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Interim Results

RNS Number : 6026Q

Cordel Group PLC

28 January 2026

 

28th January 2026

Cordel Group PLC

("Cordel" or the "Company" or the "Group")

 

Interim Results for the six months ended 31 December 2025

 

 

Cordel Group PLC (AIM: CRDL), the artificial intelligence platform for transport corridor analytics, announces its unaudited results for the six months ended 31 December 2025.

 

 

Six months toSix months to% change% change
31 Dec 202531 Dec 2024(constant currency*)
£'000£'000
Total revenue1,7252,277-24%-22%
Cost of sales(550)(685)-20%-17%
Total expenses(2,209)(1,976)12%20%
Other income149225-34%-34%
EBITDA(885)(159)457%494%
  *Constant currency reflects the results had the underlying transactional currencies, (i.e. USD, AUD and GBP) remained constant across the full financial year.     Highlights: ●     Total revenue decreased by 24% in reported currency and 22% at constant currency due to delayed purchase orders from new engagements, particularly in the USA and UK ●     Cost of sales reduced by 20% (17% constant currency) due to lower third party contracted costs and hardware in comparison to the prior period ●     Total expenses increased by 12% (20% at constant currency) due primarily to the impact of new hires in the previous financial year ●     As at 31 December 2025, cash balance was £1.02m compared with £1.50m at 30 June 2025, and £1.14m at 31 December 2024 ●     Total assets as at 31 December 2025 were £3.24m whilst net assets were £2.09m compared with £4.48m and £3.05m respectively, as at 30 June 2025  ●     UK achievements during the period included the Track Innovation project with Transport for London, which has dramatically advanced Cordel's data and location capture technology in tunnels ●     USA achievements included an uplift in miles of LiDAR data capture and processing across our 3 major railroad clients, as we transition to a "Data as a Service" recurring revenue business model ●     EMEA achievements included the contract extension in Saudi Arabia and our first major trial with Vossloh AG, with Cordel Rugged LiDAR units mounted on track grinding vehicles for a major European Rail operator ●     Australia achievements included the expansion and extension of the ARTC contract and a new customer contract with V/Line, the freight and passenger rail network in the state of Victoria ●     Having regard to the current pipeline and the anticipated timing of contracts being signed, the Board expects to be ahead of the FY25 revenue position by end Q3 and in a strong position to deliver on the Board's expectations for full year FY26 revenue     Ian Buddery, Chairman, Cordel, said: "First half results clearly did not meet our expectations, largely as a result of protracted customer procurement processes in the UK and USA. Negotiations are continuing to progress without issues and the Board remains confident that these contracts will flow into second half revenue, underpinning the full year plan.    Complex procurement is the nature of the rail industry and our focus is on increasing our sales pipeline to ensure predicable forecasts. We are making steady progress here with our current pipeline of quality opportunities, now totalling c.£70m, compared to c.£30m in January 2025.   We were however delighted with the significant technology progress made with multiple partners in all markets. This notably includes the TfL project which has advanced our data capture and analysis capabilities for closed track sections everywhere, e.g. tunnels and long covered platforms in major city railroad stations."              Enquiries:  
Cordel Group PLCc/o Cavendish
Ian Buddery, Chairman
John Davis, Chief Executive Officer
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited, Broker+44 (0)20 220 0500
Marc Milmo
Sunila de Silva (Corporate Broking)
Strand Hanson Limited, Nominated Adviser
Richard Johnson / James Bellman
+44 (0)20 7409 3494
  About Cordel Cordel Group PLC ("the Group") is a global provider of specialist hardware and software for capturing, analysing and reporting on large datasets within the transport sector, powered by a sophisticated and proprietary artificial intelligence platform.   Further information on the Company is available at: www.cordel.ai   Cordel Group PLC Review of operations by the Chief Executive Officer 31 December 2025   Cordel Group PLC ("the Group") is a global provider of specialist hardware and software for capturing, analysing and reporting on large datasets within the transport sector, powered by a sophisticated and proprietary artificial intelligence platform.   Overview of results During the half year ended 31 December 2025, the Company validated the market opportunity for supporting US Railroads with Positive Train Control (PTC) and released our 'PTC Asset Connect' system. We won new customers in the UK and Australia and more than doubled our commercial pipeline of opportunity. However, customer procurement processes were more protracted than usual, leading to a disappointing revenue outcome for the first half. Our commercial strategy has prioritised securing larger, multi-year commitments to strengthen our recurring revenue base, resulting in lower revenue contribution from one-off projects in the interim period. We remain confident this is largely a matter of timing, and that the first-half efforts will materialise into contract awards during the second half and beyond.   We continue to see considerable opportunity in the North American market and we have invested significantly in our team there, to support delivery for our existing clients and to win new ones. We are also seeing improved momentum and traction in the UK where our small team is building on the very strong delivery of RGDS within Network Rail.   In a little over a year, we have taken our PTC offering from conception to market launch and we are in advanced conversations with several Class 1 railroads for commercial contracts. We continue to expect meaningful revenue from this product in FY26. Using our multimodal AI capabilities, we have created an end-to-end service which meets all the requirements that we have gathered from these potential customers.    We have undertaken a Track Innovation project with TfL which was our first foray into using our LiDAR within tunnels. In parallel, we are working with Amtrak on a similar trial and believe that once we have clear deliverables and outputs from both these projects, this should open up a new segment in the market for us.   We have vastly increased the miles of track that we have processed in the half and expect to more than double our total year on year. We remain immensely proud of our delivery and support record and ability to react rapidly to any requests or incidents worldwide. We have upgraded our hardware to ensure that our sensors can function in the extreme weather conditions that we experience from the Middle East to North America.   Ongoing operations The Group operates from offices in London, UK and Newcastle, Australia with staff in these locations and in the USA. The Company has customers in Australia, UK, Middle East, Latin America and the USA. As of 31 December 2025, the Company had cash balances of £1.02m and cash and receivables totalling £1.55m.   Outlook The Company continues to win new contracts following extended negotiation cycles. This results in continued growth of the total mileage of railway track under long-term data management and, combined with new analytic services released in 2025 and planned for 2026, gives us confidence in achieving our revenue plan for the fiscal year to 30 June 2026.   John Davis Chief Executive Officer 28 January 2026   Cordel Group PLC                                                                                                                          Review of operations by the Chief Financial Officer 31 December 2025   A summary of the Group's results is as follows:    
Six Months toSix Months to
30 Dec 202530 Dec 2024
£ '000£ '000
Revenue from contracts with customers1,7252,277
Cost of sales(550)(685)
Gross Profit1,1751,592
Other income149225
Employee benefits expense(1,708)(1,609)
Other expenses(501)(367)
EBITDA(885)(159)
Depreciation and amortisation expense(84)(81)
Net finance income/(expense)5(13)
Other non-operating costs(38)(0)
Loss before income tax(1,002)(253)
      The above summary should be read in conjunction with the accompanying financial statements and notes.   Revenue Total revenue for the period decreased by 24% to £1.72m due to delayed purchase orders from new engagements, particularly in the USA and UK.    Cost of sales Hosting and other direct costs reduced 20% to £550k from £685k due to lower third-party and hardware costs in the half year, partially offset by increased salary costs for delivery staff which were reallocated to cost of sales. Gross margin dropped below target of 70% due to lower revenue.   Operating expenses Total expenses (employee benefits expense and other expenses) increased 12% by £233k compared to the corresponding period. An increase of staff expenses of £99k is the largest contributor, reflecting the impact of new hires and cost of living salary increases for existing staff. Cordel's headcount grew from 35 at 31 December 2024 to 43 employees   31 December 2025 across Australia, the UK and the USA.     Other income Other income of £149k includes an estimated R&D tax refund. The six months ended 31 December 2024 included grant income from the Level Crossing Safety Research and Innovation project which concluded during the financial year ended 30 June 2025.   EBITDA was a loss of £885k, due to lower revenue achievement and a higher operating cost base.     Balance sheet, cash and working capital The Group balance sheet shows cash resources of £1.02m and receivables of £526k as at 31 December 2025. Cash outflow from operating activities was £437k due to protracted sales cycles coupled with unfavourable working capital movements, including higher operating costs and increased inventory to prepare for future deliveries.   Underlying basis of EBITDA The Group manages its operations by looking at the underlying EBITDA which excludes the impact of one-off and non-cash items as this, in the Board's opinion, provides a more representative measure of the Group's performance. A reconciliation between the reported loss before tax and EBITDA is included at note 7 to the financial statements.     Natasha Dinneen Chief Financial Officer 28 January 2026   Cordel Group PLC Consolidated statements of profit and loss and other comprehensive income For the six months ended 31 December 2025     
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
Note202520242025
£££
Revenue from contracts with customers41,724,9452,276,9254,788,516
Cost of sales(550,290)(685,112)(1,261,042)
Gross Profit1,174,6551,591,8133,527,474
Other income5149,153225,292584,854
Employee benefits expense6(1,707,899)(1,609,404)(2,969,149)
Other expenses(501,074)(367,380)(1,301,174)
EBITDA7(885,165)(159,679)(157,995)
Depreciation and amortisation expense(83,497)(80,576)(162,882)
Net finance income/(expense)5,019(12,279)(26,344)
Other non-operating costs(37,932)(125)(10,791)
Loss before income tax expense(1,001,575)(252,659)(358,012)
Income tax expense0(613)(44,003)
Loss after income tax expense for the period(1,001,575)(253,272)(402,015)
Other comprehensive income
Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss
Share option reserve13,603(5,853)39,384
Foreign currency translation24,35712,479(85,771)
Other comprehensive income for the period, net of tax37,9606,626(46,387)
Total comprehensive income for the period(963,615)(246,646)(448,402)
Loss for the period attributable to:
Owners of Cordel Group PLC(1,001,575)(253,272)(402,015)
(1,001,575)(253,272)(402,015)
Total comprehensive income for the period is attributable to:
Owners of Cordel Group PLC(963,615)(246,646)(448,402)
(963,615)(246,646)(448,402)
Basic earnings per share (pence)15(0.46)(0.12)(0.19)
  The above consolidated statements of profit or loss and other comprehensive income should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.         Cordel Group PLC Consolidated balance sheet as at 31 December 2025  
Unaudited as atAudited
31 December30 June
202520242025
Note£££
Non-current assets
Goodwill1,223,4031,223,4031,223,403
Right of use asset74,471149,056108,253
Property, plant and equipment145,761196,434160,668
Deferred tax asset14,871-14,871
Total non-current assets1,458,5061,568,8931,507,195
Current assets
Trade and other receivables8526,3841,798,4871,214,504
Inventories239,454167,750249,952
Cash and cash equivalents1,020,1561,143,5551,504,442
Total current assets1,785,9943,109,7922,968,898
Non-current liabilities
Lease liabilities089,02042,202
Deferred tax16,65455116,653
Total non-current liabilities16,65489,57158,855
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables9560,081732,991922,399
Unearned income18,557141,33061,810
Lease liabilities100,662102,44099,284
Borrowings10119,584104,090-
Employee benefits342,184256,113283,352
Total current liabilities1,141,0681,336,9641,366,845
Net current assets644,9261,772,8281,602,053
Total assets less current liabilities2,103,4323,341,7213,109,248
Net assets2,086,7783,252,1503,050,393
Equity
Share capital2,169,2322,169,2322,169,232
Share premium account11,661,75811,661,75911,661,758
Other reserves11483,286573,474445,326
Accumulated losses(12,227,498)(11,152,315)(11,225,923)
Total equity2,086,7783,252,1503,050,393
    The above consolidated balance sheet should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes     The interim financial statements of Cordel Group PLC (company number 11098701 (England and Wales)) were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 28 January 2026. They were signed on its behalf by:                                                             Ian Buddery                                                                              Thouraya Walker Chairman                                                                                  Director 28 January 2026                                                                        28 January 2026     Cordel Group PLC Consolidated statements of changes in equity For the six months ended 31 December 2025    
ShareShareOtherAccumulatedTotal
Unaudited six months endedCapitalpremiumreservesLossesEquity
31 December 2024account*
£££££
Balance at 1 July 20241,994,88610,856,854566,848(10,899,043)2,519,545
Loss after income tax expense for the period---(253,272)(253,272)
Other comprehensive income for the period, net of tax--6,626-6,626
Total comprehensive income for the period fully attributable to owners of the parent--6,626(253,272)(246,646)
Share issue174,346804,905--979,251
Balance at 31 December 20242,169,23211,661,759573,474(11,152,315)3,252,150
ShareShareOtherAccumulatedTotal
Unaudited six months ended
31 December 2025
CapitalPremium account*reservesLossesEquity
£££££
Balance at 1 July 20252,169,23211,661,758445,326(11,225,923)3,050,393
Loss after income tax expense for the period---(1,001,575)(1,001,575)
Other comprehensive income for the period, net of tax--37,960-37,960
Total comprehensive income for the period fully attributable to owners of the parent--37,960(1,001,575)(963,615)
Share issue-----
Balance at 31 December 20252,169,23211,661,758483,286(12,227,498)2,086,778
  * The share premium account is used to recognise the difference between the issued share capital at nominal value and the share capital received, net of transaction cost       Cordel Group PLC Consolidated statements of changes in equity (cont'd) For the six months ended 31 December 2025    
ShareShareOtherAccumulatedTotal
Audited year endedCapitalpremiumreservesLossesEquity
30 June 2025account*
£££££
Balance at 1 July 20241,994,88610,856,854566,848(10,899,043)2,519,545
Loss after income tax expense for the period--0(402,015)(402,015)
Other comprehensive income for the period, net of tax--(121,522)75,135(46,387)
Total comprehensive income for the period fully attributable to owners of the parent--(121,522)(326,880)(448,402)
Share issue174,346804,904--979,250
Balance at 30 June 20252,169,23211,661,758445,326(11,225,923)3,050,393
  The above consolidated statements of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes     Cordel Group PLC Consolidated statement of cash flows For the six months ended 31 December 2025  
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
Cash flows from operating activities
Loss before income tax expense for the period(1,001,575)(253,272)(358,012)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation and amortisation83,49780,576162,882
Loss/(Gain) on disposal of equipment936125300
Unwinding of lease liability incentive(8,155)-(10,907)
Share option reserve13,603(5,853)39,384
Foreign exchange differences(2,081)5,58210,565
Interest received(12,678)(246)(484)
Interest and other finance costs7,65912,52526,828
(918,794)(160,563)(129,444)
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Decrease/(Increase) in inventories10,498(39,988)(122,189)
Decrease/(Increase) in trade and other receivables347,844(798,480)(242,813)
(Decrease)/Increase in trade and other payables(199,034)(312,646)(165,383)
(Decrease)/Increase in other liabilities15,578184,11527,744
(743,908)(1,127,562)(632,085)
Interest received12,678246484
Interest and other finance costs paid(2,296)(3,852)(12,491)
Income taxes paid(43,700)--
R&D tax credit received340,276429,045457,361
Net cash used in operating activities(436,950)(702,123)(186,731)
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment(29,846)(91,395)(117,191)
Net cash used in investing activities(29,846)(91,395)(117,191)
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from issue of shares-977,2501,039,250
Interest on lease payments(5,364)(8,673)(14,337)
Cash payments for leases(45,658)(49,855)(83,337)
Transaction costs on issue of shares-(60,000)(60,000)
Net cash from financing activities(51,022)858,722881,576
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents(517,818)65,204577,654
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the financial period1,504,4421,022,1801,022,180
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents33,53256,171(95,392)
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the financial period1,020,1561,143,5551,504,442
  The above consolidated statement of cash flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes   Cordel Group PLC Notes to the consolidated financial statements For the six months ended 31 December 2025   Note 1. General information   Cordel Group plc is a public company, registered in England and Wales and listed on the Alternative Investment Market ('AIM').   Its registered office and principal place of business are:   Registered office                                              Principal place of business 10 John Street                                                   Level 4/745 Hunter Street London WC1N 2EB                                           Newcastle West NSW 2302 United Kingdom                                                 Australia   A description of the nature of the Group's operations and its principal activities are included in the directors' report, which is not part of the financial statements. The financial statements were authorised for issue, in accordance with a resolution of directors, on 28 January 2026. The Directors have the power to amend and reissue the financial statements.   Note 2. Significant accounting policies   These financial statements for the interim half-year reporting period ended 31 December 2025 have been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standards IAS 34 'Interim Financial Reporting'.   These interim financial statements do not include all the notes of the type normally included in annual financial statements. Accordingly, these financial statements are to be read in conjunction with the annual report for the year ended 30 June 2025 and any public announcements made by the Company during the interim reporting period.   New or amended Accounting Standards and Interpretations adopted The Group has adopted all of the new or amended Accounting Standards and Interpretations issued by the International Accounting Standards Board that are mandatory for the current reporting period.   Any new or amended Accounting Standards or Interpretations that are not yet mandatory have not been early adopted.   Going concern The financial statements have been prepared assuming the Group will continue as a going concern. Under the going concern assumption, an entity is ordinarily viewed as continuing in business for the foreseeable future. In assessing whether the going concern assumption is appropriate, the directors have considered the Group's existing working capital and are of the opinion that the Group has adequate resources to undertake its planned program of activities for the 12 months from the date of approval of these financial statements.   Note 3. Operating segments   Identification of reportable operating segments The Group operates in one segment being provision of data integration and analytic services. This operating segment is based on the internal reports that are reviewed and used by the Board of Directors (who are identified as the Chief Operating Decision Makers ('CODM')) in assessing performance and in determining the allocation of resources.   The operating segment information is the same information as provided throughout the consolidated financial statements and are therefore not duplicated.         Cordel Group PLC Notes to the consolidated financial statements (cont'd) For the six months ended 31 December 2025     Note 4. Revenue    
Revenue by geographical areaUnaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
EMEA771,421811,4782,003,223
APAC185,125274,816502,299
The Americas768,3991,190,6312,282,994
Total revenue1,724,9452,276,9254,788,516
    Note 5. Other income    
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
Government grants and rebates148,883225,292561,073
Other income270-23,871
Total revenue149,153225,292584,944
      Cordel Group PLC Notes to the consolidated financial statements (cont'd) For the six months ended 31 December 2025   Note 6. Staff Costs   Total staff costs were as follows:
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
Wages and salaries1,681,6061,372,6662,924,247
Social security costs177,659141,992195,218
Other pension costs124,693100,599215,952
Share-based payments13,603(5,853)39,384
Total employee benefits expense1,997,5611,609,4043,374,801
    Staff costs are presented in the Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income Within:  
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
Cost of sales289,6620405,652
Employee benefits expense1,707,8991,609,4042,969,149
Total employee benefits expense1,997,5611,609,4043,374,801
        Staff costs were reallocated to cost of sales during the period for costs relating to dedicated in-house customer support and delivery teams that were established from January 2025.       Cordel Group PLC Notes to the consolidated financial statements (cont'd) For the six months ended 31 December 2025   Note 7. EBITDA reconciliation (earnings before interest expense, taxation, depreciation and amortisation)  
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
Loss before income tax(1,001,575)(252,659)(358,012)
Less: Interest revenue(12,678)(246)(484)
Add: Interest expense7,65912,52526,828
Add: Depreciation and amortisation83,49780,576162,882
Add: Other non-operating costs37,93212510,791
EBITDA(885,165)(159,679)(157,995)
      The financial statements include both the statutory financial statements and the additional performance measure of EBITDA. The directors believe these additional measures provide useful information on the underlying trend in operational performance going forward.       Note 8. Trade and other receivables  
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
Trade receivables125,8341,292,566675,341
R&D tax offset refundable148,571148,344367,854
Prepayments203,528317,786167,427
Other receivables48,45139,7913,882
526,3841,798,4871,214,504
        Cordel Group PLC Notes to the consolidated financial statements (cont'd) For the six months ended 31 December 2025   Note 9. Trade and other payables  
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
Trade payables290,980521,597342,783
Accrued expenses178,095147,995369,511
Other payables91,00663,399210,105
560,081732,991922,399
      Note 10. Borrowings   During the interim period, the Group entered into new short-term supplier financing arrangements carrying interest at 4.56% that mature on 30 August 2026 and 30 September 2026.     Note 11. Reserves  
Unaudited six monthsAudited year ended
ended 31 December30 June
202520242025
£££
Foreign currency reserve230,606359,912206,249
Share-based payment reserve252,680213,562239,077
483,286573,474445,326
          Note 12.  Dividends   There were no dividends paid, recommended, or declared during the current or prior financial periods.       Cordel Group PLC Notes to the consolidated financial statements (cont'd) For the six months ended 31 December 2025   Note 13.  Fair value measurement   The carrying amounts of trade and other receivables and trade and other payables are assumed to approximate their fair values due to their short-term nature.   The fair value of financial liabilities is estimated by discounting the remaining contractual maturities at the current market interest rate that is available for similar financial liabilities.     Note 14. Related party transactions   Parent entity The parent entity and ultimate parent entity is Cordel Group PLC. There is no ultimate controlling party.   Transactions with related parties Ian Buddery was remunerated through his personal service company during the period.   Receivable from and payable to related parties There were no trade receivables from or trade payables to related parties at the current and previous reporting date.   Loans to/from related parties There were no loans to or from related parties at the current and previous reporting dates.     Note 15. Earnings per share    
Unaudited six monthsAudited year
ended 31 Decemberended 30 June
202520242025
£££
Loss after income tax attributable to the owners of Cordel Group PLC(1,001,575)(253,272)(402,015)
NumberNumberNumber
Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in calculating basic earnings per share216,923,230216,923,230216,923,230
PencePencePence
Basic earnings per share(0.46)(0.12)(0.19)
            Cordel Group PLC Notes to the consolidated financial statements (cont'd) For the six months ended 31 December 2025   Note 16.  Events after the reporting period On the 6th of January 2026, Jeff Songer, an established senior USA rail industry executive with over 30 years of experience in operations, engineering and finance was appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director.             This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.   END     IR UBRNRNKUAUAR

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