COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Dec. 31, 2014

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 9—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 other 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 are approximately $14,060,000. NCM LLC of which AMC is an approximate 15.05% owner, 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 $6,100,000 in equity in (earnings) losses of non-consolidated entities associated with these transaction expenses recorded by NCM LLC during the three months ended March 31, 2015.

NOTE 14—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 other 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 could occur. An unfavorable outcome could 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 has entered into an agreement to acquire Screenvision, LLC for $375,000,000, consisting of cash and NCM, Inc. common stock. Consummation of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. If NCM, Inc. does not receive this approval or if the closing conditions in the agreement cannot be satisfied, NCM, Inc. may be required to pay a termination fee of approximately $28,800,000. NCM LLC would indemnify NCM, Inc. and bear a pro rata portion of this fee based upon NCM, Inc.'s ownership percentage in NCM LLC, with NCM LLC's founding members bearing the remainder of the fee in accordance with their ownership percentage in NCM LLC. On November 3, 2014, the DOJ filed an antitrust lawsuit seeking to enjoin the proposed acquisition of Screenvision, LLC by NCM, Inc. The Company holds an investment in NCM LLC of 14.96% as of December 31, 2014. As of December 31, 2014, NCM LLC did not have a liability recorded for this termination fee.