Morgan Stanley Initiates Coverage of IMAX at Overweight
Fintel reports that on September 24, 2026, Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of IMAX (NYSE:IMAX) (DB:IMA) with a Overweight recommendation.
IMAX Corporation, based in Canada, operates as a leading innovator in entertainment technology, primarily focusing on motion picture technologies and large-format motion picture presentations. The corporation’s principal activities include the development, production, and distribution of theatrical films in the IMAX film format, leveraging its distinct technology to enhance the visual and auditory experience. Key projects include partnerships with major Hollywood studios to release films in the immersive IMAX format, enhancing blockbuster movie experiences worldwide. IMAX Corporation also invests in technology for capturing high-resolution images, including digital re-mastering technology and cameras.
Prior to the rating action, the stock closed at $53.30 on September 23, 2026. This close represents a price change of +2.36% over one week, relative to a baseline close of $52.07 on September 16, 2026. Over a one-month period, the stock experienced a price change of +1.06% from a baseline close of $52.74 on August 21, 2026. In its latest earnings report on July 23, 2026, IMAX reported actual earnings per share (EPS) of 0.43, compared to the estimated EPS of 0.2851, which represents an EPS surprise of +50.82%. The company's actual revenue for the quarter was $102,842,000.00, compared to the estimated revenue of $95,620,583.00. The company's upcoming earnings date is scheduled for October 21, 2026.
Separately from Morgan Stanley's individual rating, the broader analyst consensus target mean for IMAX was $57.95 as of September 15, 2026, with a median target of $59.16. This mean target represents an implied change of +8.73% from the stock's prior valuation levels. The prior consensus target mean was $55.17 as of August 28, 2026, reflecting a consensus target revision of +5.04%. In terms of aggregate recommendations, as of the September 1, 2026 period, the total recommendation count stood at 18, consisting of 4 strong buy, 11 buy, and 3 hold recommendations. This breakdown reflects 83.3% positive and 16.7% hold recommendations, which remained unchanged from the prior recommendation period of August 1, 2026.
Other financial institutions have also recently updated their outlooks on IMAX. On September 9, 2026, Rosenblatt maintained its Buy rating with a to-rating of Buy. Prior to that, Goldman Sachs maintained its Neutral rating on September 4, 2026. Roth Capital maintained its Buy rating on September 3, 2026, and Macquarie maintained its Outperform rating on September 2, 2026.
Recent analyst actions
| Date | Analyst | Prior | Latest recommendation | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2026 | Morgan Stanley | Overweight | initiated coverage | |
| September 9, 2026 | Rosenblatt | Buy | Buy | maintained |
| September 4, 2026 | Goldman Sachs | Neutral | Neutral | maintained |
| September 3, 2026 | Roth Capital | Buy | Buy | maintained |
| September 2, 2026 | Macquarie | Outperform | Outperform | maintained |
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This story originally appeared on Fintel.