Strictly embargoed until: 07.00, 29 June 2026

 

Focusrite plc

 

("Focusrite" or "the Company" or "the Group")

 

Final Results for the 18 months ended 28 February 2026

 

Revenue, Margins and EBITDA Increase; Strong Cash Generation Drives Substantially Reduced Net Debt

New Technology Platform with Proprietary Silicon Create a Stronger Platform for Future Growth

 

Focusrite plc (AIM: TUNE), the global music and audio products group supplying hardware and software used by professional and amateur musicians and the entertainment industry, announces its results for the 18 months  ended 28 February 2026.

 

Commenting on the results Tim Carroll CEO, said:

 

"The Group delivered a resilient set of results for the 18-month period to 28 February 2026, our new financial year end. I'd like to recognise the efforts of everyone across the Group on this performance, which reflects the benefits of disciplined pricing, supply chain management and a growing direct-to-consumer sales channel. Adjusted EBITDA for the pro-forma 12-month period to February 2026 increased to £24.7 million from £23.3 million, demonstrating the Group's ability to grow profitability despite a challenging macro-economic backdrop characterised by tariff instability, geopolitical pressures and subdued consumer confidence in several key markets.

 

Both divisions contributed to this performance, with Content Creation returning to organic constant currency growth of 3.6% and Audio Reproduction broadly stable.  Our businesses are market leading and we have a differentiated, diversified portfolio of unrivalled and world-leading brands that are loved by our passionate customers. Innovation is central to our growth strategy and we are excited to reveal our new technology platform utilising our proprietary silicon chip which underpins our confidence in the Group's long-term competitive positioning.

 

Trading in the first quarter has been ahead of the prior year, with underlying demand remaining healthy across both Content Creation and Audio Reproduction.  Whilst remaining mindful of the broader macro-economic environment, the Board expectations for the year to 28 February 2027 remain unchanged, and the Group enters the new financial year with improving operational momentum, a strengthened product portfolio and a growing direct-to-consumer presence that continues to support both revenue growth and margin progression."

 

Financial Performance

	Pro-forma Unaudited12 months to 28 February 2026	Pro-forma Unaudited 12 months to 28 February 2025	Change		Reported 18 months to 28 February 2026	Restated5 Reported 12 months to 31 August 2024
Revenue (£ million)	164.6	162.5	1.3%		245.5	158.5
Gross margin %	45.1%	43.4%	+1.7% pts		44.7%	44.3%
Adjusted1 EBITDA2 (£ million)	24.7	23.3	5.7%		34.9	24.9
Operating (loss)/profit (£ million)	(0.9)	4.0			2.1	5.5
Adjusted1 operating profit (£ million)	15.1	14.9	1.3%		20.8	16.5
Basic (loss)/earnings per share (p)	(7.0)	3.4			(3.9)	4.2
Adjusted1 diluted earnings per share (p)	15.6	16.9	-7.7%		22.1	17.8
Total dividend per share (p)	6.74	6.6			8.84	6.6
Net debt3 (£ million)	(8.6)	(17.9)	+£9.3m		(8.6)	(12.5)

 

Financial Highlights (pro-forma 12 months to February 2026)

·      Revenue increased by 1.3%, (+2.7% organic, after adjusting for currency⁴). Underlying growth of 6.9% (OCC) after adjusting for US sales phasing to mitigate tariff exposure in prior year

o  Content Creation: Revenue grew by 2.0% (+3.6% organic constant currency), led by growth in our market leading audio interfaces

o  Audio Reproduction: Revenue stable -0.6% (+0.5% organic constant currency), with growth in the key US market offsetting a normalising market in APAC

·      Gross margin increased by 1.7 percentage points, driven by Content Creation despite a challenging US tariff backdrop.

·      Adjusted¹ EBITDA² increased by 5.7%, with gross margin improvements supported by cost restructuring

·      Reported Operating profit was impacted by a non-cash impairment charge of £9.8 million of Sequential assets reflecting the current difficult market for premium synthesizers and an accelerated relocation of manufacturing operations

·      Adjusted¹ diluted EPS decreased by 7.7% due to a lower tax benefit in the current year from patent box tax relief and  higher amortisation and depreciation

·      Net debt decreased by £9.3 million to £8.6 million, primarily due to improvements in working capital, with reductions in both debtors and inventory across the period

·      For the 18 months to February 2026 revenue was £245.5 million and EBITDA was £34.9 million

 

Operational Highlights

·      Launch of 38 new products and 66 updates to existing product lines across our divisions, reflecting our commitment to continuous improvement and market-led innovation.

·      Innovation: Developed a new technology platform for use across future Content Creation products

o    Move to shared software platform and a proprietary silicon chip

o    Enables enhanced product performance and more efficient product development

o    De-risks supply chains away from third party silicon

·      New direct to reseller route to market established in Japan, bringing us closer to the customer and driving sales growth

·      Our direct-to-consumer (D2C) eCommerce business continued to grow in the period, becoming an increasingly important component of our overall routes to market model

 

 

Current Trading and Outlook

 

·      Trading for the first quarter has been ahead of the prior year, with healthy underlying demand across both the Content Creation and Audio Reproduction divisions

·      The Board expectations for the year to 28 February 2027 remain unchanged

 

The Group will host a Capital Markets Event before the end of the year to set out in detail its strategic priorities, growth drivers and the value creation opportunity ahead

 

 

 

¹ Adjusted for amortisation of acquired intangible assets, impairments, acquisition and restructuring costs and other adjusting items

² Comprising operating profit adjusted for interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation

³ Net debt defined as cash and cash equivalents, overdrafts and amounts drawn against the RCF including the costs of arranging the RCF

⁴ This is calculated by comparing revenue for the 12 months to February 2026 to revenue for the 12 months to February 2025 adjusted for exchange rates for the 12 months to February 2026.

⁵ Restated due to adjustments in the prior year - see note 1 to the financial statements

 

Availability of Annual Report and Notice of AGM

 

The Annual Report and Accounts for the period ended 28 February 2026 and notice of the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of Focusrite will be posted to shareholders by Tuesday 30 June and will be available on Focusrite's website at www.focusriteplc.com.

 

Dividend timetable

 

The final dividend is subject to shareholder approval, which will be sought at Focusrite's AGM on 4 August 2026.

 

The timetable for the final dividend is as follows:

 

4 August 2026	AGM to approve the recommended final dividend
9 July 2026	Ex-dividend Date
10 July 2026	Record Date
07 August 2026	Dividend payment date

 

-Ends-

 

Enquiries:
Focusrite plc	+44 (0) 1494 462246
Tim Carroll (CEO) / Sally McKone (CFO)
Investec Bank plc (Nominated Adviser and Broker)	+44 (0) 20 7597 5970
David Flin / Nick Prowting
Rosewood Reputation Limited (Financial PR)	+44 (0) 20 7653 8702
John West / Llew Angus / Lily Pearce

 

Analyst meeting

 

A live online briefing for analysts will be conducted at 10:30am this morning on the Investor Meet Company platform. This meeting is only open to analysts. If you are an analyst and would like to attend this meeting, please send an email to: [email protected].

 

Investor presentation

 

A live online presentation open to all existing and potential investors will be held at 11:00am on 1 July 2026 on the Investor Meet Company platform. If you would like to attend this online presentation, please sign up via the following link: https://www.investormeetcompany.com/focusrite-plc/register-investor.

Questions can be submitted pre-event via the Investor Meet Company dashboard up until 9am the day before the presentation or at any time during the live presentation.

 

Notes to Editors

Focusrite plc is a global audio products group that develops and markets proprietary hardware and software products. Used by audio professionals and musicians, its solutions facilitate the high-quality production of recorded and live sound. The Focusrite Group trades under eleven established brands: Focusrite, Novation, ADAM Audio, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, Linea Research Sequential, Oberheim, Sonnox, OutBoard and TiMax.

With a high-quality reputation and a rich heritage spanning decades, its brands are category leaders in the music-making and audio recording industries.

The Group operates through two divisions: Content Creation and Audio Reproduction.

·      Within its Content Creation business, Focusrite offers audio interfaces and other products for recording musicians, producers and professional audio facilities. Novation products are used in the creation of electronic music, from synthesizers and grooveboxes to industry-shaping controllers and inspirational music-making apps. ADAM Audio studio monitors have earned a worldwide reputation based on technological innovation in the field of studio loudspeaker technology.  Sonnox is a leading designer of innovative, high-quality, award-winning audio processing software plug-ins for professional audio engineers. Sequential designs and manufactures high end analogue synthesizers under the Sequential and Oberheim brands.

·      The Audio Reproduction division provides high-quality, professional-grade solutions for both live sound and permanent installations. Martin Audio designs and manufactures performance-ready systems across the spectrum of sound reinforcement applications. TiMax specialises in innovative immersive audio and show control technologies. OutBoard manufactures and sells industry standard rigging control products for live events, together with enterprise-level safety test, preparation and quality management for global rental companies and venues. Linea designs, develops, manufactures and sells innovative professional audio equipment globally. 

The Company has offices in four continents and a global customer base with a distribution network covering approximately 240 territories.

Focusrite plc is traded on the AIM market, London Stock Exchange.

Chairman's Report

 

This will be my final Statement as Chairman, following my decision to step down at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting in

August 2026. I will remain on the Board as a Non-executive Director, reflecting my family's shareholding status and my continued commitment to the long-term success of the business.

 

I am delighted that Ian Barkshire has joined the Board and will succeed me as Chair. Ian brings significant experience of leading and scaling a global, technology-led public company, and I am confident he will guide the Group successfully through its next phase.

 

I would like to thank David Bezem, who will be stepping down from the Board at the forthcoming AGM, for his valued contribution and support over many years. When I founded the business in 1989, it was with a simple ambition: to build products that enabled musicians and creators to produce exceptional sound. Over the decades since then, the industry has been through multiple cycles of technological change, economic disruption and shifting consumer behaviour. What has remained constant throughout is the enduring demand for music creation and live performance.

 

That resilience continues today. The global music market has now delivered over a decade of sustained growth, supported by new technologies, expanding audiences and the continued importance of music as a form of expression and shared experience. Against that backdrop, Focusrite has continued to evolve, building a portfolio of strong, complementary brands with leading positions across Content Creation and Audio Reproduction.

 

This growth has been achieved through a combination of organic innovation and selective acquisitions, including Novation, ADAM Audio, Martin Audio, Sequential and Oberheim, each contributing to a broader, more diversified and globally relevant Group.

 

Following the exceptional demand for our products experienced during the pandemic, the business has now moved through a period of normalisation and is focused on execution. Our Focusrite-branded products have maintained market leadership and continued to grow, while Audio Reproduction has benefited from the recovery seen in live events and installations.

 

Throughout this period, the Group has remained disciplined, remaining focused on our strategy and continuing to invest in product innovation and capability.

 

Today, Focusrite is a cash-generative business with a portfolio of market-leading brands and a clear strategy for growth beyond underlying market expansion. Investment in areas such as proprietary silicon chip design and platform development provides a strong foundation for future product innovation, enhanced functionality, greater control over core technologies and improved margins.

 

Looking ahead, I am confident in the Group's trajectory. The business is well positioned to benefit from continued global demand for music creation and live audio experiences, supported by its strong brands, global reach and disciplined operational approach, with the model ready to translate consistent revenue growth into greater profit progression.

 

Under the leadership of the executive team, and with Ian as Chair, I believe Focusrite is now stepping into a decisive phase of development, moving from a period of adjustment to one of enhanced delivery and pushing the boundaries of performance.

 

I would like to thank our shareholders, colleagues and partners for their continued support over many years.

 

Phil Dudderidge
Non-executive Chairman and Founder

 

CEO Statement

 

Overview: resilient performance

 

I am pleased to present our audited financial results for the 18 months to February 2026. Overall, our performance achieved a year-on-year (for the pro-forma 12 months to February 2026) Organic Constant Currency ('OCC') revenue increase of 2.7% and an increase in gross margin of 1.7% points while navigating the challenging and dynamic macro-economic environment.

 

The demand across our product portfolio remained strong, with market-leading product lines like Scarlett continuing to maintain top rankings while up-and-coming brands delivered growth in market share and brand awareness in key regions. Additionally, the Group released 28 new products that have all been warmly received by the market, proving once more the positive impact of our continued investment in R&D and our enduring connection with our customers. During the period, we took numerous actions to mitigate the impacts of tariff instability and continued cost of living and inflationary pressures, driving results in line with our expectations.

 

Importantly, actions we have taken over recent years, including portfolio expansion, platform investment, pricing discipline and cost control, now position the Group to move from a period of adjustment to one of enhanced delivery, growth and value creation. The investments made over recent years in product development, platform capability and operational efficiency have improved our visibility over both operational performance and quality of earnings, and have established the foundations required to support this next phase.

 

Given that these reported results cover an 18 month period from September 2024 to February 2026, direct comparison with the prior 12 month period to August 2024 is limited. To aid comparison and simplify interpretation, therefore, we have provided pro-forma unaudited results for the 12 months to February 2026, alongside comparative figures for the 12 months to February 2025, throughout the Strategic Report.

 

Successful management of short-term volatility and margin protection

 

During the latest 12-month period, the international trading environment was significantly impacted by fluctuating tariffs on goods sold to the US, which accounts for approximately one third of Group revenue. Tariffs on China-origin products ranged from 25% to over 75%, with additional tariffs affecting goods manufactured in Malaysia, Vietnam, the UK and Germany. These changes created material cost pressures and required a proactive operational response.

 

In the first six months of the period, the Group acted decisively to mitigate these impacts. We increased inventory levels within our US Content Creation sales channels to take advantage of lower duty windows, relocated certain manufacturing activities to alternative locations provided by our contract manufacturing partners, and increased inventory levels in our US warehouse for Audio Reproduction. These actions were carefully managed within forecast demand to avoid excess stock and ensure that channel inventory remained controlled throughout the period.

 

In parallel, we implemented targeted pricing actions across multiple product categories to offset increased input and logistics costs, while successfully maintaining competitive positioning in key markets. These combined measures contributed to an improvement in gross margin and supported 5.9% OCC growth in the US, despite ongoing volatility.

 

Content Creation: performance underpinned by a clear and consistent approach to growth

 

Our Content Creation division delivered revenue growth of 3.6% (organic constant currency basis) for the 12 months to February 2026, against a challenging macro-economic backdrop. We took action to bring inventory into the US early in 2025, to mitigate expected tariff increases. Adjusting for this rephasing underlying  OCC growth in the 12 months to February 2026 was 9.5% for Content Creation as a division.

 

Despite several price increases introduced to offset tariffs and inflation, as well as continued pressure on consumer spending, underlying demand for our products has remained robust. Our leading brands have maintained their positions in relevant product categories, while our lower-share brands have continued to expand, reflecting the enduring strengths of our portfolio and our multi-brand strategy.

 

This performance is underpinned by a clear and consistent approach to growth, reflecting the Group's core strategy: to grow our market share in established categories, expand into adjacent product segments and improve margins through pricing discipline, product mix and direct customer engagement.

 

We continue to strengthen our presence in established markets through our global distribution network and strategic partnerships with major retailers, studios and educational institutions. These relationships not only reinforce brand credibility but also expand our reach to new customer segments.

 

Additionally, the Group continues to refine its routes to market, with the focus on getting closer to our end users. To gain an edge and leverage our scale, we are constantly diversifying our routes to market.  As part of this strategy, the Group has gone direct to the reseller, bypassing traditional distribution, in key markets like the UK, Germany, Australia, and now Japan. This initiative has netted a positive uplift on brand awareness, market share and gross margin in all targeted regions.

 

At the same time, we are increasing the awareness and adoption of new innovative products through targeted digital marketing, influencer partnerships and educational initiatives, including online content and training. By leveraging the strength of our established brands, we are able to introduce innovative products to wider audiences and customers.

Operating Review

 

	Pro-forma Unaudited 12 months to  28 February  2026	Pro-forma Unaudited 12 months to  28 February 2025	Reported Growth	OCC Growth1	Reported 18 months to  28 February  2026	Reported 12 months to  31 August  2024
Revenue from external customers	£'000	£'000	%	%	£'000	£'000
Content Creation	118,482	116,167	2.0%	3.6%	177,932	110,818
Audio Reproduction	46,116	46,380	-0.6%	0.5%	67,573	47,706
Total	164,598	162,547	1.3%	2.7%	245,505	158,524

 

 

¹ Organic constant currency (OCC) growth rate is calculated by comparing revenue for the 12 months to February 2026 to revenue for the 12 months to February 2025 adjusted for exchange rates for the 12 months to February 2026

 

Content Creation

 

Breaking new ground: product innovation and platform development

 

Our trailblazing approach remains central to our strategy, with innovation being a key driver of both growth and market share. Over the past 12 months, the Content Creation brands have launched 22 new products and delivered 58 updates to existing product lines, reflecting our commitment to continuous improvement and market-led innovation.

 

In addition, we have successfully completed a multi-year investment programme to develop a new proprietary platform which utilises our own custom design silicon (FAESIC: Focusrite Audio Engineering Specific Integrated Circuit). This new platform which the Group will continue to develop and build upon, will enable greater control over product development, improved scalability across product categories and enhanced differentiation as well as improved margin potential over time. This technology and IP will be a core element of the Group's long-term strategy in innovation and product delivery.

 

The first product utilising this technology is scheduled for release later this year, with many more to follow over the next three years and beyond.

 

In the past four years, this segment faced a number of external challenges, including certain component shortages, rising input and shipping costs, global inflation, US tariff volatility and geopolitical friction. Recent industry reports suggest that the market is now approaching an inflection point, with signs of stabilization and sustainable growth.

 

Against this backdrop, our performance in the period reflects both the resilience of underlying demand and the benefits of our continued investment in product development and portfolio expansion.

 

Portfolio development and operational efficiency

 

Over the course of the period, we undertook a detailed review of our brand architecture and reporting structure to ensure that the Group is optimally positioned to scale and leverage its intellectual property.

 

As a result, we have simplified the portfolio, with the Focusrite Pro and Ampify brands folding into the core Focusrite and Novation brands, respectively. Additionally, the Sonnox business is now aligned under the Focusrite leadership team, allowing tight integration with the development teams and enabling increased scale and awareness for the Sonnox brand. A clear example of this was the launch of Sonnox's "Soften" plug-in. Exclusively for Focusrite users, Soften significantly expanded the market awareness and adoption of Sonnox products.

 

These changes reflect a clear direction towards a more unified and integrated product ecosystem, improving operational efficiency, enhancing customer experience and enabling us to deploy our technology and intellectual property more effectively across the Group.

 

Focusrite: core brand and market leadership

 

The Focusrite brand remains central to the Group and continues to lead the global market in audio interfaces. Our Scarlett range, which serves both entry-level and professional users, remains the most widely used audio interface platform globally. Its breadth of functionality, ease of use and compatibility across recording software continues to make it the product of choice for a wide range of creators, from first-time users to professional studios. Recent updates to the 4th-generation Scarlett range have introduced new features and enhanced performance, driving increased customer engagement and further strengthening its market position.

 

Alongside Scarlett, our Clarett, Red and RedNet ranges continue to serve more advanced users and professional environments, providing high-performance solutions across studio and live applications. These products also provide a technology and brand halo that supports the wider portfolio.

 

Following a period of industry-wide overstocking, we have successfully normalised channel inventory levels back to historic ranges, positioning the business for more consistent trading going forward.

 

Sonnox is a well-established brand in the professional audio community, creating audio plug-ins that allow professionals the capability to sculpt and refine their sound in numerous ways. Along with these professional tools, Sonnox has expanded their portfolio to add more user-friendly plug-ins, designed for the home studio enthusiast to solve common issues in audio production. As mentioned earlier, Sonnox launched Soften, an exclusive free plug-in for Focusrite users. This initiative, together with the launch of DrumGate2, a new professional user's plug-in, led to increased sales across the entire Sonnox portfolio and a strong performance for Sonnox over the 12 months to February 2026.

 

Novation, ADAM Audio and Sequential: further expanding the addressable market

 

Our Novation brand continues to support electronic musicians through a growing portfolio of controllers, grooveboxes, synthesisers and software tools. Recent product launches, including updates to the Launchkey and Launch Control ranges, have been well received, with strong end-user engagement and continued growth in end-user registrations.

 

Whilst growth compared to the prior year was impacted by strong sales in the 6 months to August 2024 with the successful update and channel load-in of our Launchkey range, underlying demand remains strong and the brand continues to expand its reach across both established and emerging segments.

 

ADAM Audio offers a wide range of studio monitor solutions for any setup, from the home recording enthusiast to the most demanding professional recording facilities. Demand for ADAM products remained robust throughout the period, especially in EMEA and APAC. In the US, ADAM did experience some short-term pressure on the more price-sensitive products following price adjustments to offset increased tariffs, which was in part offset by the successful launch of the lower price point desktop speakers (D3V). Overall, the brand continues to gain market share globally, offering premium solutions to fit any monitoring workflow.

 

ADAM launched a range of new desktop speakers (D3V) in August 2025 and the first of a range of new studio monitor headphones (H200) in September 2025. The desktop speakers received numerous awards for sound quality and their three-inch design, gaining popularity particularly in Japan, among Hi-Fi companies who serve the mainstream consumer segment. Both launches expand the ADAM offering into product adjacencies and support future growth.

 

The Sequential and Oberheim brands comprise iconic, well-loved electronic instruments that have been used by a wide range of artists across several decades on numerous hits. Flagship offerings like the Prophet 5 and Oberheim OBX8 are considered state of the art analogue synthesizers sought out by professional musicians globally. Over the last 12 months this category of products experienced softer demand, most notably in the US, with Music Trades in the US citing US retail sales in this category down 4% on the prior year. One significant factor contributing to this was the retail price increases that were needed to offset US tariffs on Chinese imports, with synthesizers not qualifying for tariff exemptions unlike many of the Group's other products. Additionally, the Group was notified that Sequential's US contract manufacturer would be ceasing US operations at the end of this year, accelerating the Group's existing transition plan to a non-US contract manufacturer. As a result of this increased uncertainty the Group has further impaired the Sequential assets as detailed in note 6 to the financial statements.

 

While this segment has experienced softer demand, the introduction of more affordable products, including the TEO-5 and Fourm, is enabling the brands to reach a wider audience including emerging musicians and enthusiasts. Reaction to these lower priced products has been positive and the Group remains confident in the future of these brands.

 

Content Creation by region

 

	Pro-forma Unaudited 12 months to  28 February  2026	Pro-forma Unaudited 12 months to  28 February 2025	Reported Growth	OCC Growth1	Reported 18 months to  28 February  2026	Reported 12 months to  31 August  2024
Content Creation	£'000	£'000	%	%	£'000	£'000
Americas2	52,388	51,636	1.5%	5.9%	76,869	52,297
EMEA	50,914	52,604	-3.2%	-4.8%	79,671	47,715
APAC2	15,180	11,927	27.3%	32.6%	21,392	10,806
Total	118,482	116,167	2.0%	3.6%	177,932	110,818

 

¹ Organic constant currency (OCC) growth rate is calculated by comparing revenue for the 12 months to February 2026 to revenue for the 12 months to February 2025 adjusted for exchange rates for the 12 months to February 2026

² Regions restated to reflect the revised Group operating model, with LATAM now part of the Americas and APAC replacing "Rest of World".

 

Geographically, performance across all regions reflects resilient underlying demand, despite region-specific challenges.

 

The Americas delivered stable performance, supported by effective inventory management and pricing actions in response to tariffs. Sales into the US were rephased in 2025 to increase stock levels in the period to February 2025, prior to expected tariff changes. This has resulted in a strong comparator for the period to February 2026, which has reduced the overall growth in this period.

 

EMEA experienced some short-term disruption due to reseller consolidation in several countries. These impacts are localised and have not altered underlying demand across the broader region. APAC delivered strong growth, particularly in Japan and Australia, supported by our transition to a direct-to-reseller model and increased local presence.

 

Across all regions, we have continued to see strong sell-through to end-customers, with both existing products and new launches performing well. Strategic initiatives, including investment in D2C platforms and refinements to our route to market, have supported both customer acquisition and market share growth.

 

Direct-to-consumer: scaling a key growth and margin driver

 

Our direct-to-consumer (D2C) eCommerce business continues to grow and is an increasingly important component of our overall model.

 

For the six months to February 2026, D2C represented 12% of Content Creation revenue, reflecting continued growth across all brands. The investments made in building a robust and scalable D2C platform are delivering strong returns in terms of both customer acquisition and margin expansion.

 

D2C enables us to build direct relationships with our customers, improve our product mix and increase customer lifetime value, while also enhancing pricing control and supporting higher-margin, more repeatable revenue streams.

 

Audio Reproduction

 

Stabilisation, resilience and share opportunity

 

The Audio Reproduction division provides high-quality, professional-grade solutions for both live sound and permanent installations. Since entering this market with the acquisition of Martin Audio in 2019, the Group has continued to build a broader and more integrated offering through targeted investment in R&D and acquisitions.

 

As previously reported, the Audio Reproduction market has continued to normalise, following a period of exceptional post-pandemic demand in 2024. Industry trade reports indicate that the market has declined in the mid-to-high single digits over the past 12 months.

 

Against this backdrop, the Group delivered a resilient performance, with revenue broadly flat year-on-year, representing outperformance relative to the wider market.

 

A broader portfolio

 

Martin Audio has been shaping live sound since 1972, being dedicated to "Uniting the Audience" through exceptional audio. Its loudspeakers are renowned for precise sound quality, achieved by combining acoustic engineering with advanced digital signal processing (DSP) - software that fine-tunes audio in real time for clarity and consistency. The concept of "throw" is central here: it refers to how far sound travels to reach listeners while maintaining the same quality, whether at the front or back of a venue.

 

Martin Audio's range of solutions offer world-class sound for every conceivable live sound scenario ensuring that no seat is left out and providing the venue with sound quality that will satisfy the most demanding audience.

 

Optimal Audio has quickly become a force in commercial audio, thanks to its accessible solutions and ongoing expansion. With a steadily growing presence, Optimal Audio's products are designed for ease of installation and reliability, making them a favourite in restaurants, retail spaces and conference centres.

 

Linea Research is the backbone of Martin Audio's amplification needs and continues to serve a broad customer base. Its products feature built-in DSP, offering a unique combination of power, efficiency and sonic purity, recognised in 2024 with the King's Award for Innovation for its commitment to engineering excellence.

 

TiMax is at the forefront of immersive audio - technology that creates a three dimensional sound environment, enveloping audiences and enhancing engagement, which is used in theatres and theme parks to deliver dynamic, spatially accurate soundscapes. As one audio designer put it, "TiMax lets us move sound around the room in real time, making every seat the best in the house."

 

Over the past year, our Audio Reproduction brands released 16 new products and 8 updates. The Blackline Q series is particularly notable for its advanced sound dispersion technology, which ensures even coverage across wide spaces by directing audio precisely where it's needed. Its robust, weather-resistant construction guarantees durability in demanding environments, from outdoor festivals to busy nightclubs. The Linea NSC controllers are a standout, with a user-friendly design enabling rapid turnaround between acts at multi-artist festivals, ensuring consistent sound quality and smooth transitions. All of these solutions are focused on delivering every seat in the house a world-class audio experience. Software improvements further simplify integration, making it easier than ever to tailor system performance to any event or venue.

 

 

Audio Reproduction by region

 

	Pro-forma Unaudited 12 months to  28 February  2026	Pro-forma Unaudited 12 months to  28 February 2025	Reported Growth	OCC Growth1	Reported 18 months to  28 February  2026	Reported 12 months to  31 August  2024
Audio Reproduction	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Americas2	14,065	13,246	6.2%	10.8%	19,938	13,317
EMEA	18,804	19,143	-1.8%	-2.4%	27,381	19,414
APAC2	13,247	13,991	-5.3%	-4.8%	20,254	14,975
Total	46,116	46,380	-0.6%	0.5%	67,573	47,706

 

¹ Organic constant currency (OCC) growth rate is calculated by comparing revenue for the 12 months to February 2026 to revenue for the 12 months to February 2025 adjusted for exchange rates for the 12 months to February 2026

² Regions restated to reflect the revised Group operating model, with LATAM now part of the Americas and APAC replacing "Rest of World".

 

This division's performance reflects the strength of our expanded portfolio and the effectiveness of our strategy. Through the addition of amplification, immersive audio and control technologies, the division is now able to provide a comprehensive end-to-end solution across a wide range of applications.

 

There remains a significant opportunity to grow share across key regions, particularly in the US, where Martin's expanded product range competes against three larger global competitors.

 

Regionally, APAC revenue declined by 5% compared to the 12 months to February 2025, a year which included high levels of sales to China from a bounce back of live events. EMEA declined slightly compared to the prior 12 months, with business suppressed in Middle Eastern markets due to the conflicts in this region.

 

The Americas delivered strong performance, with revenue increasing by 10.8% on an organic constant currency basis compared to the prior 12 months, driven by an increase in investment in the sales team to complement the expanded portfolio of offerings. Our enhanced range attracted more customers and helped us gain market share. As a result, Audio Reproduction revenue was broadly flat year-on-year.

 

We believe that our significantly broader product offering and increased market presence have had a positive impact on our results compared to industry reports. Overall, the order book for our Audio Reproduction business is robust, and with our extended offerings - including immersive options with TiMax - we continue to find new opportunities to grow our pipeline.

 

Summary and outlook: a clear pathway to improving performance

 

The Group delivered a resilient set of results for the 18-month period to 28 February 2026, our new financial year end. I'd like to recognise the efforts of everyone at Focusrite on this performance, which reflects the benefits of disciplined pricing, supply chain management and a growing direct-to-consumer sales channel. Adjusted EBITDA for the pro-forma 12 month period to February 2026 increased to £24.7 million from £23.3 million, demonstrating the Group's ability to grow profitability despite a challenging macro-economic backdrop characterised by tariff instability, geopolitical pressures and subdued consumer confidence in several key markets.

 

Both divisions contributed to this performance, with Content Creation returning to organic constant currency growth of 3.6% and Audio Reproduction broadly stable.  Our businesses are market leading and we have a differentiated, diversified portfolio of unrivalled and world-leading brands that are loved by our passionate customers. Innovation is central to our growth strategy and we are excited to reveal our proprietary silicon chip platform which will bring benefits across our future product launches and underpins our confidence in the Group's long-term competitive positioning.

 

Trading in the first quarter has been ahead of the prior year, with underlying demand remaining healthy across both Content Creation and Audio Reproduction.  Whilst remaining mindful of the broader macro-economic environment, the Board expectations for the year to 28 February 2027 remain unchanged, and the Group enters the new financial year with improving operational momentum, a strengthened product portfolio and a growing direct-to-consumer presence that continues to support both revenue growth and margin progression.

 

Tim Carroll

Chief Executive Officer

28 June 2026

 

 

Financial Review

 

Change of year end

As announced in October 2024, the Group changed its year end from 31 August to 28 February. This was done to allow the Group to report full year‑end results after the busy Christmas and Thanksgiving holiday season and so provide greater clarity on trading to investors. Accordingly, these reported results cover an 18‑month transition period from September 2024 to February 2026, results that have limited comparability to the 12‑month period to August 2024 (together, the "reported results"). To provide more insight and aid comparability in addition to the reported results, we have also provided proforma results for the 12 months to February 2026 ("12 months to February 2026"), with comparatives for the 12 months to February 2025 ("12 months to February 2025") throughout the Strategic Report (together, the "pro‑forma results").

A summary is provided at the end of this report reconciling these pro‑forma figures to previously reported interim figures (both the first interim results for the six months to 28 February 2025 and the second interim results for the 12 months to 31 August 2025) and the reported results in these financial statements. These tables are also provided as Appendices to the Results presentation, which is available on the Group's website.

Overview - reported results

 

The Group remains in a resilient financial position, reflecting sustained efficiency gains, tighter operational control and a more balanced working capital cycle. As the business continues to scale, it is increasingly able to convert incremental top-line progress into a more pronounced uplift in earnings. Targeted investment across products, technology infrastructure and direct customer engagement is expected to strengthen profitability further, while supporting consistent cash generation. These underlying positive trends were impacted by a non-cash impairment charge of £9.8 million to our Sequential business segment, reflecting an ongoing difficult market and greater uncertainty in future cashflows following the planned closure of our US contract manufacturing partner.

 

Revenue of £245.5 million for the 18-month period increased from £158.5 million in the 12-month prior period, whilst adjusted EBITDA of £34.9 million for the 18-month period increased from £24.9 million in the prior 12-month period. There was a loss before tax of £2.2 million for the 18 months compared to a profit before tax of £2.3 million in the prior 12 months, whilst basic earnings per share decreased to a loss per share of 3.9 pence from a profit per share of 4.2 pence.

 

We have restated our results for the 12 months to August 2024 following the identification of errors relating to inventory and amortisation of trademarks in two of our subsidiaries. This has resulted in a reduction in inventory at August 2024 of £1.0 million, a reduction in accruals of £0.4 million and a reduction in accumulated amortisation of £1.0 million.  For the 12 months to August 2024 gross profit and EBITDA reduced by £0.3 million and operating profit by £0.2 million.  Opening reserves increased by £0.5 million. All figures are shown as restated in these financial statements.

 

For the remainder of this Financial Review of the income statement, the pro-forma 12-month performance provides the clearest view of underlying trading and progression and has been used to provide insight on the underlying performance of the Group.

 

 

Income statement

		Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2026	Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2025		Reported 18 months to 28 February 2026	Restated1 Reported 12 months to 31 August 2024
		£m	£m		£m	£m
Revenue		164.6	162.5		245.5	158.5
Cost of sales		(90.3)	(91.9)		(135.9)	(88.3)
Gross profit		74.3	70.6		109.6	70.2
Administrative overheads		(49.6)	(47.3)		(74.7)	(45.3)
Adjusted2 EBITDA3		24.7	23.3		34.9	24.9
Amortisation		(6.9)	(5.6)		(10.0)	(5.5)
Depreciation		(2.7)	(2.8)		(4.1)	(2.9)
Adjusted2 Operating profit		15.1	14.9		20.8	16.5
Adjusting items		(0.8)	-		(0.8)	(0.1)
Impairment		(9.8)	(5.4)		(9.8)	(5.4)
Amortisation on acquired assets		(5.4)	(5.5)		(8.1)	(5.5)
Reported operating (loss)/profit		(0.9)	4.0		2.1	5.5
Net finance expense		(3.3)	(2.9)		(4.3)	(3.2)
(Loss)/profit before tax		(4.2)	1.1		(2.2)	2.3
Income tax credit/(expense)		0.2	0.8		(0.1)	0.2
(Loss)/Profit for the period		(4.0)	1.9		(2.3)	2.5

 

1  Restated due to adjustments to the prior year - see note 1 to the financial statements.

2  Adjusted for amortisation of acquired intangible assets and other adjusting items detailed in note 6 to the financial statements.

3 Earnings (Profit after Tax) before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation.

 

Overview - pro-forma results

Revenue for the 12 months to February 2026 increased by 1.3% compared to the prior 12 months to February 2025. This growth, together with an increase in gross margin, partially offset by an anticipated normalisation of overheads, led to an increase in adjusted EBITDA from £23.3 million to £24.7 million. Operating profit increased slightly following an increase in amortisation, and adjusted basic EPS decreased from 16.9p to 15.3p as a result of increased tax and finance costs.

Revenue analysis

	Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2026	Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2025	Unaudited Adjustments 12 months to 28 February 2025	Unaudited Pro-forma Adjusted 12 months to 28 February 2025	Unaudited Pro-forma Growth	Unaudited Pro-forma OCC Growth1
	£m	£m	£m	£m	%	%
Content Creation	118.5	116.1	(1.8)	114.3	2.0%	3.6%
Audio Reproduction	46.1	46.4	(0.5)	45.9	-0.6%	0.5%
Total	164.6	162.5	(2.3)	160.2	1.3%	2.7%

 

[1] Organic constant currency (OCC) growth rate is calculated by comparing 12 months to February 26 revenue to 12 months to February 25 revenue adjusted for average exchange rates for the 12 months to February 2026.

 

Group revenue increased by 1.3% to £164.6 million (12 months to February 2025: £162.5 million). When adjusted for constant currency effects, this equates to an organic constant currency (OCC) growth of 2.7%. Currency movements experienced headwinds, reducing revenue by approximately £2.3 million, which was primarily due to the weakening of the US dollar.

 

The Content Creation division reported overall revenue growth of 2.0% (3.6% OCC) to £118.5 million for the 12 months to February 2026. This growth was achieved despite pricing and tariff challenges in the Americas region and channel consolidation in EMEA continued with several resellers reporting insolvencies in the period. Sales in the US were brought forward into the period to February 2025 to manage tariff risk, resulting in lower sales levels in the period to August 2025 and a strong comparator for sales in the period to February 2026.

 

The Focusrite Novation segment, which now includes the Sonnox brand, achieved revenue of £84.5 million, an increase of 4.6% (OCC: 6.3%) compared to the prior year. Focusrite growth of 7.2% (9.0% OCC) was further supported by the release of a special 40th anniversary Scarlett in August 2025 and strong ongoing sales of the Scarlett Gen 4 range, the update of which is now complete and with stock levels now largely normalised across all regions and channels. Novation sales declined by 6.9% (negative 5.2% OCC), due to sales phasing in the US to mitigate tariffs and following successful product launches in the 12 months to February 2025. Sonnox sales grew by 23.8% (24.7% OCC) following successful marketing campaigns to Focusrite users and the successful launch of a new plug-in, Drumgate 2, in January 2026.

 

ADAM Audio declined slightly in the 12 months to February 2026 following the phasing of sales into the period to February 2025 in the US to mitigate tariffs, resulting in a decline in this region. Growth remains strong outside the US, in particular in APAC, where the new desktop speakers have proved particularly popular, with the region reporting 35.0% growth for the brand.

 

Sequential launched the new lower-price-point Fourm in September 2025, which supported growth for the brand outside the US, where price points were impacted by the increased prices due to tariffs.

 

As previously reported, the Audio Reproduction market continues to normalise following a period of strong growth after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Sales returned to growth of 1.1% in the 6-month period to February 2026, with particular strength in the US at 10.8% growth in the 12 months to February 2026, due to the investment in this area to drive sales. Overall, the division reported a slight decline of 0.6% (OCC: positive 0.5%) for the 12 months to February 2026.

 

Currency impact

 

The US Dollar weakened during the period (with detailed exchange rate movements provided below), accounting for the £2.3 million negative translation impact on Group revenue for the 12 months to February 2026 relative to the comparable 12 months in 2025. However, the impact at the profit level was minimal, as purchases of inventory from manufacturers in China and Malaysia are also denominated in USD, creating a natural hedge that offsets much of the currency fluctuation.

 

Segment profit

 

Segment profit is disclosed in more detail in note 4 to the Financial Statements, named 'Business Segments'. These segments compare the revenue of the products of the relevant brands with the directly attributable costs to create segment profit.

 

Gross profit analysis

 

The Group's gross margin percentage for the 12 months to February 2026 was 45.1%, an increase of 1.7 percentage points compared to the prior 12 months. This was largely due to improvements in Content Creation, with Audio Reproduction margins remaining stable between the periods.

 

In the Content Creation division, gross margin increased by 3.1 percentage points to 45.9% from 42.8% in the prior year. This improvement was driven by price increases that offset initial tariff impacts in the US, further enhanced by the inventory build in the US before the introduction of tariffs. In addition, inflationary increases elsewhere in the world together with cost reductions resulting from production efficiencies improved margin across regions outside the US. This demonstrates the Group's ability to protect and expand margins in a volatile operating environment, supported by pricing discipline, product mix and operational execution. We continue to closely monitor the situation and are actively pursuing tariff refunds, although the timing or level of refunds remains uncertain and, as a result, the impact of any refunds have not been included in these results.

 

The Group has managed the tariff risk through a combination of inventory management, supplier selection and proactive pricing policies. Pricing updates were made across both divisions outside the US in September 2025, with targeted pricing in the US in May 2025 and February 2026.

 

Our Audio Reproduction division, which has historically reported margins of around 43%, has seen margins stabilise back to this level throughout the period. The twelve months to February 2025 (and to August 2024) were inflated by higher sales to the Chinese market, where a portion of sales are recognised on a royalty basis via our contract manufacturers. Sales to APAC were broadly flat in the 12 months to February 2026, leading to a more stabilised margin. Increased tariffs have also impacted this market, but with the majority of products imported to the US being made in the UK, this effect has been less significant than in the Content Creation division.

 

Freight rates remained relatively stable across the period at a similar level to the prior year, although we are starting to see surcharges and increases due to energy cost inflation as a result of the conflict in the Middle East, which we are passing on as appropriate through our differentiated routes to market pricing actions.

 

Looking ahead, the outlook for gross margins remains somewhat uncertain, given the ongoing changes to tariff regulations and the inflationary impacts of ongoing geopolitical conflicts. Our target is to maintain underlying gross margins in all regions through a combination of proactive pricing and supply-chain management, enabling us to maximise gross profit. With the launch of our Japanese distribution entity in March, this should provide a small uplift to gross margins, although these are partially offset by increased overheads from the establishment of a local team.

 

Administrative expenses

 

Administrative expenses include sales, marketing, operations, the uncapitalised element of R&D (partially offset by the Research and Development Expenditure Credit regime ('RDEC') tax credit), as well as central functions such as legal, finance and the Group Board. Total expenses were £49.6 million for the 12 months to February 2026, up from £47.3 million in the prior year. There were adjusting costs (see below) in the period of £10.6 million, relating to an impairment of £9.8 million to the Sequential Cash Generating Unit (CGU) and a restructuring charge of £0.8 million (12 months to February 2025: £5.4 million).

 

The £2.3 million increase in adjusted administrative expenses reflects the impact of labour cost inflation and the normalisation of variable remuneration from the low levels in the year to August 2024. In addition, we have invested in our Audio Reproduction sales teams in the US and our eCommerce platforms in Content Creation. This has been offset by a cost restructuring programme undertaken in the current year to deliver efficiencies across Content Creation. Overall, this reflects a combination of disciplined cost control alongside targeted investment to support future growth. This resulted in a one-off cost of £0.8 million and is expected to generate annualised savings of over £1.4 million, with administrative expenses for the six months to February 2026 totalling £24.3 million, £1.0 million lower than in the 6 months to August 2025.

 

The launch of our Japanese entity in March 2026 will result in an increase in overheads, which will be more than offset by a resulting gross margin improvement. We will also continue to invest in sales resources in the US and the final stages of investment in our new product platforms in Focusrite and ADAM, with the increment partially offset by the annualisation of savings from this year's restructuring.

 

Adjusted EBITDA

 

Adjusted EBITDA is an alternative performance measure widely used by securities analysts, investors and other stakeholders to assess a company's underlying profitability. Within the Group, it also forms the basis for elements of senior management incentivisation, both at the operating company and at Group level. This has been amended for the year to February 2027 to be based on operating profit, to recognise the impact of the capitalisation of development costs on the Group's results.

 

Adjusted EBITDA increased from £23.3 million for the 12 months to February 2025 to £24.7 million for the 12 months to February 2026. This reflects the impact of higher sales and gross margins offsetting the increase in administrative overheads.

 

A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to operating profit can be found in note 2 to the financial statements.

 

Depreciation and amortisation

 

Depreciation is charged on tangible fixed assets using the straight-line method over the assets' estimated useful lives, typically ranging between two and five years.

 

Amortisation is primarily applied to capitalised development costs, with charges spread over the expected lifecycle of the related product. Product lifespans vary across the Group's brands, from approximately three years for Focusrite and Novation, up to 11 years for Martin Audio and 15 years for Sequential.

 

During the 12 months to February 2026, £11.2 million of development costs were capitalised (12 months to February 2025: £9.1 million). Amortisation totalled £6.9 million (12 months to February 2025: £5.6 million), increasing as more new products are released and as we begin to amortise the development of our new silicon chip platform.

 

The amortisation of the acquired intangible assets totalled £5.4 million during the period (12 months to February 2025: £5.5 million) and has been disclosed within adjusting items.

 

Adjusting items

 

In the 12 months to February 2026, adjusting items totalled £10.6 million, £9.8 million relating to the impairment of the acquired and internally generated intangible assets of the Sequential CGU, with the remainder relating to the restructuring costs referred to above, following a review of the Content Creation division cost base, offset by a £0.1 million reduction in the final earnout for the Sheriff acquisition (see note 6 to the financial statements). The Sequential CGU has strong brands and an ambitious plan for growth through range expansion and margin improvement through relocation of manufacturing. We were recently informed that the brand's existing US contract manufacturer would be ceasing operations requiring a review of the product roadmap, leading to a greater uncertainty of cashflows, which together with the existing difficult market led to the current year impairment. More detail is provided in note 6 to the financial statements. We remain confident in the brand's future plans and a return to profitable growth.

 

A tax provision of £1.0 million relating to an adjustment to a deferred tax asset following a capital restructuring has been treated as an adjusting item in the 12 months to February 2026.

 

In the 12 months to February 2025, adjusting items of £5.4 million relate to the impairment of the goodwill and acquired intangible assets relating to the acquisition of Sequential.

 

£5.4 million (12 months to February 2025: £5.5 million) relating to the amortisation of acquired intangible assets is also shown as an adjusting item in the 12 months to February 2026.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign exchange and hedging

 

The exchange rates were as follows

Exchange rates	Pro-forma 12 months to  28 February2026	Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2025		Reported 18 months to 28 February 2026	Reported 12 months to 31 August 2024
Average
USD:GBP	1.33	1.28		1.32	1.26
EUR:GBP	1.16	1.19		1.18	1.17
Period end
USD:GBP	1.35	1.26		1.35	1.31
EUR:GBP	1.14	1.21		1.14	1.19

 

The average USD rate has weakened to $1.33 for the 12 months to February 2026 (12 months to February 2025: $1.28). The USD accounts for over half of Group revenue but nearly all of the cost of sales, so there is a useful natural hedge against currency fluctuations.

 

The Group enters into forward contracts to convert Euro to GBP. The policy adopted by the Group is to hedge approximately 75% of the anticipated Euro flows for the current 12-month period (year ending 28 February 2027) and 50% for the following 12 months (year ending 29 February 2028).

 

Corporation tax

 

The tax credit has been impacted by several factors in both periods, resulting in an overall reduction in the tax credit. The inclusion of patent box benefits in both periods has reduced the effective rates on UK profits, with a benefit to the tax charge of approximately £0.5 million in both 12 month periods to February. This has been offset in the 12 months to February 2026 by a provision of £1.0 million relating to a deferred tax asset following a capital restructuring.   This has been shown as an adjusting item.

 

The headline effective tax rate is expected to remain broadly around the UK corporate tax rate in future years, due to the ongoing permitted deductions under the Patent Box scheme offsetting the impact of higher tax rates on profits from non-UK entities.

 

Earnings per share ('EPS')

 

The basic EPS for the 12 months to February 2026 was a loss per share of 7.0 pence, down from a profit per share of 3.4 pence in the 12 months to February 2025. This decrease has resulted from the change in reported profit after tax, which was largely due to the £9.8 million impairment charge relating to Sequential. The weighted average number of shares used for the calculation has increased marginally compared with the prior year to 58,662,000 shares (12 months to February 2025: 58,628,000 shares). The more comparable measure, excluding adjusting items and including the dilutive effect of share options, is the adjusted diluted EPS. This decreased to a profit per share of 15.6 pence from 16.9 pence in the 12 months to February 2025, a decrease of 7.7%, mainly due to the increase in finance charges and taxation.

 

	Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2026	Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2025		Reported   18 months to 28 February 2026	Restated1 Reported 12 months to 31 August 2024
	Pence	Pence		Pence	Pence
Basic	(7.0)	3.4		(3.9)	4.2
Diluted	(6.8)	3.3		(3.9)	4.2
Adjusted basic	15.8	17.2		22.5	18.1
Adjusted diluted	15.6	16.9		22.1	17.8

 

¹ Restated due to adjustments to the prior year - see note 1 to the financial statements.

 

Balance sheet

As noted above, due to the change in year end, the reported results include the balance sheet as at 28 February 2026, with comparatives as at 31 August 2024. To aid comparability, the balance sheet review below also includes the balance sheet as at 31 August and 28 February 2025, as previously reported in the first and second interim results (adjusted for prior year restatements).

	Reported 28 February 2026	Restated1 Unaudited Pro-forma 31 August 2025	Restated1 Unaudited Pro-forma 28 February 2025	Restated1 Reported 31 August 2024
	£m	£m	£m	£m
Goodwill	14.4	14.3	14.1	14.2
Other intangible assets	57.2	67.1	67.5	67.1
Property Plant and Equipment	11.6	10.5	10.3	11.1
Deferred tax assets	4.6	2.5	2.7	2.7
Non-current assets	87.8	94.5	94.7	95.0
Current assets
Inventories	44.1	40.8	47.5	48.3
Trade and other receivables	32.0	42.8	38.8	37.4
Cash	20.6	19.5	15.6	22.0
Current liabilities
Trade, other payables and provisions	(27.4)	(33.4)	(31.6)	(34.5)
Non-current liabilities
Bank loan	(29.2)	(30.3)	(33.5)	(34.6)
Deferred tax	(9.1)	(9.7)	(9.9)	(10.6)
Other non-current liabilities	(7.8)	(5.7)	(6.3)	(6.8)
Net assets	111.0	118.5	115.3	116.2
Working capital2	48.7	50.1	54.7	51.2
Working capital as a % of the last 12 months revenue	29.6%	29.7%	33.6%	32.3%

 

¹Restated due to adjustments to the prior year - see note 1 to the financial statements.

² Working capital is defined as inventories plus trade and other receivables, less trade and other payables and provisions.

Non current assets

Goodwill within non current assets totals £14.4 million (February 2025: £14.1 million) and, in line with accounting standards, is not amortised; the movement in the 12 months to February 2026 relates to translation adjustments for foreign exchange.

Intangible assets include both acquired assets and internally generated assets. Acquired assets include goodwill, brands and capitalised development costs. Internally generated intangible assets comprise capitalised R&D and acquired licences, trademarks and software.

Acquired assets relating to brands and acquired development costs in use had a combined net book value at the end of February 2026 of £25.4 million (February 2025: £36.8 million), with the reduction due to an impairment charge of £5.6 million and amortisation of £5.4 million in line with the expected useful economic lives of the brands.

Internally generated technology and patent costs in use had a carrying value, net of amortisation, of £10.2 million (February 2025: £14.8 million). They comprise capitalised research and development costs for products currently in use. The amortisation periods range from three years to fifteen years, depending on the expected life of the products. The shorter amortisation periods are more usual for Focusrite and Novation products and the longer periods more usual for the ADAM Audio monitors, Martin Audio live speakers and Sequential synthesisers.

Capitalised technology and patent costs still under development comprise acquired and internally generated technology and patent costs for products currently still in development. The carrying value of these items has increased from £8.4 million at 1 March 2025 to £14.3 million as at 28 February 2026, as a result of our £10.1 million ongoing investment in new products, net of the transfer of £3.4 million of costs to products now in use and £1.1 million of the impairment of Sequential assets.

Overall, the amortisation of intangible assets totals £12.3 million (12 months to February 2025: £11.1 million). This is split between the amortisation of acquired intangible assets of £5.4 million (12 months to February 2025: £5.5 million), and other amortisation of £6.9 million (12 months to February 2025: £5.7 million). The amortisation of acquired intangible assets has been treated as an adjusting item. In the 12 months to February 2026, the assets relating to the Sequential acquisition were impaired by £9.8 million as discussed above.  In the 12 months to August 2024 £2.8 million of intangible assets and goodwill of £2.5 million relating to Sequential was impaired.

The remaining £7.2 million of net book value of intangible assets (28 February 2025: £7.5 million) is in respect of purchased licences, software and trademarks. This includes licences relating to the development of our new platform technology.

Tangible non-current assets of £11.6 million (28 February 2025: £10.5 million) consist mainly of right-of-use assets relating to the Group's leased offices and warehouses, together with one owned building and tooling equipment for the manufacture of products.

Working capital analysis

As of 28 February 2026, working capital represented 29.6% of the last 12 months' revenue, a decrease from 33.6% at February 2025 and 32.3% at August 2024.

The decrease in working capital primarily reflects lower inventory levels over the past year, including a significant reduction in Scarlett stock, particularly of Gen 3 products. This was achieved despite a £2 million increase in Audio Reproduction inventory in the US, held to mitigate the impact of tariffs and improve service levels. The reduction was further helped by a reduction in debtors at the period end, due to sales phasing earlier in the final quarter as shipments were brought forward to manage shipments around the Lunar New Year.

We expect working capital to remain stable over the next six months, resulting in a modest cash inflow during the year.

Cash Flow analysis

As noted above, due to the change in year end, the reported results include a statement of cash flows for the 18 months to February 2026, with comparatives for the 12 months to August 2024. To aid comparability, the cash flow review below also includes the pro-forma cash flows for the 12 months to February 2026 and February 2025. A summary is provided at the end of this report reconciling these pro-forma figures to previously reported interim figures (both the first interim results for the six months to 28 February 2025 and the second interim results for the 12 months to 31 August 2025) and the reported results in these financial statements.

	Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2026		Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to 28 February 2025		Reported 18 months 28 February 2026		Restated1 Reported 12 months to 31 August 2024
	£m		£m		£m		£m
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	15.6		8.9		22.0		26.8
Foreign exchange movements	(0.1)		-		0.1		(0.4)
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	20.6		15.6		20.6		22.0
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	5.1		6.7		(1.5)		(4.4)
Change in bank loan	3.4		3.2		5.1		(6.6)
Decrease/(increase) in net debt	8.5		9.9		3.6		(11.0)
Add back equity dividend paid	2.5		3.9		5.1		3.9
Add back acquisition of subsidiary (net of cash acquired)	0.6		0.2		0.6		2.5
Free cash inflow/ (outflow)	11.6		14.0		9.3		(4.6)
Add back adjusting items (cash outflow)	1.3		-		0.7		0.1
Underlying free cash inflow/(outflow) 1	12.9		14.0		10.0		(4.5)

 

1 Defined as cash flow before equity dividends, acquisition of subsidiary (net of cash acquired) and adjusting items

The underlying free cash inflow in the 12 months to February 2026 was £12.9 million, compared to a cash inflow of £14.0 million in the twelve months to February 2025. The movement in free cash flow reflects the improvement in working capital noted above, with both inventories and debtors reducing from levels that were inflated due to the high levels of stock in the channel and our own warehouses in 2024. The net debt balance at the period-end was £8.6 million (28 February 2025: net debt of £17.9 million). The net debt includes the arrangement fee for the revolving credit facility (RCF) of £0.5 million, which is being amortised across the period of the facility.

The Group has a £50 million RCF facility split evenly between HSBC and NatWest, which was renewed in September 2023 and extended in September 2024 and is due to expire in September 2028, together with an uncommitted facility for a further £50 million. As at the balance sheet date, £29.7 million was drawn down from the facility (28 February 2025: £35.1 million).

 

Dividend

The Board has approved a final dividend of 4.64p, which will bring the total dividends declared in the 18-month period to date to 8.84p (12 months to August 2024: 6.6p). This consists of two interim dividends of 2.1p each declared in May 2025 and in November 2025, together with the proposed final dividend, reflecting the longer accounting period, and compares to one interim and one final dividend for the 12 months to August 2024.

Summary

The Group's financial position remains strong, supported by improving margins, disciplined cost management and a normalising working capital profile. Looking ahead, the business is increasingly well positioned to benefit from operating leverage, with modest revenue growth expected to translate into materially stronger profit growth over time. Continued investment in product development, platform capability and direct-to-consumer sales channels will further support margin progression and cash generation.

 

STRATEGIC REPORT APPENDIX

 

PRO FORMA RESULTS FOR THE 12 MONTHS TO FEBRUARY 2026

 

Income Statement	Reported 18 months to to February 2026	Unaudited Pro-forma Less 6 months to February 2025 3	Unaudited Pro-forma 12 months to to February 2026
	£m	£m	£m
Revenue	245.5	80.9	164.6
Cost of sales	(135.9)	(45.6)	(90.3)
Gross profit	109.6	35.3	74.3
Administrative overheads	(74.7)	(25.1)	(49.6)
Adjusted1 EBITDA2	34.9	10.2	24.7
Amortisation	(10.0)	(3.1)	(6.9)
Depreciation	(4.1)	(1.4)	(2.7)
Adjusted1 Operating profit	20.8	5.7	15.1
Adjusting items	(0.8)	-	(0.8)
Impairment of intangible assets	(9.8)	-	(9.8)
Amortisation on Acquired assets	(8.1)	(2.7)	(5.4)
Reported operating profit/(loss)	2.1	3.0	(0.9)
Net finance expense	(4.3)	(1.0)	(3.3)
(Loss)/Profit before tax	(2.2)	2.0	(4.2)

 

 

Cashflow	18 months to to February 2026 Reported	Pro-forma Unaudited Less 6 months to February 2025 3	Pro-forma Unaudited 12 months to to February 2026
	£m	£m	£m
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	22.0	22.0	15.6
Foreign exchange movements	0.1	0.2	(0.1)
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period	20.6	15.6	20.6
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(1.5)	(6.6)	5.1
Change in bank loan	5.1	1.7	3.4
Decrease/(increase) in net debt	3.6	(4.9)	8.5
Add back equity dividends paid	5.1	2.6	2.5
Add back acquisition of subsidiary	0.6	-	0.6
Free cash inflow/(outflow)	9.3	(2.3)	11.6
Add back non underlying items (cashflow)	0.7	-	0.7
Underlying free cash inflow/(outflow)	10.0	(2.3)	12.3
Underlying free cash flow as % of EBITDA	30.4%	-22.5%	52.2%

 

¹ Adjusted for amortisation of acquired intangible assets and other adjusting items detailed in note 2 to the financial statements.

² Earnings (Profit after Tax) before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation.

 

³ Extracted from the interim results for the six months to February 2025, as announced on 28 April 2025 and adjusted for prior year restatements.

 

 

PRO FORMA RESULTS FOR THE 12 MONTHS TO FEBRUARY 2025

 

Income Statement	Reported 12 months to August 2024	Unaudited Pro-forma Less 6 months to February 2024 3	Unaudited Pro-forma Plus 6 months to February 2025 4	Unaudited Pro-forma   12 months to February 2025
	£m	£m	£m	£m
Revenue	158.5	76.9	80.9	162.5
Cost of sales	(88.3)	(42.0)	(45.6)	(91.9)
Gross profit	70.2	34.9	35.3	70.6
Administrative overheads	(45.3)	(23.1)	(25.1)	(47.3)
Adjusted1 EBITDA2	24.9	11.8	10.2	23.3
Amortisation	(5.5)	(3.0)	(3.1)	(5.6)
Depreciation	(2.9)	(1.5)	(1.4)	(2.8)
Adjusted1 Operating profit	16.5	7.3	5.7	14.9
Adjusting items	(0.1)	(0.1)	-	-
Impairment of intangible assets	(5.4)	-	-	(5.4)
Amortisation on Acquired assets	(5.5)	(2.7)	(2.7)	(5.5)
Reported operating profit	5.5	4.5	3.0	4.0
Net finance expense	(3.2)	(1.2)	(0.9)	(2.9)
Profit before tax	2.3	3.3	2.1	1.1

 

Cashflow	Reported 12 months to August 2024	Unaudited Pro-forma Less 6 months to February 2024 3	Unaudited Pro-forma Plus 6 months to February 2025 4	Unaudited Pro-forma   12 months to February 2025
	£m	£m	£m	£m
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	26.8	26.8	22.0	8.9
Foreign exchange movements	(0.4)	(0.2)	0.2	-
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period	22.0	8.9	15.6	15.6
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(4.4)	(17.7)	(6.6)	6.7
Change in bank loan	(6.6)	(8.1)	1.7	3.2
Decrease/(increase) in net debt	(11.0)	(25.8)	(4.9)	9.9
Add back equity dividends paid	3.9	2.6	2.6	3.9
Add back acquisition of subsidiary	2.5	2.3	-	0.2
Free cash inflow/(outflow)	(4.6)	(20.9)	(2.3)	14.0
Add back non underlying items (cashflow)	0.1	0.1	-	-
Underlying free cash inflow/(outflow)	(4.5)	(20.8)	(2.3)	14.0
Underlying free cash flow as % of EBITDA	-18.0%	-177%	-22.1%	60.4%

 

¹ Adjusted for amortisation of acquired intangible assets and other adjusting items detailed in note 2 to the financial statements.

² Earnings (Profit after Tax) before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation.

 

³ Extracted from the interim results for the six months to February 2024, as announced on 24 April 2024 and adjusted for prior year restatements.

 

⁴ Extracted from the interim results for the six months to February 2025, as announced on 28 April 2025 and adjusted for prior year restatements.

 

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking. Although the Directors believe that their expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any statements about future outlook may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different.

 

 

 

Consolidated Income Statement

For the 18 months ended 28 February 2026

 

	Note	18 months to  February 2026	Restated1 12 months to August 2024
		£000	£000
Revenue	4	245,505	158,524
Cost of Sales		(135,867)	(88,374)
Gross Profit		109,638	70,150
Administrative Expenses		(107,584)	(64,618)
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP measure)		34,901	24,876
Depreciation and Amortisation		(14,097)	(8,395)
Adjusting items:
Amortisation of acquired intangible assets		(8,122)	(5,510)
Impairment of intangible assets	6	(9,843)	(5,355)
Other adjusting items	6	(785)	(84)
Operating profit		2,054	5,532
Finance income		266	100
Finance costs		(4,545)	(3,292)
(Loss)/Profit before tax		(2,225)	2,340
Income tax (charge)/credit	7	(75)	145
(Loss)/Profit for the period		(2,300)	2,485
(Loss)/earnings per share
Basic (pence per share)	9	(3.9)	4.2
Diluted (pence per share)	9	(3.9)	4.2

 

 

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

For the 18 months ended 28 February 2026

 

	Note	18 months to February 2026	Restated1 12 months to August 2024
		£000	£000
(Loss)/Profit for the period (attributable to equity shareholders)		(2,300)		2,485
Items that may be subsequently reclassified to the income statement
Exchange gains/ (losses) on translation of foreign operations		1,530	(923)
Loss on forward exchange contracts		(458)	(491)
Tax on hedging instrument		115	190
Total other comprehensive income/(expense) for the period		1,187	(1,224)
Total comprehensive (expense)/income for the period		(1,113)	1,261

 

 

¹ Restated due to adjustments to the prior year - see note 1 to the financial statements.

The accompanying notes form part of these abbreviated financial statements.

 

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

 

	Note	28 February 2026	Restated1 31 August 2024
		£000	£000
Assets
Non-current assets
Goodwill		14,403	14,194
Other intangible assets	10	57,157	67,061
Property, plant and equipment		11,580	11,096
Deferred tax assets		4,612	2,666
Total non-current assets		87,752	95,017
Current assets
Inventories		44,105	48,303
Trade and other receivables		30,657	37,391
Cash and cash equivalents		20,623	22,040
Current tax asset		1,282	226
Total current assets		96,667	107,960
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables		(23,716)	(30,381)
Other liabilities		(1,336)	(1,527)
Current tax liabilities		(1,440)	(2,274)
Provisions		(259)	(522)
Derivative financial instruments		(601)	-
Total current liabilities		(27,352)	(34,704)
Net current assets		69,315	73,256
Total assets less current liabilities		157,067	168,273
Non-current liabilities
Deferred tax		(9,059)	(10,574)
Bank loan		(29,218)	(34,565)
Provisions		(1,389)	-
Other liabilities		(6,368)	(6,793)
Total non-current liabilities		(46,034)	(51,932)
Total liabilities		(73,386)	(86,636)
Net assets		111,033	116,341
Capital and Reserves
Share capital		59	59
Share premium		115	115
Merger reserve		14,595	14,595
Merger difference reserve		(13,147)	(13,147)
Translation reserve		(2,150)	(3,680)
Hedging reserve		(343)	-
EBT reserve		(1)	(1)
Retained earnings		111,905	118,400
Equity attributable to the owners of the Company		111,033	116,341
Total Equity		111,033	116,341

¹ Restated due to adjustments to the prior year  - see note 1 to the financial statements.

 

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 28 June 2026. They were signed on its behalf by:

 

Sally McKone

Chief Financial Officer