COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 12—COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

        The Company, in the normal course of business, is a party to various ordinary course claims from vendors (including food and beverage suppliers and film distributors), landlords, competitors, and other legal proceedings. If management believes that a loss arising from these actions is probable and can reasonably be estimated, the Company records the amount of the loss, or the minimum estimated liability when the loss is estimated using a range and no point is more probable than another. As additional information becomes available, any potential liability related to these actions is assessed and the estimates are revised, if necessary. Management believes that the ultimate outcome of such matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position or overall trends in results of operations. However, litigation and claims are subject to inherent uncertainties and unfavorable outcomes can occur. An unfavorable outcome might include monetary damages. If an unfavorable outcome were to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the results of operations in the period in which the outcome occurs or in future periods.

        On May 5, 2014, NCM, Inc., the sole manager of NCM LLC, announced that it had entered into a merger agreement to acquire Screenvision, LLC for $375,000,000, consisting of cash and NCM, Inc. common stock. Consummation of the transaction was subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. On November 3, 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit seeking to enjoin the transaction. On March 16, 2015, NCM, Inc. and Screenvision, LLC decided to terminate the merger agreement. The termination of the merger agreement was effective upon NCM, Inc.'s payment of a $26,840,000 termination payment. The estimated legal and other transaction expenses were approximately $14,990,000. NCM LLC of which AMC was an approximate 15.05% owner at March 31, 2015, had agreed to indemnify NCM, Inc. and bear a pro rata portion of the termination fee and other transaction expenses. Accordingly, the Company recorded expense of approximately $6,300,000 in equity in earnings of non-consolidated entities associated with these transaction expenses recorded by NCM LLC during the twelve months ended December 31, 2015.

        On May 28, 2015, the Company received a Civil Investigative Demand ("CID") from the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice in connection with an investigation under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Beginning in May of 2015, the Company also received CIDs from the Attorneys General for the States of Ohio, Texas, Washington, Florida, New York, Kansas, and from the District of Columbia, regarding similar inquiries under those states' antitrust laws. The CIDs request the production of documents and answers to interrogatories concerning potentially anticompetitive conduct, including film clearances and participation in certain joint ventures. The Company may receive additional CIDs from antitrust authorities in other jurisdictions in which it operates. The Company does not believe it has violated federal or state antitrust laws and is cooperating with the relevant governmental authorities. However, the Company cannot predict the ultimate scope, duration or outcome of these investigations.