'Transformers' primes exhibitor stocks

June 29, 2009 Revenge of the Fallen debuted Wednesday, stock in companies that benefit from hefty traffic at movie theaters has outpaced broader markets by a crushing margin. A few weeks ago, Imax stock dropped 4% during a single day when Merriman Curhan Ford analyst Eric Wold opined that the timing of the two high-profile releases was not favorable for Imax. Wold previously predicted that Imax would generate $59 million in boxoffice receipts during the second quarter, but he upped that figure Monday to $75 million, based on the strength of "Transformers," and said his prediction still could be short by $5 million.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.