XP Power warns on tariff headwinds, pays no dividend as swings to loss

(Alliance News) - XP Power Ltd on Tuesday reported decreased revenue and orders in its annual ...

Alliance News 4 March, 2025 | 1:51PM
Email Form Facebook Twitter LinkedIn RSS

(Alliance News) - XP Power Ltd on Tuesday reported decreased revenue and orders in its annual results, as well as announcing a placing and retail offer worth up to GBP42 million.

The Singapore-based maker of power control systems said that in 2024 it swung to a pretax loss of GBP7.7 million against the prior year's GBP11.2 million profit. Meanwhile adjusted pretax profit, accounting for "certain tax charges and credits", fell 48% to GBP13.8 million from GBP26.6 million.

Revenue decreased 22% to GBP247.3 million from GBP316.4 million, and order intake fell 13% to GBP181.6 million from GBP208.8 million despite "encouraging growth in orders from the Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment sector...with momentum building as the year progressed".

The company said the revenue reduction was "due to destocking in the Industrial Technology and Healthcare sectors and the tail end of a market-wide downcycle within the Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment sector".

XP Power declared no dividends for 2024, compared with the 75.0 pence per share it declared for 2023 before it suspended dividend payments that year.

It said it "believes it is in shareholders' long-term interests for debt reduction to be prioritised over shareholder distributions until net debt returns sustainably to our target range of 1-2x adjusted Ebitda".

"2024 was a mixed year," commented Chief Executive Officer Gavin Griggs. "Importantly, our execution significantly improved, delivering greater operational efficiency, an upgraded supply chain capability, lower costs and substantial cash generation...We also maintained our focus on delivering our long-term strategy which is underlined by our healthy pipeline of new products and record new business wins.

"Despite the internal progress, market conditions were more challenging than expected."

Going forward, XP Power said it was "well positioned for progress as the market recovers". In particular it noted a "healthy pipeline of new products, with 25 scheduled for launch in 2025" and "record new business wins".

The firm also noted that it was in January found liable for plaintiff's legal fees and pre-judgement interest of GBP15.2 million in a US case against Comet Technologies USA Inc, and its provision for costs "increased accordingly" by GBP7.0 million to GBP51.4 million at the year's end.

Griggs added: "At the start of 2025 we are seeing continued challenging market conditions and recent US trade restrictions are causing increased headwinds for sales to Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment customers in China, which we expect to result in a sequentially weaker first half result.

"We expect demand to improve as the year progresses but the timing and scale of recovery remains hard to predict. This leads to a wide range of potential outcomes for 2025, with an expectation of a significant second half weighting."

Also on Tuesday, due to what Griggs described as a "relative lack of visibility" driving the board to "prudently strengthen the balance sheet", XP Power announced a placing and retail offer.

The placing should raise gross proceeds of up to GBP40 million at 975p per share, with the retail offer to raise up to GBP2 million at the same share price.

XP Power said it was "intended that the net proceeds of the fundraise will be used to strengthen the balance sheet, providing additional financial flexibility, and complete the build and fit out of the group's Malaysia facility.

"In the event of the expected market recovery, the company will return any excess proceeds from the fundraise to its shareholders."

XP Power shares were trading 4.0% lower at 987.00p in London on Tuesday afternoon.

By Emma Curzon, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Email Form Facebook Twitter LinkedIn RSS

Securities Mentioned in Article

Security Name Price Change (%) Morningstar
Rating
XP Power Ltd 979.00 GBX -4.77 -

About Author

Alliance News

Alliance News provides Morningstar with continuously updating coverage of news affecting listed companies.

© Copyright 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Terms of Use        Privacy Policy        Modern Slavery Statement        Cookie Settings        Disclosures