPRWA high: 44.101
mean: 12.449
median: 7.097
MCS: 3.46
low: 0.555
FORWARD MULTIPLES
Forward P/E 118.937
Forward PE/G -0.323
Forward P/S -51.251
EFFICIENCY OPERATIONAL
 Operating Leverage 70.95
ASSET & SALES
 Asset Turnover Ratio 0.154
Asset Turnover Ratio QoQ -19.714 %
Asset Turnover Ratio YoY 6.682 %
Asset Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 0.283
MCS: 0.154
median: 0.124
mean: 0.112
low: 0.029
 Receivables Turnover 13.107
Receivables Turnover Ratio QoQ -2.863 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio YoY 10.808 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio IPRWA MCS: 13.107
high: 10.229
mean: 2.262
median: 1.71
low: 0.711
 Inventory Turnover
Inventory Turnover Ratio QoQ
Inventory Turnover Ratio YoY
Inventory Turnover Ratio IPRWA
 Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) 6.962
CASH CYCLE
 Cash Conversion Cycle Days (CCC)
Cash Conversion Cycle Days QoQ
Cash Conversion Cycle Days YoY
Cash Conversion Cycle Days IPRWA high: 134.4
median: 23.301
mean: 22.731
MCS: 0
low: -63.419
CAPITAL DEPLOYMENT
 Cash Conversion Ratio -1.629
 CapEx To Revenue -0.043
 CapEx To Depreciation -0.373
 
CAPITAL, LIQUIDITY & COVERAGE CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Total Capital 615.2 M
 Net Invested Capital 615.2 M
 Invested Capital 615.2 M
 Net Tangible Assets 366.2 M
 Net Working Capital -94.77 M
LIQUIDITY
 Cash Ratio 0.077
 Current Ratio 0.347
Current Ratio QoQ -22.964 %
Current Ratio YoY -17.015 %
Current Ratio IPRWA high: 2.493
mean: 0.798
median: 0.679
MCS: 0.347
low: 0.295
 Quick Ratio
Quick Ratio QoQ
Quick Ratio YoY
Quick Ratio IPRWA
COVERAGE & LEVERAGE
 Debt To EBITDA -138.465
 Cost Of Debt 0.676 %
 Interest Coverage Ratio -7.742
Interest Coverage Ratio QoQ -1571.875 %
Interest Coverage Ratio YoY 2.325 %
Interest Coverage Ratio IPRWA high: 8.118
median: 8.118
mean: 6.19
low: -3.881
MCS: -7.742
 Operating Cash Flow Ratio -0.138
TIMING / LIQUIDITY
 Days Payables Outstanding (DPO) 29.31
DIVIDENDS
 Dividend Coverage Ratio -6.371
 Dividend Payout Ratio -0.157
 Dividend Rate 0.08
 Dividend Yield 0.005
PERFORMANCE GROWTH
 Asset Growth Rate -2.215 %
 Revenue Growth -20.204 %
Revenue Growth QoQ 154.972 %
Revenue Growth YoY -3.795 %
Revenue Growth IPRWA high: 17.461 %
median: -3.129 %
mean: -12.478 %
MCS: -20.204 %
low: -65.293 %
 Earnings Growth -368.421 %
Earnings Growth QoQ 480.538 %
Earnings Growth YoY -80.609 %
Earnings Growth IPRWA high: 356.897 %
median: -3.681 %
mean: -28.221 %
low: -344.118 %
MCS: -368.421 %
MARGINS
 Gross Margin 32.857 %
Gross Margin QoQ -15.078 %
Gross Margin YoY 3.444 %
Gross Margin IPRWA high: 93.872 %
mean: 37.539 %
median: 36.821 %
MCS: 32.857 %
low: 9.627 %
 EBIT Margin -13.187 %
EBIT Margin QoQ -1771.356 %
EBIT Margin YoY -8.124 %
EBIT Margin IPRWA high: 17.722 %
median: 15.257 %
mean: 11.947 %
MCS: -13.187 %
low: -142.729 %
 Return On Sales (ROS) -12.422 %
Return On Sales QoQ -415.76 %
Return On Sales YoY -13.454 %
Return On Sales IPRWA high: 15.055 %
median: 15.055 %
mean: 10.566 %
MCS: -12.422 %
low: -107.787 %
CASH FLOW
 Free Cash Flow (FCF) -21.87 M
 Free Cash Flow Yield -4.093 %
Free Cash Flow Yield QoQ -173.908 %
Free Cash Flow Yield YoY -61.798 %
Free Cash Flow Yield IPRWA high: 2.766 %
median: 2.766 %
mean: 2.297 %
MCS: -4.093 %
low: -11.093 %
 Free Cash Growth -182.843 %
Free Cash Growth QoQ -505.561 %
Free Cash Growth YoY -41.963 %
Free Cash Growth IPRWA high: 182.816 %
MCS: -182.843 %
mean: -280.072 %
median: -316.901 %
low: -934.971 %
 Free Cash To Net Income 1.424
 Cash Flow Margin -12.941 %
 Cash Flow To Earnings 1.302
VALUE & RETURNS
 Economic Value Added 0.03
 Return On Assets (ROA) -1.53 %
Return On Assets QoQ -359.322 %
Return On Assets YoY -6.193 %
Return On Assets IPRWA high: 1.103 %
median: 1.103 %
mean: 0.744 %
MCS: -1.53 %
low: -9.466 %
 Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) -2.404 %
 Return On Equity (ROE) -0.035
Return On Equity QoQ -367.281 %
Return On Equity YoY -8.565 %
Return On Equity IPRWA high: 0.319
median: 0.021
mean: 0.01
MCS: -0.035
low: -0.962
 DuPont ROE -3.417 %
 Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) -2.21 %
Return On Invested Capital QoQ -1227.551 %
Return On Invested Capital YoY -4.659 %
Return On Invested Capital IPRWA high: 1.801 %
median: 1.801 %
mean: 1.452 %
MCS: -2.21 %
low: -4.028 %

Six-Week Outlook

Near-term momentum favors further upside into the next six weeks given bullish DI+/DI- action, a positive MACD crossover, rising short-term EMAs, and price above major averages. However, the positive technical setup conflicts with fundamentals: negative EBIT margins, negative operating and free cash flow, and constrained liquidity increase the probability of a corrective pullback if seasonal box-office results, hotel demand, or union-related headlines shift sentiment. Expect price action to oscillate between the SuperTrend floor near $19.23 and the path toward the price-target mean near $21.70; watch for diminishing momentum signals (MACD turning down or RSI crossing lower) to signal heightened mean-reversion risk. Non-actionable observation: given WMDST’s current over-valued determination and MRO-priced overshoot, the most likely short-term scenario combines limited upside extension with higher-than-average pullback potential absent a clear fundamental catalyst.

About The Marcus Corporation

The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS) develops and manages a diverse portfolio of entertainment and hospitality properties across the United States. It operates a network of multiscreen movie theatres under well-known brands such as Big Screen Bistro, Big Screen Bistro Express, BistroPlex, and Movie Tavern by Marcus. In addition to its entertainment ventures, the company owns and operates a selection of full-service hotels and resorts. Beyond ownership, The Marcus Corporation provides comprehensive hospitality management services, which encompass check-in, housekeeping, and maintenance for vacation ownership developments. The company’s expertise extends to managing condominium hotels under long-term contracts. Established in 1935, The Marcus Corporation maintains its headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and continues to serve as a prominent player in both the entertainment and hospitality sectors.



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