Record profit at Cineplex

Photo: The Canadian Press

The Force was with Cineplex last year as the latest instalment in the "Star Wars" saga helped propel the theatre chain to its best-ever annual and fourth-quarter financial results.

Box office revenue was $196.3 million in the final quarter of 2015, up $23.8 million or 13.8 per cent from a year earlier.

Cineplex's total revenue from all sources including concession sales, advertising and newer business initiatives was $407.4 million, up 22.6 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2014.

Net income more than doubled to $76.8 million or $1.22 per share, up 139.4 per cent from $32.1 million or $0.51 per share.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was in the company's theatres for 14 days of the fourth quarter and was Cineplex's top film for 2015.

In the fourth quarter, Cineplex had record attendance of 20.4 million — 7.1 per cent higher than a year earlier.

Box office revenue per patron was $9.63, up 6.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014, and concession revenue per patron was $5.58, up 8.6 per cent.